Aterpster
Ok i admit, maybe ''shall'' was a strong word in the sentence. No knowledge is compulsory what so ever but you can never say you know enough either...
Knowledge is like a safety bubble-shield, the more you know the stronger the shield. In my opinion as ATC is there to help us pilots so are these numbers, in a way that when understanding the method used i.e. for the construction of parallel runways you also put a tiny bit to reenforce your knowledge-shield. Safety is increased when pilots understand the margins of NOZ and NTZ, not because they know the numbers by heart but because they understand the context in them. I recall my fellow classmates from my ATP course saying numerous times '' ..and why do we have to know that? Our job is to fly, not to be an aeronautical engineer!!''
In conclusion, the only bad thing with knowledge is that it grows you old!
