View Full Version : Timekeeping
Colonal Mustard
1st Jul 2007, 19:01
Is it me......a number of friends have commented jokingly about how i use my timekeeping estimates!
I flew approximately 1900 hrs over a few years and found myself being to the minute in order to calculate fuel/etc
I no longer fly but still tell people i will be at a venue/party/pub/work at times that include every minute in the hour
For example:-
When asked what time i will be in the office in the morning i said "about 0817", the bloke laughed until the following morning when by pure luck (i was travelling by train) i arrived at 0816 (by his watch), i had forgotton about the previous discussion and genuinely did not slow/speed up to make the time fit..
This is one example, but i use it rigidly and Mrs CM has now picked up on it and seems to question whether its just me or an aviation thing seeing as i never hear joe public using anything other than quarterly slots in the hour.
God hear me........ lets see where this discussion goes:eek:
Whirlygig
1st Jul 2007, 19:09
Is it me......
Yes!
Your fastidiousness with regard to punctuality is laudable but an accuracy of +/- 1 minute is going a tad far. What happens if traffic holds you up? Or public transport is late? I hope you're not going to commit sidereal hari-kiri and fall on your sword?:}
Try weaning yourself off by using the nearest 5 minute mark and that way, you may endure less ridicule from friends and family!
Cheers
Whirls
VeeAny
1st Jul 2007, 19:10
I do it as well.
I think I did it before I got into aviation, and I now have a job where depature times are to the minute. The boss likes to know what time i'll arrive when I am off doing other stuff, so he doesn't waste time stood around waiting for me.
Quite often i find myself with landing estimates of 1756. Not always right, but it is quite amusing to see people amazed when it does work out.
I will always suffer ridicule so don't need to worry about 5 minutes as whirly suggested to you earlier.
V.
Whirlygig
1st Jul 2007, 19:17
Oh no :bored: There's TWO of them! I bet there's going to be more coming out of the woodwork and confessing then we'll end up with a group of Timekeepers Anonymous!! :8
Cheers
Whirls
VeeAny
1st Jul 2007, 19:29
Whirly
I was probably accurate to the nearest 15 mins when we flew. I've got a bit better since then.
GS
Colonal Mustard
1st Jul 2007, 19:41
Just seems to be something i fell into and have now had it pointed out to me it rather worried me..... seems i`m not the only one
you watch someone will pop up and call it "Cheeko time" or somethin
spinwing
2nd Jul 2007, 01:12
Jeez youse guys is picky ...... growin up in the ozzie bush we wuz luky to get to our destinashuns on the rite day!
:} :E
Appologies to my bush pilot bretheren!
DanglyBob
2nd Jul 2007, 08:31
I find myself working in tenths of an hour, due to work in a previous life logging time as decimal units of an hour......
:)
"Just seems to be something i fell into" wrote CM
CM, I think you should be more concerned with your accuracy. If you find yourself delaying arrival or departure at a point previously specified so clearly then that is cheating and I'd recommend you pay more attention to the attendant variables.
Best Wishes
Banjo24
3rd Jul 2007, 06:07
I can not believe this thread!! Time keeping to the nearest minute. What sort of a person would tell someone that they will arrive at 10:56 really that is so lame. What is wrong with 10:56 and 23 seconds. Hello.
To not use the 60, yes 60 seconds available to you when letting people know what you are doing is simply the height of laziness.
Get a grip people and take some pride in your timekeeping after all we pilots have big watches, lets use them.
HELOFAN
3rd Jul 2007, 18:32
The Army made me do it , now Civvy aviation does reinforces it on me.
I think its cool when you get it right but I dont tell PPL the time I am thinking if I just tell them the approximate time....too freak showish for me.
HF
I personally like to plan to arrive at a set time -30sec/+0.........as someone already said, its the Army wot made me do it
The point to precise time keeping is not as freakish as some might think. It requires considerable discipline of thought / activity direction and is a very useful tool help an individual learn how to manipulate variables constantly.
I think going down to the second level is a bit ambitious for most people and perceive that using the decimal division of time to be an advantage in aviation matters for a number of valid reasons, speed of calculation being one. But I also like the method because it causes confusion amongst some people and indicates their level of current understanding.
Till later, I have to be at the bank by 13.2
Best Wishes
Heli-Ice
5th Jul 2007, 03:32
Banjo
Not all of us have big watches, I am the other type that tells stories and plays with his dingaling... :}