Fustrated WAFU
4th Oct 1999, 16:04
Well, I am not entirely sure how I did it but I have managed to wing it through the aptitude tests and have been invited back up to the urban regeneration project at Cranebank. This was undoubtedly aided by a reduced state of nervousness after following PRUNE and seeing so much of it come true.
Anyway, to add to the good advice around here I have 2 things to pass on that I wish I had known....
Firstly, on the Micropat 'Friend or Foe' assessment the majority - for me at least - were friends. Of course, this could be completely random but something about it makes me think not.
The second, and at not at all subjective, thing is about the Micropat landing test. Basically, it is a straight forward test with the exception of the auto-land's capture speed - for which there are no instructions. They indicate that a higher score will be achieved if the candidate gets to the threshold asap. It also says that the minimum flight speed is 100kts (with the throttle all the way back). What it does not say is that there is a MAXIMUM speed for the auto-land to capture. Now, I have no idea what that maximum speed is but I do know that if you do the good old "max speed, alter for centerline and dive to 75ft until just before the threshold" approach you may get 98% for accuracy but the landing will abort because the speed is too high. 100 kts will clearly be bulletproof but it was certainly possible to go a bit faster but how much is unclear. I seemed to get through OK by keeping the throttle at 100% until the centreline was hidden by the plane's body and then throttling back to 0%.
Hope this helps those who have yet to go.
Incidentally, has anybody got any tops tips on the final day? Is it still a group exercise, written work and interviews - if so are there any hot topics at the mo?
Anyway, to add to the good advice around here I have 2 things to pass on that I wish I had known....
Firstly, on the Micropat 'Friend or Foe' assessment the majority - for me at least - were friends. Of course, this could be completely random but something about it makes me think not.
The second, and at not at all subjective, thing is about the Micropat landing test. Basically, it is a straight forward test with the exception of the auto-land's capture speed - for which there are no instructions. They indicate that a higher score will be achieved if the candidate gets to the threshold asap. It also says that the minimum flight speed is 100kts (with the throttle all the way back). What it does not say is that there is a MAXIMUM speed for the auto-land to capture. Now, I have no idea what that maximum speed is but I do know that if you do the good old "max speed, alter for centerline and dive to 75ft until just before the threshold" approach you may get 98% for accuracy but the landing will abort because the speed is too high. 100 kts will clearly be bulletproof but it was certainly possible to go a bit faster but how much is unclear. I seemed to get through OK by keeping the throttle at 100% until the centreline was hidden by the plane's body and then throttling back to 0%.
Hope this helps those who have yet to go.
Incidentally, has anybody got any tops tips on the final day? Is it still a group exercise, written work and interviews - if so are there any hot topics at the mo?