Are you allowed a calculator in the Aircraft General PPL Exam?

[JetMouse]

Just wondering, because I will have to brush up on my maths for the load factor questions (cosines and square roots) if not...:eek:

[tomcs]

No you are not! :) But seriously its not that hard! All of the questions are multiple choice. You wont have a problem.

Tom

[Evo7]

You can approximate cosines with the Whizz-wheel anyway. Remember all those crosswind questions in the Nav exam? Just reverse the method

i.e. what is Cos 45?

Set w/v to 000/n kts (n can be anything, but bigger is better. 50 works well). Now set 45 degrees on the wheel. Crosswind component would be 36 kts

Hence cos 45 = 36/50 = 0.72

In reality it's 0.71, but hey, that's good enough for government work... :)

[JetMouse]

Nice one Evo - that works perfectly! :D

[Evo7]

Just take care with minus signs for angles greater than 90 degrees.

Realized that you can do square roots too with a bit of iteration. Handy thing, the whizz-wheel :)

[Heliport]

The CAA allow one of those new-fangled calculator contraptions in an examination?
Good Heavens!
Surely you know that real pilots never trust anything other than a wizz-wheel. What if the the battery fails just as you're flight planning. We all know that wizz-wheels are easy to use and there's no risk of making a mistake.
I can't believe you even asked the question.
Where would it stop?
You'll be suggesting that there should be computers on flightdecks next.
Yours etc
Disgusted.
Tunbridge Wells.

[28thJuly2001]

ooops, I took a calculator into this exam. Didnt give it a second thought. The examiner gave me my paper and told me to give him a shout when I had finished and then left. So this means that I have to go through the rest of my life knowing that my PPL was achieved under false pretenses.. ARRGHHH How will I live with myself. Think I will go to church and confess my sins.
Walt,,

[paulo]

Heli... :D :D :D