View Full Version : What is the Perf A Rating?
In many posts I have read people mentioning a Perf A. Am curious - what is this rating? Is this like a high performance endorsement in the U.S. or is it "radically" different?
john_tullamarine
8th Aug 2002, 18:06
In the old UK ATPL system, the intending pilot had to read a course which addressed an understanding of, and basic use of, a FAR 25 style flight manual for a typical RPT heavy.
"Performance A" is a reference to the old UK BCAR numbering system.
Although I didn't have a need to take the exams, I have scanned some of the various course notes and the subject appeared to be taken quite seriously.
Took and passed Perf A last year as part of my CPL exams
It is (was) a generic aircraft performance type exam loosely based I think on a tristar aircraft.
Very confusing terminology, strange methods of working out TO & landing distances. In my humble opinion a complete waste of time !
john_tullamarine
9th Aug 2002, 00:30
Limey,
That's why you are better off leaving the number crunching to the Mutt and John Show .....
What you don't learn in Perf A are the in-house tricks of the trade ....
Let me guess.....
Look at the performance tables for the aircraft that you are flying and use that instead of the rubbish that you learn on Perf A
Leslie
9th Aug 2002, 09:34
Useless!
john_tullamarine
9th Aug 2002, 10:34
.. methinks that you are missing the point here, chaps ... Perf A is not intended to make you an ops engineer ... although a conscientious student ought to be a dab hand with a flight manual after the course ..... rather to give you
(a) some appreciation whence come the numbers which you use so easily on the line
(b) some idea of the processes which go into producing said numbers
(c) some idea of the practical limitations inherent in the numbers ....
Surely there is some value in knowledge even if you are not going to apply it in day to day mechanical fashion ?