Calculating True Airspeed
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 4,598
Likes: 0
From: Amsterdam
FL, I'm intrigued. How did you do the various aviation calculations on your PPL exam, including calculating wind corrections, TAS from IAS etc., without some sort of flight computer (mechanical or electronic)?
Did you have to memorize the various conversion factors, for instance, and draw a wind triangle on the map? Or was there some other clever way of doing stuff like this?
Did you have to memorize the various conversion factors, for instance, and draw a wind triangle on the map? Or was there some other clever way of doing stuff like this?
Thread Starter
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 50
Likes: 0
From: France
Aw flip, BackPacker, I was rather hoping to slip away unnoticed, but since you ask.. 
I've never seen the UK PPL exams, but if the truth be known, I suspect the French syllabus might be slightly easier, or perhaps the emphasis is placed in different areas? We sit five exams, for example, not seven - meteorology, navigation and flight planning & performance are grouped together as one paper. We don't have to know how to calculate TAS from IAS at PPL level and other navigation calculations are very simple ones, so no need for flight computers or electronic calculators. Most PPL pilots over here have never seen a flight computer, and at instructor level there seems to be a perception that they are too complicated.
In short, I feel that many things were glossed over during PPL training. It's frustrating, and that's why I'm trying to do something about it. On the other hand, there are very few club pilots who do long flights. Most stay in the local area: short flights, low altitudes, that kind of thing. Perhaps the DGAC feels the current syllabus covers those needs adequately.
I've never seen the UK PPL exams, but if the truth be known, I suspect the French syllabus might be slightly easier, or perhaps the emphasis is placed in different areas? We sit five exams, for example, not seven - meteorology, navigation and flight planning & performance are grouped together as one paper. We don't have to know how to calculate TAS from IAS at PPL level and other navigation calculations are very simple ones, so no need for flight computers or electronic calculators. Most PPL pilots over here have never seen a flight computer, and at instructor level there seems to be a perception that they are too complicated.
In short, I feel that many things were glossed over during PPL training. It's frustrating, and that's why I'm trying to do something about it. On the other hand, there are very few club pilots who do long flights. Most stay in the local area: short flights, low altitudes, that kind of thing. Perhaps the DGAC feels the current syllabus covers those needs adequately.
