Er should I say, Exam Type Questions.
A couple of weeks ago I was sure I was going to get 100% on the AGK test that everyone seems to struggle with. You see I was different, and after taking the course at WA Aviation College with a really cool experienced LAME and CPL, reading the BT book in detail about 5 times and taking 40 pages of notes in four coloured pen (would have helped if could read my own writing) - I came up with a lousy 88% in the real deal.
I'll be honest, at one stage, I was thinking, please God just let me pass! Now that was scary for a guy who had spent so much time in preparing. I figured if I knew it like I could teach it that should do.
So let me give you a couple of mind blowing scenarios:
1) OK so you know your fire detection systems stuff right, but then which system would you use on an "exhaust manifold heater"? Well I reviewed the BT and my WA Aviation College notes and neither had ANY mention of which one to use that I could find.
I chose a resistive type as opposed to Gas, Photoelectric or capacitive. Bugger I got that one wrong. Still none the wiser and when I took my KDRs into a friendly flight instructors office, neither was he (well at least it made me feel better).
2) Now correct me if I'm wrong but when we study spark plug fouling, two things jump out at you - low rpm and fully rich. Yeah well that's what I thought too.
So punk - what ARE you going to do when your only sensible options to explain your sudden fouling are to compromise yourself and select one of the following conditions instead for fouling, such as 1) increasing altitude without adjusting mixture (plausible but unlikely since I am guessing most aircraft are at at least above idle as they lift their weight skywards) or 2) do you think its possible that you forgot to turn off your carb heat, leaving it on for a prolonged period, before switching it off? (well I guess that would richen the mixture, but fouling? Well OK if you are on a long decent at idle and the carb heat was on for a long time perhaps, but now I'm inventing scenarios as well....
Needless to say the friendly instructor with the KDR was as confused as I was. No instructors were hurt in making this post (nor will they be identified, I only pick random instructors less they get castrated by the Federation)
Other subjects it helps to know are:
leakages in the wastegate department, downstream, upstream and sidestream (ok just kidding on the last one) (maybe the turbo needs a colostomy bag as a backup
And it wouldn't hurt to know about the effects of static vent blockages, particularly on descents and ascents if the pitot was blocked. Yes I guess I did know after all which is why I kicked myself after getting it wrong.
Or how the heck you get to critical altitude with a fixed wastegate whilst maintaining maximum manifold pressure, I mean do you reduce rpm, increase throttle, or just upgrade to a better aircraft?
I feel better now, but no I'm not going to push for curriculum changes or question changes as that would make me an educator, and beside Bob and Richard are much better at it than I am and much funnier.
I can't wait to see the Performance online course. It should be fun. Now I am really enjoying NAV, it is so much fun and now (at last) I see why they have us do that year 12 maths, now that I know there are only 360 deg in a circle....(but I like it its very practical) Doesn't a metric circle have 1000 deg? Don't go there...
But I sure did like Bobs point on carb icing and practising engine failures with carbs relating to students and instructor shuffling off this mortal coil with a bent aircraft, sneaky sneaky carb ice that may be too thick to remove, I'd go EFI for that section of my training, beats having to cash in the life insurance policy early.
My head hurts, can I go and fly now
