Ace the Pilot Technical Interview Errata

[ImbracableCrunk]

Does anyone have suggestions for corrections to Gary Bristow's "Ace the Pilot Technical Interview"? I found some errors, and the publisher is accepting suggestions.

 

[MarineGrunt]

Can you post the errors? Thanks.

 

[Oakum_Boy]

Burn it.

 

[ImbracableCrunk]

Well, I've got a couple things circled, and I was hoping others might have found some errors. The book is in my flight case at work, so I'll start bringing up topics when start my next trip.


Off the top of my head:

He describes how you get better range with a headwind (not how range is maximized, but how you actually go farther . . .)

There's a clearway/stopway mix-up in a diagram. . .

Crosswind with critical engine I believe is confusing. . .

And more to come! If we find something, I'm in touch with an editor who'll pass on our suggestions to Mr. Bristow.

 

[ackattacker]

I've already found several and I've only read the first two chapters. For example, on page 17 he says that high speeds affect the center of gravity.

 

[ImbracableCrunk]

I've already found several and I've only read the first two chapters. For example, on page 17 he says that high speeds affect the center of gravity.

Cool. Keep 'em coming!

 

[Burt Reynolds]

The dutch roll explanation is just wrong... I don't own the book, but someone who I was flying with had it. I can't qoute the actual wording, but it was just wrong.

 

[ackattacker]

The dutch roll explanation is just wrong... I don't own the book, but someone who I was flying with had it. I can't qoute the actual wording, but it was just wrong.

Yep. I won't quote the whole paragraph but this little nugget is all wrong. Way wrong. Doesn't even mention the existence of a fin in the entire discussion of dutch roll.

"Therefore, a marked bank occurs to the point where the outer, upward-moving wing stalls and loses all lift, and therefore the wing drops, causing a yaw to the stalled wing and thus leading to the sequence being repeated in the opposite direction."

 

[ackattacker]

While I'm at it... his discussion of winglets left me scratching my head and seems wrong:

"They dispense the span-wise airflow from the upper and lower surfaces at different points, thus preventing the intermixing of these airflows that otherwise would create induced-drag vortices".

 

[ImbracableCrunk]

Oh yeah, the Dutch Roll description on page 31. I'll add it to the list. Thanks!

How about this: Pg. 193 Yawing moment = asymetric thrust X nose to center of gravity arm?

I was thinking it had more to do with the engine arm, not the nose. . .

 

[ImbracableCrunk]

I've already found several and I've only read the first two chapters. For example, on page 17 he says that high speeds affect the center of gravity.

What causes CG movement? . . . 3. High speeds

I see where he's going with tailplane lift changing at higher speed, but that's not really a CG thing is it. . . What do you guys think?

 

[duck_killer]

Sounds like an Embry Ridlle dorm on Friday night...

 

[Rottweiller]

If you really want to learn it correctly LEAVE THIS BOOK ALONE!! Get your hands on 'Handling the big jets'. Can be costly but worth every penny.

 

[ackattacker]

Sounds like an Embry Ridlle dorm on Friday night...

Thanks for that constructive input. Nice spelling, BTW.

 

[ackattacker]

If you really want to learn it correctly LEAVE THIS BOOK ALONE!! Get your hands on 'Handling the big jets'. Can be costly but worth every penny.

I agree, but for some of us with Cathay Pacific interviews coming up many of the questions are taken directly from "Ace the Pilot Technical Interview". It would be a good resource if the errors were corrected. As it is I have trouble having faith in any of the answers.

 

[FlyboyPhil]

How about multiplying the factors in the lift equation instead of summing them?

 

[ImbracableCrunk]

How about multiplying the factors in the lift equation instead of summing them?

Pg. 4 "What if the formula for lift?" 1/2R + V2 + S + CL

Yeah, those should be multiplied. I'll add it to the list. Thanks.

 

[Burt Reynolds]

What's the story on the author? Did HE get hired?

 

[ImbracableCrunk]

Okay, I've got a small list started. If anyone cares to take a list and see if they find the same issues, let me know.

p4 Lift equation (multiply, don't add)
p8 Drag penalty & speed gain (dunno what he's trying to say 2nd to last para)
p11 Vortex generators (reduce spanwise flow?)
p11 Winglets (whole para is goofy, but esp . . . "at different points"?)
p11 Fences (perpendicular to leading edge?)
p31 Dutch roll (upward moving wing stalls and loses all lift?)
p36 Adverse yaw (no mention of induced drag, just aileron drag)
p38 Aileron reversal (air loads cause lift? Not clear that the wing twists, etc)
p60 Crosswind & critical engine (what about weathervaning and keel effect?)
p175 Window heat (it's not used for ice? at all? ever?)
p187 Emergency Distance diagram (ED=TORA+Stopway, not clearway)
p193 Yawing moment (Nose arm?)
p195 Crosswind & critical engine (see above)
p211 Headwind = increased range (A/S = rate of dist coverered? should say "how is range maximized" maybe)

I don't claim to be any smarter than this guy, and he's a published author. That said, let me know if you guys find the same problems, or if you find others, or if you disagree with my findings. Some of it might come from British-American translation issues. Thanks.

 

[ackattacker]

p. 6 Direct Lift Control - his explanation is 100% wrong. Direct Lift Control was a system used on Lockheed L-1011's which used the spoilers to directly control rate of descent when the final flap setting was made. It was used to provide a stable pitch attitude for CAT III landings and to improve passenger comfort on final.

p. 67 Wide Chord Fan Blade - chord is the width, not length of the blade ("The chord is the length of the fan's blade from its center mounting to its tip."

p. 69, 70, 71 - Discussion of engine SFC vs. altitude neglects to mention the effect of low temperature on the SFC of turbine engines, which is the primary effect, not RPM.

pg 74 - Should mention too early starter cutout as a cause of a hung start

pg 82 - Critical engine - claims turbine engines have opposing rotations, which is incorrect.

pg 94 - GPS satellites - in fact a minimum 24 are operational at all time with at least 27 in orbit. (not 21 out of 24)

pg 117 - It is not necessary to know the actual height of a pressure altitude in order to calculate performance capabilities of an aircraft.

pg 122 the Local Speed of Sound on a standard day at sea level is 661.5 knots, not 660 "knots per hour".

pg 123 formula for LSS is incorrect. He has it correct on pg 122

pg 131 QNE - his definition of QNE is a correct definition but not the commonly accepted usage (QNE normally refers to setting 29.92 on the altimeter, i.e. standard setting).

pg 149 "HUGS allows Cat III instrument landing system (ILS) landings only on runways certified for Cat I landings."

pg 179 Rotary inverters do not produce AC wild. They produce constant frequency the same as a static inverter.

pg 188 "Airbus calls a balanced field a quick reference table" --- seems wrong, like saying Airbus calls an electrical circuit an Aircraft Operating Handbook. I know the french are weird but...

pg 222 and others, he consistently says "insulation" when he means "insolation".

pg 232 he says Virga is a sign of a temperature inversion, which is not true. It is a sign of possible windshear, but this is due to the possibility of a microburst.

pg 297 "You have captured the localizer between +/- 5 degrees Celcius"?

pg 298 "Cat IIIb DH less than 50 ft (down to 50 ft)"