Am I honestly a retard???

[bigD]

DOH! Sorry!

 

[Vik]

You're not retard. You'll discover lots of "basic" skills you've lost along the way because of the increased use of calculators in schools these days.

Your instructor needs to read the FOI, thats for certain.

You just learned that you need to brush up on your basic math skills. Its not a huge deal and you're not a retard. After 6th grade, how often do you really do long division? I suppose you could forget.

You need to brush up on your basic math and long division, and tell your instructor to go read the FOI. She's got some screws loose.

I hope she did not make a scene in front of a classroom full of students.

Anyway, I've seen people of all ages come in to learn how to fly, many of whom haven't had basic math or science in 30yrs! They can't tell you what the atmosphere is, what gravity is, etc. Its all "basic" but it doesn't mean you know it. They have to be explained everything carefully and they're not retards either.

I'd love to give your instructor a piece of my mind. Its because of dolts like her that a large number of people that start work on their Private never finish.

I just finished the FAA regulations in ground school, and we're moving on to aspects that deal with aircraft performance. One of the first things we did was cover density altitude, and figure such altitudes given a list of known factors. I completely understand the concepts, and also understand how to figure density altitute. The problem arrose when I needed to divide some numbers, and I said I would need a calculator. My GS instuctor looked at me kind of strange, and said "you can't figure it on paper"? I said that I had completely forgotten how to divide numbers without the use of a calculator. This did not seem to sit well with her. She went on to question me about what I wanted to do with my flying!!! She said that if I ever wanted to fly professionaly, that I should take a basic math course!!! So at this point I feel like a total retard, and all I can do is give some excuse about using calculators since 5th grade...

Now I know that I SHOULD be able to divide numbers on paper, but does anyone think she was just a little over the top? I mean, I was under the impression that you could bring a calculator to the written exam? I really do not see why it is so alarming that I simply cannot divide numbers on paper. I've seen pilots use electronic E6B's, and yet I can't use a $2 calculator?

Would really appreciate some honest advise on this.

 

[RJP]

That slide rule E6B *is* a calculator. It's just an analog one. The only difference between it and an electronic one is the presentation. Well, that and the batteries don't die in the analog one.

So's an abacus but you don't see anyone using that **CENSORED****CENSORED****CENSORED****CENSORED**ing thing in an aircraft either. Give the kid a break. Who cares HOW you figure out when to do what as long as you figure it out before it's too late.

And Tony, "Quadratic" what? What the **CENSORED****CENSORED****CENSORED****CENSORED** are you talking about man. I can see why you're embarassed but we're probably not thinking of the same reason.

I bet you guys think that all military pilots are aeronautical engineers from the academy, too. Plenty of artists and history majors that couldn't divide their way out of a paper bag. Hate to break it to ya, but it's just not that important.

 

[RJP]

Vik, did you call that **CENSORED****CENSORED****CENSORED****CENSORED** a dolt? Whoa. That must've come from the dictionary page you linked to earlier! ;-)

Chicks like that give a bad name to the ones that do a good job in the industry.

ps. Why is the word "bitch" not censored but "**CENSORED****CENSORED****CENSORED****CENSORED**" is?

 

[TonyC]

And Tony, "Quadratic" what? What the **CENSORED****CENSORED****CENSORED****CENSORED** are you talking about man. I can see why you're embarassed but we're probably not thinking of the same reason.

It's Algebra I - - in our school district, it's required for High School graduation.

 

[Captain4242]

I bring a little pocket calculator with me when I fly; I thought it would help out with weight and balances. Turns out that I really only use it to figure out how much fuel I'll buy from the FBO; and may I say that my fuel loads have been great lately!

I say she was out of line.

 

[TopGun-MAV]

don't be to hard on yourself. i just finished jungle jet training for mesa and i have yet to use diddicult head formulas. for crossing restrictons i just descend at 3000fpm and i'll be sure to make it


maverivick - jungle jet fo, be1900 fo

 

[bigD]

Speaking of retards....

 

[Uncle Sparky]

Speaking of retards....

Oh stop!! you're just being "diddicult"!! Hey Mavurerurik....lay off the sauce and get that shift key fixed!!

 

[qmaster3]

UnAnswered

The fact that your paying this B----, how much $$ to learn how to fly would concern me. There are enough CFI's in this world. Find one you like. Don't let anyone tell you what you will or won't do!

 

[bobbysamd]

Who is the true retard?

The problem arrose when I needed to divide some numbers, and I said I would need a calculator. My GS instuctor looked at me kind of strange, and said "you can't figure it on paper"? I said that I had completely forgotten how to divide numbers without the use of a calculator. This did not seem to sit well with her. She went on to question me about what I wanted to do with my flying!!! She said that if I ever wanted to fly professionaly, that I should take a basic math course!!! So at this point I feel like a total retard, and all I can do is give some excuse about using calculators since 5th grade...

Now I know that I SHOULD be able to divide numbers on paper, but does anyone think she was just a little over the top . . . .

I haven't read every post on this thread in detail - I will - but I agree that your ground school instructor could stand a lesson(s) in diplomacy. I would not recommend this, but someone should ask your ground school instructor if she remembers the Law of Recency from the Fundamentals of Instructing.

I remember when I began my flying lessons my concerns about the math aspects. My math skills were never that strong and I expressed my concern to my instructor. My instructor, who, by education, was a mechanical engineer, assured me that all I needed to know was how to add, subtract, multiply and divide. Unlike your instructor, he reassured me - and he was right . I learned later that working proportions to solve for unknowns, which I had not done since high school, was also extremely helpful.

On the other hand, though your ground instructor's attitude is inexcusable, try looking past how she came at you and consider her message. Perhaps your arithmetical skills could stand a brush-up. Don't you use arithmetic in your auto tech job?

Finally,

Perhaps it is a generational phenomenon, or perhaps not. When I went to school we were expected to write legibly, spell correctly, and perform mathematics with pencils, tables, and - - gasp - - even a slide rule in high school. Today my children are not expected to even spell correctly. It sickens me. I was embarrased a few weeks ago to admit to my daughter that I had forgotten the quadratic formula. I would rather die that admit to this forum that I had forgotten how to DIVIDE.

Tony has a point, which could spawn an entire discussion on the inadequacies of American education and the value of a college education for pilots.

I, too, have forgotten the quadratic formula, but I haven't thought about it much since high school - which goes back thirty-five years. Besides, I was never that swift with algebra.

Good luck with your ground school.

 

[cforst513]

Ditto... 5th grade was the last year calculators wer forbidden, after that we all had them. By high school algebra, they were REQUIRED, we all had TI-35 or TI-36X calculators in class, you got a demerit if you didn't bring yours.

heh heh, imagine my surprise when, after graduating from highschool, i bought a TI-88 graphing calc for over $100, b/c to get a B.S. at my college you have to take calculus, and for the few calc. classes I took we had to do EVERYTHING freehand, no calculators: graphing, functions, the whole 9 yards. Best $100 I ever spent....

 

[TonyC]

I, too, have forgotten the quadratic formula, but I haven't thought about it much since high school - which goes back thirty-five years. Besides, I was never that swift with algebra.

x equals negatve B plus or minus the square root of B squared minus 4AC all over 2A


I think...


I can still factor, though

 

[Daveman]

I can still factor, though

Me too. I can also do long division. And sometimes, on a good day, I can calculate the altitude I need to lose to cross a certain fix. Of course they throw in the X factor (50 miles south of certain fix).
TonyC: Here's a fun book. "Taking the Quantum Leap" -Fred Alan Wolf
Of course none of this will help my Polar interview.

 

[Guitar Guy]

Your 20 miles out from the airport at 10,000 feet. Field Elevation is 1,000 feet. Your doing 120kts accross the ground (or is the ground doing 120kts under you?) anyway, when do you start your descent. By the way its night time, so you can't see the keys of your calculator, and its solar powered.


See the need for division. And this is just the tip of the iceburg.

Used to do this sort of calculation a lot in the ol' 1900D and without a calculator. You could start a nice, slow descent "immediately". The gradient would be 450 ft/NM (9000 ft divided by 20 miles, assuming those are "NM"). The descent rate required would be 900 ft/minute (120 knots being 2 NM per minute and taking 450 ft/NM and multiplying by 2 NM/min).

This works out nicely, by the way.

But honestly, it wasn't tough carrying a cheapie calculator in your uniform shirt pocket just to check your mental math.