pilotmiketx said:
Ok, so let's assume that you don't still count your time in tenths and you're going to teach a student something useful that won't get him killed. Use the lift formula in a lesson...
Better add the Kutta-Zhukovski theorem to the lesson too and don't forget Ohm's Law to the lesson if the airplane has an electrical system.
Now you'll probably tell me it's dangerous to make downwind turns, that "The Step" is real and you carry extra airspeed when landing with a tailwind. FNG.
There are alot of "rules of thumbs" that should really go out the window, like never downwind or turn into the dead engine, its an over-simplification ....its much easier to teach that then to teach HOW to turn into the dead engine correctly (hard to do with a 20 hr. ME pilot that barely knows any fundamentals of aerodynamics), but it still shouldn't be done. For those reading that think in depth aerodynamics is a waste (I'm not talking formula memorizing stuff, but theories) then you're dumber than the guy that signed you for your ticket. Not to sound TOO much like a dork (too late), but in a plane, knowledge is power dude, and the more you understand WHY something happens then just memorizing results, the better pilot you are.
Its much easier to teach that when X happens, the result will be Y....but one of the points of putting money into a degree that stretches the far corners of aviation into 4 years, is to go deep into details to learn WHY ....Oh My God, what a concept....for some people to know WHY something happens!!!!!!!
Granted, like everywhere, you may have Bill Nye have every formula known to man, but couldn't start a hot engine to save him, but what can you say.....he's an idiot like that. So granted, knock Ohms and other formulas down, but if you think not knowing aerodynamical concepts and HOW this affects that, then I wouldn't be writing like the hotshots many think they are, 'cause they don't know $hit. Its sad, I bet a good majority of those knocking down formulas they can't even read might not know why Vref changes with weight, who knows....