HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: marks@imagen.com (Mark Salter)
Newsgroups: rec.aviation.student,rec.aviation.piloting,rec.aviation.ifr
Subject: Re: A unusual DUAT NOTAM abbrev.
Date: 12 Jan 93 05:04:19 GMT
Distribution: usa
Organization: QMS Inc., Imagen Division

In article <1993Jan12.031056.29301@tandem.com> len@Tandem.com (Len Fishler) writes:
>I came across an unusual abbreviation today in the NOTAMs section on DUATs
>today.  I'll bet a lot of people would be stumped by this.  I certainly was.

>The translated DUAT (which didn't get the abbreviation either):
> 
>Livermore CA [LVK]: January NOTAM #2:
>      CFA 22 nautical miles on the 015 degree radial of San Jose CA [SJC VOR]
>      surface - UNL avoidance advised effective the 12th at 12:00 midnight PST
>      (0800Z) - 1200
>
>It turns out that CFA stands for Controlled Firing Area (pretty ominous 
>sounding, eh?).  The briefer explained that Lawrence Livermore Labs is test
>firing a very powerful laser (no doubt Star Wars related!), and that it is
>recommended that aircraft avoid that area (no radius specified) between
>midnight and four AM on the 12th. Interesting, eh?
>

This was probably a laser "guide" star having to do with astronomical
observation tests rather than Star Wars. They use a laser or possibly
more than one to create an articfial star which they can use to help
inhance observations of real stars. Or at least they are testing the
viability of this. The idea is that the laser "star" provides a
quantifiable measure of the atmosphere so that image inhancement can be 
performed to conteract the unsteadiness of the real star's image. The 
warning is probably due to the fact that you wouldn't want to look 
directly at the business end of a powerful laser :-)

>- Len Fishler -
>fishler_len@tandem.com
>PP-ASEL-IA
>Centurion N3784Y RHV

--
Mark Salter  PP-ASEL
Newsgroups: rec.aviation.student
From: laubach@hpl.hp.com (Mark Laubach)
Subject: Re: King videos
Date: Thu, 7 Jan 1993 01:52:14 GMT
Organization: Hewlett-Packard Laboratories Palo Alto,CA
X-Newsreader: TIN [version 1.1.4 PL6]

This pilot used the King School tapes to transition from glider to
power.  I found the tape course great and I passed the exam with at
score of 98%.  Now, for me, a large part of the material was
refresher, as the glider exam shares many of the elements for the
airplane single engine land exam.  However, I found the tapes good to
use and it always helped to rewind to review.  Any questions can be
handled via an instructor or via the net here.  I also recommend
supplemental books and aids regardless.

Am currently using the King tapes for my IFR exam, wish me luck....

--
Mark
PP-ASEL-G/AT

Newsgroups: rec.aviation.student
From: kkalan@casbah.acns.nwu.edu (Kenneth Kalan)
Subject: Re: King videos
Organization: Northwestern University, Evanston Illinois.
Date: Mon, 4 Jan 1993 18:24:02 GMT

In article <1992Dec31.073354.14930@pasteur.Berkeley.EDU> c60c-3gi@web-3a.berkeley.edu (Masayuki Karahashi) writes:
>
>Well, I know King video's were discussed in detail a while back, so I tried
>to go back, but none of th news server I can get to seems to have those
>kept.  Sorry about this, but back then, I wasn't interested in them, but
>now I am.  :(
>
>I recievered this promo video and bunch of flyers from King the other day. 
>I tried watching the promo tape and it seems pretty good.  Here is the
>deal I am looking at:
>
>	$169	Private Pilot Course
>		comes with:
>			free video "Takeoff's and Landing Made Easy"
>			free computerized Exam Review ($39 dollar value)
>
>	 $59	Private Pilot flight test course 
>		(looks helpful and interesting)
>
>		order these two and also get:
>			4 free "take-off" videos which some looks interesting
>
>		and also a entry to win a Mooney MSE
>		(yeah right, like I'll win :)
>
>	so for all this for $228.
>
>this seems to sound good, and the promo video seems good enough to be
>understandable.
>
I did my Private written using the King videos and scored a 96 on the test.
I'm video orientated and this proved to be the best for me.

I know of one person whom could not learn from videos and another that had
trouble with class room instruction.  It all depends on the individual.

I would recommend the Kings videos in a second.  They cover the written well
with video examples that you cannot get from a book.  The best part is you
can review (watch it again) whenever necessary, which you cannot do in class.
If you do not understand something, you could ask you flight instructor to 
explain it in more detail.  Another point, after the test and perhaps
a couple of years after your license, you could go over the tapes to brush up.
It amazing what you forget because you don't use it often.

I am starting on my instrument soon and purchased the King instrument tapes
along with the Sporty's instrument tape set.  This maybe over kill big time,
but I like the King for written and the Sporty's for a little real life
out the window stuff.(not so much written, but practical flying hints)
Both would be good reviews down the road also.
I want to learn as much as possible before starting, to make the training     
easier and have a better understanding from the start.

Just my .02 cents worth.

Ken Kalan
PP ASEL
kgk@nwu.edu
Newsgroups: rec.aviation.student
From: eandersn@mach1.wlu.ca (Niels Ejvind Andersen)
Subject: Re: help with ATC statement
X-Newsreader: Tin 1.1 PL5
Organization: Wilfrid Laurier University
Date: Thu, 7 Jan 1993 19:53:44 GMT

D. Noah Eckhouse (eckhouse@athena.mit.edu) wrote:
: This morning I was flying touch-and-goes and the controller told me
: to: "Square your turn to base and final"  which I thought meant hurry up
: and get going with those two left handed turns.  Which I did. Is this what
: he meant?  Or did he mean to slow down and not round the turns too much.

If the tower gives you an instruction you don't understand, *do not* accept
the instruction by acknowledging it.  Instead, advise the controller that
you do not understand.  If you acknowledge the instruction, the controller
assumes you understood the instruction.  You may feel like the village idiot
after you hear the explanation, but at least you will be "communicating".

My suggestion, at this point in time (between flights), is to give the tower
a call, and ask them two questions:

(1) What do they mean by "Square your turn to base and final"?

(2) If you don't understand an instruction, what do they recommend
    that you say to make your confusion clear to them?

In fact, let me suggest that you call the tower next time you are at the
airport, and ask to be invited up to the tower.  When you get up there,
ask them your questions in person.

Personally, I do not know what the controller meant.  As well, I can not
suggest a brief and succinct phraseology that you can use when you do not
understand a controller's instruction.  Usually, when I have this problem,
my first reaction is speechlessness or "Say again".  Perhaps one of the
flight instructors on the net can help.
--
Niels Ejvind Andersen     [eandersn@mach2.wlu.ca / 70511.2302@compuserve.com]
Information Systems, Wilfrid Laurier University, Waterloo, ON  N2L 3C5 Canada
                                                                  ... VFR NC4
Newsgroups: rec.aviation.student
From: rogersmf@eplrx7.es.duPont.com (Mark Rogers)
Subject: Video Ground School
Organization: Cimtek America 
Date: Tue, 12 Jan 1993 22:59:18 GMT

I've just seen ads for two video ground schools which I haven't seen
mentioned here before: American Flyers and ATC (Geoff mentioned an "ATP"
in an excellent summary of video ground schools awhile back, but unless
the "P" was a typo, this one is different).

This is what the ads say you get for your dollars:

American Flyers:
	   - 6 Full Color Video Tapes
	   - FAA Question Book
	   - Illustrated Manual
	   - FAA Sample Exams
	   - Sign Off Certificate

	   Price: $89.95

Aviation Training Center (ATC):
	   - 6 Action-Packed Video Tapes
	   - 6 90-minute audio casettes
	   - Official FAA 1992/94 Test Booklet
	   - 10 Official FAA Sample Exams
	   - 4 additional videos/software of your choice
             (choose 4 from a list of a dozen or so items)

	   Price: $129.00

Has anyone had the opportunity to see either of these courses? 
Thanks in advance for any comments!

(Disclaimer: I have absolutely nothing to do with the above companies.)

-- 

Mark Rogers, PP-G (rogersmf@eplrx7.es.dupont.com)
From: stephens@access.digex.com (John Stephens)
Newsgroups: rec.aviation.student
Subject: Re: Medical vision requirements?
Date: 11 Jan 1993 20:20:14 GMT
Organization: Severn Companies, Inc., Lanham, MD 20706
Distribution: usa
NNTP-Posting-Host: access.digex.com

In article <WD.93Jan11113637@sam.cs.tu-berlin.de> wd@cs.tu-berlin.de (Wolfgang Diestelkamp) writes:
>
>Actually, the strength of your corrective lens has *nothing* to do with your vision;
>it simply tells, what correction you need to have the best vision that's possible
>for you.

Not quite correct!  The power of the lens is directly related to
the 20/xxx rating, provided that the vision impairment is one of
focal depth, rather than astigmatism or some other pathology.

For a purely short-sighted (myopic) eye, the correlation between
lens power and 20/xxx designation is unambiguous and direct. I
agree that you need to get the eye test done to determine the
"best" lens power.  In practice this may have to be a compromize
between distance and reading clarity, especially for those whose
focal range has decreased with age, and don't want to admit defeat
and go to bifocals.  Don't forget, the 200 in 20/200 is good only
to one significant digit -- the lens power had better be good to
at least 2 digits, as in 3.50 vs 3.60, or you will notice a
difference.

To say that the strength of the corrective lens has *nothing* to
do with your vision is definitely *not correct*.  It doesn't even
uniquely define what lens is "best".

Xref: sparky rec.aviation.student:495 rec.aviation.piloting:573 rec.aviation.ifr:614
From: masys@nlm.nih.gov (Dr. Daniel R. Masys)
Newsgroups: rec.aviation.student,rec.aviation.piloting,rec.aviation.ifr
Subject: Re: A unusual DUAT NOTAM abbrev.
Date: 12 Jan 93 12:25:32 GMT
Organization: National Library of Medicine

In article <barnett.726811983@convex.convex.com> barnett@convex.com (Paul Barnett) writes:

> Prez Bush went quail hunting, so the FAA issued a
>NOTAM closing the nearby airspace...

So that's it!  The first time Bush went quail hunting he ended up putting
one on the Naval Observatory grounds, and the FAA has closed the airspace
ever since! :-)


Dan Masys
masys@nlm.nih.gov

(for folks without a clue: the Vice Prez lives on the observatory grounds,
and no, you can't fly over it unless you are Marine One or Two)
Newsgroups: rec.aviation.student
From: amazon@sgi.com (Stormwind)
Subject: Re: help with ATC statement
Organization: X Industries, Heavy Weapons R&D
Date: Thu, 7 Jan 1993 17:58:01 GMT

(D. Noah Eckhouse) writes:
>This morning I was flying touch-and-goes and the controller told me
>to:
>
>"Square your turn to base and final"  which I thought meant hurry up and
>get going with those two left handed turns.  Which I did.

the way i was taught was that "square your 
turns" means to do exactly that...make your
turns very crisp so your track would look
more like a rectangle than like a racetrack.
this means that your downwind and base legs
will be longer than if you did a U-turn, thus
taking up more time on your part, and giving
the other guy more time.

note that "crisp" does not mean the same 
thing as "fast".  "crisp" means that your
turn is precise, not the sort of dragged-
out wimpy turn that most students tend to 
do while practicing (yes, i do it too).

generally if tower wants you to hurry up, they
will say "expedite", or something along those
lines.  and of course, if you don't understand
what the tower really wants, you can always
say you don't understand, can they clarify.

>Is this what he meant?  Or did he mean to slow down and not round the
>turns too much.  As it was a westwind was landing the opposite way on
>the runway (on 11 not 29) and I had to pull a quick 180 and extend a
>bot more for him to taxi clear.  Not a crisis situation, but I was
>just curious.  The say that all the time.  

i'm not really clear on what you mean when
you say you did "a quick 180".  one of the
other things that's very important with 
ATC is that you *tell* them what you're 
about to do, or what you can do.  for instance,
it's a really, really bad idea to execute an
unexpected turn in the pattern unless tower
has asked you to do one.  i once listened to
a VERY confused solo student mess up the 
pattern at PAO by doing exactly this while
an exasperated tower tried to figure out the 
right syntax to get them to understand they
were supposed to turn base, turn final, and
get on the ground.

on the other hand, if you observe a situation
in which you can assist by altering your 
flight, you can offer tower to assist.
many is the time i've had tower accept my 
offer to execute S-turns on final to give the
slow guy in front of me some time; likewise,
tower also accepted my offer to perform full
stop landings to allow another student to 
practice engine-out landings.  

			stormwind

			hell's amazon
Newsgroups: rec.aviation.student
From: philf@xymox.palo-alto.ca.us (Phil Fernandez)
Subject: Re: Medical vision requirements?
Organization: Jade and Jett Incorporated
Distribution: usa
Date: Tue, 12 Jan 1993 06:29:10 GMT

In article <1993Jan11.164231.15345@rwwa.COM> witr@rwwa.com writes:
>QUESTION:  How likely/hard is getting a waiver for, say, 20/400 vision
>uncorrected and 20/20 corrected for a *second-class* medical?  Anyone
>have one?

Yep.  My uncorrected vision is worse than 20/200 in one eye, and worse
than 20/400 in the other (-26 (yes, really 26) diopters of
correction).  I have a SODA for a class 2, based on the original
medical exam.  No flight test or anything required.

pmf
From: khubbard@ems.cdc.com (Kelvin Hubbard)
Newsgroups: rec.aviation.student
Subject: Re: help with ATC statement
Date: 7 Jan 93 21:55:20 GMT
Reply-To: khubbard@ems.cdc.com
Distribution: usa
Organization: Empros Systems International, a division of CDC

In article <1993Jan7.163128.26933@athena.mit.edu>, eckhouse@athena.mit.edu (D. Noah Eckhouse) writes:
|> 
|> 
|> This morning I was flying touch-and-goes and the controller told me
|> to:
|> 
|> "Square your turn to base and final"  which I thought meant hurry up and
|> get going with those two left handed turns.  Which I did.
|> 
As I have always understood it, your corners (especially in the pattern)
should be as square as possible.  That is without being too abrupt.  A
pattern should be a rectangle not an oval.



    -------------------------------------------
   |                                           |
   |                                           |
   |                                           |
   |        ---------------------------        |
    -----+> ===------------------------ +>-----
            ---------------------------

The controller should tell you to begin your (downwind/crosswind/base/final)
if they want you to do so.  Although, I would'nt be surprised if they would
tell you to shorten the final if there is alot of traffic at the airport in
order to keep things moving.  They may also tell you to extend a leg of the
pattern in order to maintain separation.

Keep working on the corners.  It is one of the things that took me the
longest to perfect.  There is so much going on at that time that it is easy
to forget about making them nice and sharp.


-- 
==========================================================================
Kelvin R. Hubbard                           email: khubbard@ems.cdc.com
Active Software, Inc.           
C/O Empros Systems International            Phone: (612) 553-4560
2300 Berkshire Lane North                     FAX: (612) 553-4018
Plymouth, Minnesota  55441-3694 USA      Mailstop: PLY013

                        In search of the Big Iron.
==========================================================================
From: amazon@sgi.com (Stormwind)
Newsgroups: rec.aviation.student
Subject: Re: King videos
Date: 5 Jan 93 20:38:13 GMT
Organization: X Industries, Heavy Weapons R&D

(Geoff Peck) writes:
>Masayuki Karahashi) asks about ground schools
>and videotapes.
>> (1) if price was not a factor at all, which is the best (ie, give me the
>>     most ground school "education"):
>
>    There is some advantage to having the ground school relatively close
>    in time to the flight training -- the material will be fresh in one's
>    mind.  But they really don't need to be _at_ the same time, nor do
>    they need to be coordinated.  A good CFI will tell you what you need
>    to know for each lesson, and will prompt you as to what you should 
>    know for the next lesson.  If you're taking a ground school which
>    isn't quite in sync, you can do a little studying on your own.  Usually,
>    though, unless you're an unusually quick flight student, the ground
>    school will remain well ahead of the flight lessons.

i'll second this.  i took ground school
at a local two-year college and completed
it and my written two years before starting
my flight training.  i did zero flight training
while i did ground school, and i aced the class
and got a 96% on my written.  in no way did
the lack of flight training have a negative
impact on ground school.

since my written had expired by the time
i got around to doing the flight training,
i then went back and used the same book and
my notes as a home-study course, which cost
no additional money.  i passed *that* written
with a 92%.  if you're motivated, and have a 
source that you can ask good questions of (in
my case, i would write up questions and hone
my perception of the answers by bouncing them
off my CFI), studying at home isn't difficult,
but you do miss out on some of the stories you
might otherwise hear.

			stormwind

			hell's amazon
Newsgroups: rec.aviation.student,rec.aviation.misc
From: jweber@cbnewsg.cb.att.com (jodi.weber)
Subject: Speeds of private planes and starting from scratch
Organization: AT&T
Date: Fri, 8 Jan 1993 15:27:32 GMT

First of all, my thanks to everyone who gave me answers about what type of
speeds to expect when I start learning, which I intend to do this spring.
I have read the rec.aviation FAQ about getting started on flying, but I 
have heard that, in addition to talking to my local FBO, I might look
into flying clubs where people share information and resources (like
even planes!).  

One person who wrote me back mentioned one in Monmouth County, NJ, and I've
pursued that with him.  I'm wondering if anyone can tell me a bit more on
what these clubs are about, and if anyone knows of any closer to Morristown,
NJ, where I live.

Any other helpful hints about getting started (like maybe choosing the best
place to train) would also be appreciated.  Thanks!!


Jodi Weber
jodiweber@attmail.com   or   jweber@cbnewsg.cb.att.com

Newsgroups: rec.aviation.student
From: jpp@StarConn.com (John Pettitt)
Subject: Re: help with ATC statement
Organization: Starnet-Public Access UNIX--Los Altos, CA  415-949-3133
Distribution: usa
Date: Fri, 8 Jan 1993 16:18:11 GMT

khubbard@ems.cdc.com (Kelvin Hubbard) writes:
>As I have always understood it, your corners (especially in the pattern)
>should be as square as possible.  That is without being too abrupt.  A
>pattern should be a rectangle not an oval.

Welll, yes up to a point.    When I was a student I had very `square'
corners on the pattern to the point that a CFI (not my regular one) said
`watch those fighter pilot turns'.  

It's all very well for the experience net.pilots to make comments about
square patterns but please folks dont forget that stall speed goes up
with bank angle and we don't want students flying 45 degree banks in the
patern and having stall/spin problems.   I strongly reccomend students
to ask for some stall in turn practice with a CFI - it's worth knowing
how your particular plane bites.  The wisdom from my CFI was NEVER more
than 30 degree bank in the pattern, not EVER, NO WAY, DONT DO IT.


-- 
John Pettitt, CEO, Dolmus Inc.			jpp@starconn.com
Archer N81034					apple!starnet!jpp
Me, say that, never: It's a forged posting!	Fax:   +1 415 967 8682
						Voice: +1 415 967 UNIX
From: nikke.gaby@compart.fi (Nikke Gaby) 
Newsgroups: rec.aviation.student
Subject: ATC contact below 300ft
Date: 10 Jan 93 05:18:00 GMT
Distribution: world
Organization: ComPart BBS, Helsinki-Finland, +358 0 506 3329 (14 lines V.32bis)
Reply-To: nikke.gaby@compart.fi (Nikke Gaby) 


                             MAYDAY

Is it true that I don't have to answer to the ATC when being on final
below 300 ft AGL ?

When I was a student pilot ( few hours ago ! ) I was told by my
Instructor that I don't have to answer in that case, but later on I
heard that I had to.

It's true that if you have to answer by using a hand-set microphone to
the ATC on a short final below 300 ft AGL, you can make flying become
colourfull when having turbulence.

( By answering I don't mean double clicking the hand-set )

Nicolas

From : nikke.gaby@compart.fi
---
 . SLMR 2.1a . Hello, I am part number ................
                       
----
+=======================================================================+
|    ComPart BBS     PCBoard 14.5a/100  +358-0-506-3329 (ZyXEL V.32bis) |
| Helsinki, Finland       14 lines      *** Number 1 BBS in Finland *** |
+=======================================================================+
From: riff@inf.utfsm.cl (Maria Cristina &)
Subject: Maximum number of hours prior to solo?
Date: Thu, 07 Jan 1993 21:07:32 GMT
Organization: Universidad de Chile, Depto. de Ciencias de la Computacion
X-Newsreader: TIN [version 1.1 PL8]

Hi!!, I speak spanish and I wish that You Understand me.

Creo que no existe un Numero Maximo Limite para volar solo, lo mas importante
es tener la posibilidad y las ganas de lograrlo. Hay que recordar que son
muchos los factores a considerar y que cada vuelo que uno realiza es siempre
diferente, aun cuando se desee llegar a la misma parte por el mismo lugar.

Cada despegue y cada aterrizaje es diferente y que cada persona aprende a su
vez en forma distinta. A algunos les sirve el pasar un tiempo sin volar para
pensar y analizar el vuelo anterior, y para otros no hay mejor motivacion que el
nuevo vuelo.

En mi caso particular antes de volar sola, aterrizar fue lo mas dificil,
y luego de varios intentos mi instructor descubrio que era un simple
caso de "no ver hacia afuera"
y se debia exclusivamente a que necesitaba un cojin para poder ver la pista
al aterrizar. Como se puede ver no es broma el decir "muchos factores influyen"


Good Luck, y mucha paciencia.......

Newsgroups: rec.aviation.student
From: amy@lloyd.Camex.COM (Amy Lindsay)
Subject: Re: help with ATC statement
Organization: Camex Inc., Boston MA
Date: Fri, 08 Jan 1993 13:45:52 EST

In article <ritter.726503680@claude> ritter@claude.ma30.bull.com (Roger Ritter) writes:
>My favorite (only happened to me once) is "make a 270 degree turn base
>to final".  I did it, but this is definitely a case where the response

I got this one the day after getting my license, and, for some reason, my
brain couldn't figure out that they wanted me to do a LEFT turn to base (I
was on RIGHT downwind.)  I ended up doing a 360+90 to get to base because I
knew they were doing it for separation (and mostly because I had already
started the right turn), but I was on the ground by the time I finally
realized what they had actually wanted...

At any rate, it drove home the concept that you just can't learn everything
about flying when you have an instructor in the plane.  (Sort of a
corollary to the one about even though you have your license, you're not
ever really done learning about flying!)

					--amy
					(at least until Feb.)

Typography & Design Department ~ Camex, Inc. ~ Boston, MA (617-426-7550 x575)
A.G.Lindsay, PP-ASEL   *   Cloud Rental: Reasonable Rates   *   amy@camex.com
  "From Sylvia's Rules for Single People: Never drink milk which has become
     thick.  Never date anyone who's teeth have been filed to a point."
Newsgroups: rec.aviation.student