The hypocrisy and unfairness in schooling

[Canadium]

The past few years has been a pretty enlightening time for me as I've really figured out a lot about myself and how my brain works (or doesn't sometimes). .......

One of my favourite true stories about a child prodigy was about a kid who was born with a severe case of autism. (His story was somewhere on TED talks but I've lost the link now.) Initially the experts thought nothing would ever come of him. His case was too severe. They put him in an environment where basically all he did was play. He was allowed to do pretty much anything he wanted. Eventually he suddenly began to blossom. He taught himself calculus in a week! Started covering the walls in complex equations and at a very young age discovered some new aspects to modern day physics. He couldn't tie his shoe laces but had an almost supernatural ability in mathematics. The last I heard he was in University studying with other kid geniuses!

 

[Ironman]

And that's why I brought up "Mind's Eye" which lays out the idea that if a premise presented in the first one or two paragraphs of an essay, story, article, news piece is accepted as true then the rest of the story which builds on that makes perfect sense. But change that premise at the start and the entire thing falls apart. The students essay was like that. A small change at the start and at the end and the entire thing became an amazing piece of writing.

We're not taught that in school. We're taught grammar or expected to know grammar. But tying the front to the back and to work together just isn't taught because I think the teachers who teach English aren't taught this. I was so lucky.

I think there's a lot more that could be discussed on this. I find it fascinating.

This is a vitally important truth. It cannot be ever ignored.
I see it daily where the fake news media will use a false statement in or near the headline, and build off that. One of the favoured terms is the get-out-of-jail card "allegedly," or a reports of a credible source....

 

[Tomc938]

Well ok...
We were doing circuits at Edmonton Municipal Airport. This one was to be a power off touch and go. IIRC engine throttle is pulled back to idle, choke is pulled out to prevent icing. We glided in, touched and then I applied full throttle. As we accelerated and started to lift off again the instructor screamed at me "full power". "FULL POWER!"
I made sure the throttle was all the way in again. He still screamed "FULL POWER". At that point he then screamed "I HAVE CONTROL" and he took control of the plane and pushed in the choke.

Had he calmly initially said "Full Power means no Choke!" I'd have pushed the choke in and there wouldn't be an issue. There were other things like that too but this is the only one that stands out. I quit lessons with him shortly after that because I couldn't afford lessons and University.

Finished (restarted really) here in Victoria with a great instructor along with night rating, mountain check ride and both low wing and high wing aircraft types.

My little brother was a pilot, and early his career he worked as a flight instructor. I would have loved to be in the back for one flight with a new student. They had reasonable altitude, and whatever they were doing, they ended up nose down and gaining speed. My brother told the student "You might want to pull up". His response "I am!" (he wasn't) My brother's response: "If you notice, the trees are still getting bigger. You might want to pull up a little more."

 

[Susquatch]

My brother's response: "If you notice, the trees are still getting bigger. You might want to pull up a little more."

And that right there is why I never got my license. I discovered that spin and stall training were required elements back then. Not happening. I gave up my dreams of flying right then and there.

 

[mickeyf]

So if we're ranting about the good old days...
And maybe "kids these days..."

I have not been inside a school for a looong time, so I don't know what is taught how, but I think would-be software developers should start with assembler.* This gives them some first hand knowledge about registers, addressing memory by absolute address, etc. When they then start using high level languages, marvelously productive though these have become, the computer is not just a magic black box.

In the same vein, start with HSS tools that you grind yourself. Then all that fancy geometry on the inserts that are now available has some practical underlying meaning gleaned from first hand experience.

*I won't insist on toggle switch entry. Or building one from scratch.

 

[Susquatch]

So if we're ranting about the good old days...
And maybe "kids these days..."

I have not been inside a school for a looong time, so I don't know what is taught how, but I think would-be software developers should start with assembler.* This gives them some first hand knowledge about registers, addressing memory by absolute address, etc. When they then start using high level languages, marvelously productive though these have become, the computer is not just a magic black box.

In the same vein, start with HSS tools that you grind yourself. Then all that fancy geometry on the inserts that are now available has some practical underlying meaning gleaned from first hand experience.

*I won't insist on toggle switch entry. Or building one from scratch.

Nice logic. I like it. I'm a big fan of starting with grind your own HSS. It will carry a fellow for years. Serves as a great base for learning other tricks, and will save your ass when the going gets complicated!

 

[jorogi]

And that right there is why I never got my license. I discovered that spin and stall training were required elements back then. Not happening. I gave up my dreams of flying right then and there.

Spins and stalls are actually a lot of fun and super safe, no stress on the airframe. You just have to make sure you have the altitude to recover. Spiral dives on the other hand are friggin deadly, often not identified till bits start coming off thus making recovery less certain.

 

[jorogi]

My little brother was a pilot, and early his career he worked as a flight instructor. I would have loved to be in the back for one flight with a new student. They had reasonable altitude, and whatever they were doing, they ended up nose down and gaining speed. My brother told the student "You might want to pull up". His response "I am!" (he wasn't) My brother's response: "If you notice, the trees are still getting bigger. You might want to pull up a little more."

My favourite line was "Again". This was preceded by the observation "You just killed us" or "you are killing us".

 

[jorogi]

One of my favourite true stories about a child prodigy was about a kid who was born with a severe case of autism. (His story was somewhere on TED talks but I've lost the link now.) Initially the experts thought nothing would ever come of him. His case was too severe. They put him in an environment where basically all he did was play. He was allowed to do pretty much anything he wanted. Eventually he suddenly began to blossom. He taught himself calculus in a week! Started covering the walls in complex equations and at a very young age discovered some new aspects to modern day physics. He couldn't tie his shoe laces but had an almost supernatural ability in mathematics. The last I heard he was in University studying with other kid geniuses!

NOVA did a show on savants. IIRC they had a teenager who was as unfortunate and sad as it can get. They took him for a 1hour flight in a helicopter over London, upon landing they asked him to draw what he saw. An hour or so later his picture showed something like 2800 buildings and features right down to details as small as mullions in the windows. Checked and the details were spot on and perspective and distance were all there as well.

 

[Susquatch]

Spins and stalls are actually a lot of fun and super safe, no stress on the airframe.

I don't really give a crap about the airframe or how easy it is to recover. I would already be dead from a heart attack. Even back in my 20s, I was terrified of anything other than stable normal flight. I get dizzy and disoriented doing spins while flying Microsoft Flight Simulator sitting in an office chair.

 

[Tecnico]

I don't really give a crap about the airframe or how easy it is to recover. I would already be dead from a heart attack. Even back in my 20s, I was terrified of anything other than stable normal flight. I get dizzy and disoriented doing spins while flying Microsoft Flight Simulator sitting in an office chair.

My thoughts on the airframe as well!

I think it would look worse in MSFS but at least your chair wouldn’t be moving under you

IMHO spins are badly “marketed” in the flight training business. I think instructors underestimate the experience and it gets treated like something to brag about for the initiated so the potential student already has the preconceived negative impression. Not a good place to start.

My first spin was an eye opener! The instructor demonstrated it, I wasn’t really prepared for it and wasn’t expecting what happened and yes the heart rate blew the monitor, even questioned whether I was going to quit on the spot. Couple of minutes later I decided that I should see it again but my instructor said we had run out of time for the lesson, I think she fibbed!

D

 

[Downwindtracker2]

One of the things about getting old, you can be honest about yourself, it simply doesn't matter anymore.

 

[jcdammeyer]

And that right there is why I never got my license. I discovered that spin and stall training were required elements back then. Not happening. I gave up my dreams of flying right then and there.

As I recall, and please let a more experienced pilot correct me, throttle to idle, pull up until stall hit right rudder and hold. Watch in slow motion as the ground turns.
Release rudder, level wings and pull up until roughly level and apply power. Great fun!

 

[Susquatch]

Watch in slow motion as the ground turns.

Nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope

NOPE!

NOOOOOPPPPPPEEEEE!!!!

I'd rather fight a mountain lion or a grizzly to the death!

 

[Tom O]

Use the flaps while reducing the throttle then pull back on the yoke I belive.

 

[Doggggboy]

Avoid lithospheric braking at all costs.

 

[Susquatch]

Avoid lithospheric braking at all costs.

And avoid anything even remotely in that direction other than slow smooth tangential approaches.

 

[JustaDB]

Even back in my 20s, I was terrified of anything other than stable normal flight.

Shot an airshow in Lethbridge a number of years ago. Attended a media scrum prior to the actual start of the show in the hopes of going for a flight & ended up paired w/ this guy from central Alberta flying a handbuilt experimental. Basically a big-ass engine (detuned, he assured me...) w/ wings & a tail attached.

I climbed into the rear seat, my legs were astride his seat & we took off. I had told him I wasn't a very comfortable flyer in the first place & he seemed disappointed. We're flying along, watching his partner doing loops w/ another media guy & suddenly my pilot pipes up & announces, "Everybody's gotta fly upside down once!" He told me that we would be in positive G's the entire time.

I hesitated, but then agreed to give it a try. With barf bag at the ready, I focused the camera on the ground, switched my lens to manual, placed the camera in my lap facing directly up & told him, "Let 'er rip!" At the same time I started triggering the shutter. We did a belly roll and, in fairness it was pretty cool. The end result is a series of around a dozen images showing the sky, the horizon, the ground and back around again. Nothing spectacular in themselves, but I knew if I didn't have proof, nobody would believe me. Did it again & I had a smile on my face the whole time.

We'd been flying for around 20 minutes by then & he told his partner it was time to head back. We were eastbound & needed to do a 180 in order to get alongside his westbound partner. The pilot pulled a fairly sharp turn to pair up & suddenly I saw the horizon & everything else start swimming & turning grey. I never blacked out, but I definitely greyed out. He asked me how I was doing & I told him, "Please tell me that was 2 G's."

He laughed. It was 1.5...

 

[jorogi]

As I recall, and please let a more experienced pilot correct me, throttle to idle, pull up until stall hit right rudder and hold. Watch in slow motion as the ground turns.
Release rudder, level wings and pull up until roughly level and apply power. Great fun!

Full opposite rudder, ease the back pressure (stick forward in some aircraft), wings level and pull up to level.
As for the entry, yeh that's one way but believe me there are way more fun ways.
And spins in Cessnas are for pussies.
For some reason everyone thought I'd be a real redneck in the cockpit but I never (well almost never, and those times were corporate not instructioal) did anything abruptly or unexpected. My goal was always about creating a passion for flying. Besides scaring your customers doesn't seem to be a practical business model.

 

[Tomc938]

Nice logic. I like it. I'm a big fan of starting with grind your own HSS. It will carry a fellow for years. Serves as a great base for learning other tricks, and will save your ass when the going gets complicated!

And I like the price vs inserts. You can use a few pieces of HSS for your whole life if yo aren't too aggressive on your grinding. I've had some small inserts that have lasted about 6 minutes. (my fault, I know, but still the reality of the situation)