WEEK 15: PERFORMANCE #16

Airline Prep

CP116

Performance was the topic this week, also known as POF 2. If I'm perfectly honest it wasn't the most interesting of subjects but it's got to be done anyway.

There's a fair bit of theory which is very similar to POF, such as determining the performance of the aircraft when it is at a certain point on the drag curve, what happens to the glide range or fuel consumption with a head/tailwind or how an increase/decrease in mass affects the descent rate. The rest of the subject revolves around interpreting graphs or tables for either single engine piston, multi-engine piston or medium range jet aircraft. The task is generally to find a required take off mass, take off/landing distance whilst taking into account all of the necessary safety requirements and weather and surface conditions. I didn't realise how much there was to it! I thought it was just load up and go. How wrong I was...

These are things that you just don't consider as a passenger. The margin for error on calculations like these are so slim and if they are done wrong then the result could be catastrophic! So I guess as far as this subject goes it is actually quite relevant.

Ground School Housemates

However, when it comes to actually answering questions it can get quite tedious. You have to work so accurately and precisely on the graphs and even if you are as careful as can be and do the right method, you still don't always get the right answer which is very frustrating. It is also difficult to know sometimes which safety factors to apply and where. The questions are pretty time consuming and it's very irritating spending ages working it out and getting an answer totally different to the one the CAA have given. But, like all the other subjects, with a bit of practice it should start clicking in to place.

Class hard at work

I was the last person in the group to turn 19 this week. My birthday was celebrated by a day of performance, work in the evening and a Chinese with Luke and DJ whilst watching Man City increase their hopes of stealing the title again. My Mum and step-dad had come down the previous Sunday evening to take myself and my housemates out for dinner and wish me happy birthday which was very nice and this Saturday my Dad took me to Twickenham to see Harlequins v Bath for a place in the play offs. It was a really good day out, even though Bath sadly lost.

Today is going to be a long day practicing performance and then I have a whole week of flight planning to look forward to.