Scudrunners

So I’m in the middle of doing a ground school refresher, being diligent, taking an online course after being a licensed PPL for over a decade, and I realize how much of this stuff I’ve forgotten (the dry adiabatic lapse rate!!!!!!!). So I’m wondering folks, what do you really need to know as a PPL for the real world? What do you pros recommend?????? If you were going to design a ground school for real world aviation (rather than passing the TC exam) what would you include as must knows??? Might help me focus....on essentials.

In my experience one only remembers the stuff he needs -- there is a lot of chaff in that straw.

There is also a big difference between a "full time" flyer and recreational pilot. Living it on a daily basis is very different from the recreational pilot who puts in less time in a year than working pilots who will do it in two weeks. Muscle memory is well entrenched and not need of constant priming.

Has anyone here actually drawn 10 degree drift lines on a map after getting their license?

[quote author=Chris link=topic=6186.msg16292#msg16292 date=1493821222]
Has anyone here actually drawn 10 degree drift lines on a map after getting their license?
[/quote]

Yes.  :-[  At that time there was no moving map in the plane and cell phones did not have cameras. I used VORs on a long trip once, except there was a big part of Montana where you were out of range.

I did not know how the GPS worked, it was just coordinate numbers but it would have been better than looking at a few hundred miles of grassy prairie. My track made good was pretty close when I finally got to recognizable land marks on the other side. It was fun.

One time I even used the drift lines. I don't know what I was doing that I managed to drift but I was a little off course, I used them to help decide what heading to use to get back on course.

With all the GPS moving map stuff available, I understand how it kind of seems out of date. I might draw them in just to practice but I suspect if I flew more I would stop after a while.

[quote author=Chris link=topic=6186.msg16292#msg16292 date=1493821222]
Has anyone here actually drawn 10 degree drift lines on a map after getting their license?
[/quote]


Sure have - when I did the cross country for my night rating :)

Or SHP  :D
Legacy from Bomber Command

[quote]Has anyone here actually drawn 10 degree drift lines on a map after getting their license?[/quote]


Of course I always do because TC would not have demanded it be used if it were not critical to your survival.


Where I found drift lines most useful was on trans oceanic flights at low level when flying in VFR conditions and I could see the water.


Never try and second guess what TC includes in their teaching requirements.

[quote][font=verdana][size=2]Has anyone here actually drawn 10 degree drift lines on a map after getting their license?[/size][/font][/quote]


I never have, even during my private license. Once I passed my xcrontry I stopped putting any lines on maps. I never did ground school for my private license and didn't use vector diagrams. I learned to use a jeppson computer instead. Self taught and from the ground up and weather works. I know things have changes and schools must do their training but when I see students with flight bags that are the size of 3 suit suitcases I have to wonder if things have gone too far. Several thousand hours of map reading, dead reckoning and time, sans GPS and even VORs one can picture where you want to go without lines on a map. Aviation maps were so poor most used TOPO 4 mi/in which gave far more and better detail and a radio -- WTF was that -- haha