Stupid test questions

CFI A&P said:
For the same reason that DPEs ask what are the propeller blade angles for the high and low pitch stops on a P28R-200. It is information that does nothing for the pilot but it is written down somewhere, and therefore can be recalled.
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Man. That's an adversarial DPE.

All of my experience with DPEs were folks who had zero inhibitions about telling me how stupid they thought this or that FAA requirement was.
 
trafficinsight said:
I'm gonna guess flow meter.

Most of them are just pressure gauges marked in pounds per hour.
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Every turbine I’ve been up close with (which is basically the pt6 and Garrett caravan and the PC12) has had a right proper flow meter with the little turbine and the pulse counter.
 
CFI A&P said:
Such as lack of nose wheel steering during a left engine failure. Is the tiller being inop really critical during a V1 cut? To me, that isn’t useful knowledge until landing but they want us to know it.
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That's actually useful info to know. Depending on the plane type, how do you plan on clearing the runway after your abort during a left engine failure. Helpful to tell ATC you're stuck until a tug can come and get you.
 
av8tr1 said:
Professional? Have you seen me fly???? HELLO? “Helicopter Pilot”.
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I’m sure you’re joking about the dumb helicopter pilot thing but you need to drop that attitude like yesterday. There’s your fellow rotor heads like @MikeFavinger trying to advance their career and its hard enough convincing airlines that rotor time counts at all, no need to add fuel to the fire.
 
mikecweb said:
I’m sure you’re joking about the dumb helicopter pilot thing but you need to drop that attitude like yesterday. There’s your fellow rotor heads like @MikeFavinger trying to advance their career and its hard enough convincing airlines that rotor time counts at all, no need to add fuel to the fire.
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Relax it’s a joke, man. In reality helicopter pilots are vastly superior to fixed wing pilots due to the incredibly complex aircraft we fly. We don’t want you poor fixed wing pilots to be overwhelmed by our superior awesomeness of pilot abilities and refuse to interact with us out of fear of inadequacies.

While fixed wing pilots can utilize autopilots on long trips to focus on other things than flying a helicopter pilot must not only continue to fly the aircraft but then write down clearances, read maps and approach charts, etc. We require a higher level of system knowledge to fixed wing aircraft to make a go no go discussion which in many cases requires an A&P level knowledge of helicopter mechanics and systems. In all cases we are vastly more capable than our fixed wing brothers.

I’ve taught numerous fixed wing pilots who just could not hover to save their lives and never will. In one case I was the 5th instructor to give it a try.

In reality helicopter pilots really are vastly superior to fixed and its is only out of envy that the “Bro” attitude of the 121 community fails to recognize clearly superior piloting skills and ability. There is a real penis envy going on in the 121 world about how great the job is and how the airline pilot is the ultimate job in aviation. It’s not for all sorts of reasons. It’s a good job but it’s not the best. Nor are airline pilots the best in the industry. But airline pilots know that and instead of recognizing that fact they instead separate and belittle the superior rotorcraft pilots. Much like school bullies do with the higher intelligent nerds who clearly will excel at life over the high school football jock.

But if helicopter pilots point out that they are vastly superior pilots you guys get all butt hurt and won’t let us rotor heads play in your reindeer games.

And since I fly both that makes me and a few select others here on JC that much more capable.

Now having said that it takes a special type of insanity for us to willingly fly and aircraft that is intentionally trying to come apart in flight.

If there is something specific that I’ve done to earn your special attention lately then by all means hit me up via PM so I can make amends. I’ve got nothing but respect for you but I seem to get a lot of negativity out of you lately.
 
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Honestly we’re no better or worse. It’s just a little different. But it’s also quite a bit the same.

The advanced twin turbine helicopters I fly share a lot of similarities with 121 fixed wing ops. Systems are very similar. Flying IFR is very similar. CRM, flows, and procedures are similar. My IFR approach speeds are pretty close to the jet’s ref speeds. The FMS and autopilots share similarities.

Sounds like you have a single pilot piston Helo background which would be similar to a part 135 FW cargo op. Just remember, not all helicopter operations are the same just like not all FW Ops are.

Since joining the 121 world, no one has belittled me. (Nor I them). There’s been a healthy mutual respect on varying backgrounds between folks I’ve interacted with.

Hovering is certainly difficult for the newbie without a doubt, but you should have seen my landings on my first OE trip in the jet. Ouch. My superior helicopter skills didn’t help a lick with that. ;)

And it’s not just MikeC... I have asked politely in the past to refrain from talking down what we do in helicopters. The image we should portray is not better, or worse, or special. We she portray ourselves as competent aviation professionals who have value across a board range of operations.
 
MikeFavinger said:
Honestly we’re no better or worse. It’s just a little different. But it’s also quite a bit the same.

The advanced twin turbine helicopters I fly share a lot of similarities with 121 fixed wing ops. Systems are very similar. Flying IFR is very similar. CRM, flows, and procedures are similar. My IFR approach speeds are pretty close to the jet’s ref speeds. The FMS and autopilots share similarities.

Sounds like you have a single pilot piston Helo background which would be similar to a part 135 FW cargo op. Just remember, not all helicopter operations are the same just like not all FW Ops are.

Since joining the 121 world, no one has belittled me. (Nor I them). There’s been a healthy mutual respect on varying backgrounds between folks I’ve interacted with.

Hovering is certainly difficult for the newbie without a doubt, but you should have seen my landings on my first OE trip in the jet. Ouch. My superior helicopter skills didn’t help a lick with that. ;)

And it’s not just MikeC... I have asked politely in the past to refrain from talking down what we do in helicopters. The image we should portray is not better, or worse, or special. We she portray ourselves as competent aviation professionals who have value across a board range of operations.
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It is and it isn't. Our aircraft (helicopters) require a lot more attention to detail and have no forgiveness for mistakes. Fixed wing can be a point and click hands off approach where helicopters are nearly exclusively hands on.

I've got military and civilian turbine experience as well (Army Kiowa A/C).

But don't get me wrong while I do think helicopter pilots are the better of the two types for lots of reasons I think the missions are very different. But I think the lack of acceptance by the 121 world for helicopter pilots is the problem. As you accurately point out we follow the same rules (with minor exceptions), use the same charts (with minor exceptions) and generally other than the way we fly our aircraft the two positions are the same.

The lack of understanding and willingness to accept helicopter time by the fixed wing world is indicative of the "Fratboy" attitude I have seen in the industry. It's a ridiculous idea that helicopter time counts less than fixed wing time. But one that you and I are not going to change.

But the idea that I make a simple joke about being a helicopter pilot is somehow damaging to the industry is just as ridiculous. I'm proud of my rotorcraft experience and come from a family of military helicopter pilots. If you find my jokes about flying a complex aircraft as damaging to the industry then maybe (with all due respect cause I know a bit about who you are in the real world, sir) I'd suggest you lighten up francis.
 
Please don’t mistake my opinion that we should stop downplaying our helicopter experience as something more than it is. I completely understand about joking about ones relative worth. Heck, airbus guys do it vs Boeing’s, regional guys do it vs. mainline, etc. I’m just saying too much of belittling ourselves can hurt us if those in the position to help us in the FW world see time and time again that RW pilots are (insert derogatory joke).

You say: It's a ridiculous idea that helicopter time counts less than fixed wing time. But one that you and I are not going to change.

I disagree. Times are already changing. Regionals are actively courting us. The more of us who get hired, do well, and show we have quite a bit to offer outside of just stick wiggling skills, the more they will look favorably on our experience.

Also, not to nitpick, but you keep saying helicopters are nearly always hands on. That was certainly true for legacy army helicopters and for simple civilian helicopters, but the majority of army helicopters currently are as automated, if not more so, than 121 jets. I’m talking from ground to flight to hover to landing you never have to touch the controls automated. And this isn’t a bad thing. The more skilled we are in automation a management the more competitive we are for those 121 FW Jobs.
 
av8tr1 said:
I think the missions are very different. But I think the lack of acceptance by the 121 world for helicopter pilots is the problem.
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Yes, they are VERY different missions. How much do you think my fixed wing time is to a helicopter company if I were applying for a pilot position? I’m guessing “0”. Personally, I couldn’t hover a helicopter over the same spot if it were sitting on the ground....but in the 121 airline world, that’s a skill I’ve never needed.

I’ve flown with many helicopter dudes at UPS who transitioned to fixed wing aircraft early on their career path. While I’ve never flown with a bad ex-helo pilot, the ones I have flown with I didn’t find them any better (or worse) than folks with just fixed wing time. Same can be said for fighter pilot guys and tanker dudes from all branches of the military, U2/SR-71 guys, military team demonstration pilots or astronaut candidates, bush pilots and Regional folks. Flown with all types from all backgrounds and they all recount stories on how their background makes them better than any other group. Not true! It’s an individual thing, not a group specific thing.....

Just sayin’....
 
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av8tr1 said:
The lack of understanding and willingness to accept helicopter time by the fixed wing world is indicative of the "Fratboy" attitude I have seen in the industry. It's a ridiculous idea that helicopter time counts less than fixed wing time. But one that you and I are not going to change.
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A few points.

The rotor guys I’ve flown with I honestly had no idea until they told me. It’s not as big of a deal as you make it sound.

Being excluded from 121 has more to do with HR running hiring these days vs it being a frat. In fact the 121 types in this thread have all said we’re one in the same and you keep trying to put up a division between the two.

I guess there might be a gap in knowledge with regard to high altitude/speed aerodynamics but there’s a lot of guys out there that never took the time to learn that on the fixed wing side either.
 
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