04 Mar 01

     RIGS is now over and it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. We had 3 classes to learn how to do all the stuff, one day of review and then the test. Its basically the exact same thing as navigation in API except this is the instrument version which means almost all your courses are already measured out and have the headings on them. We use instrument low level charts for this class just like we used the sectional type maps in API. This time we just have stuff to look up in the FLIPs. These are the publications such as the IFR in flight supplement and the flight information handbook which we have to use to find out everything about the places we are going to. We also use the GP (general planning) and the AP/1 and the approach plates. We learn how to use the whiz wheel all over again and we have to do the same jet log, but this time we don't have to calculate mag headings for wind factors. Wind is only taken into account for ground speed, not heading. There is some other stuff we did in API which we don't have to do here which makes it a lot easier I think. The only tough part in the class is knowing where to look everything up. If you have spare time and are bored, I suggest picking up these pubs at an aviation store and getting acquainted with them. Then again you'll just learn it here anyway. The practice test we took on Thursday scared the hell out of everyone because they made it extra tough. This test had the pickiest questions and everything was hard to find and the courses had some symbols we hadn't even messed with before. Class time got shorter each day. It started at 7am every day, but the first day we got out at 1600, the next at 1500, the next at 1200 and the last at 1000 so don't worry about having time to study if you need to. The test on Friday was a relief except for the alternate. It was tricky to choose because it almost seemed like none would work. Oh, when choosing an alternate, in the list, when it says the visibility is less than 1.5 miles or ceiling is less than 700, don't even bother looking it up in the approach plate. No matter what the minimums are, you can't use it because you need the mins plus 300 and 1. That will save you time. I also heard about buying tabs to mark some locations in the FLIPs and the approach plate. While I didn't do it, I can see how it could have saved some time for looking some stuff up. All I did was put a clip on my departure and destination approach plates. We got 2.5 hours to take the test and for some reason I was able to finish in 1.5. Luckily I went over my route and saw a sizable error. I had looked at the wrong DME for one intersection and it would have meant a 50 pound of fuel difference. The tolerance for your spare fuel is 15 pounds and 3 minutes for your elapsed time. I think your time to climb is the only thing that has to be exact. I went over my test like 3 times calculating everything at least twice. It all looked good so 10 minutes before time was up, I turned it in. We were then told to meet across the street at 1100 and we would be called in one by one.
     We were all talking about the test and half the class got 7 minutes time to climb and some 8 so this is what we argued about for the hour we had to wait. The answer on the whiz wheel had come out to 7.5 which rounded up to 8 and we are supposed to round our times. You'll learn about having to be super precise with this wheel in API and this is no different. Some people were getting right under 7.5 and rounding down. Its not hard to screw up. Luckily one thing that is different from API is we get to use calculators. I didn't use it for this but a friend who did said it came out to 7.500667 so the "8" people won the argument. Time came and we all lined up and went in one by one. Like 10 people came out with 84s and were happy they passed which started making me really nervous. This is the last test we take and also the last of three that count towards your NSS. I went in and the woman told me that I had scored a 98 and would be getting the academic achievement award. I was happy until she told me one more question right and I would have gotten student of the month too. Apparently you need a perfect 100 average for that.  I'll be graduating primary with a 99.3 average.  I still have no idea what I missed. I'm very happy about the results but it would have been better if I had missed two questions since missing a perfect average by one is a tease. On the 15th I get a ceremony with the skipper and some pictures and a certificate or something. Its all in service dress too. It sounds pretty cool. Next week I have Monday off, a 3 hour lecture on INAV the next day and then I start doing two simulators a day which should be done next Tuesday, then 6 flights and I should be done with primary on the 16th. I won't select until the Thursday after though since you have to be complete by the Monday before selection Thursday. I'm still set on the heavy/T-1 track.