Mnemonics - Any to share?

CARoss

CARoss

Filing Flight Plan
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Sep 24, 2007
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Portland, OR
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Display name:
Chris
I'm taking my VFR 141:Rotorcraft:Helicopter:Stage 2/Final written tests tomorrow... and my brain is mush from repetitive study. So, while I would technically consider this post as procrastinating it is related to a real question. And besides, if have to look at another Wt/Bal or Fixed Card ADF question, I'm going to scream.

So, lets talk Mnemonics. I, personally, love them. It makes memorizing rather plain formulas, lists, etc. not only simple but fun.

For example:

1) MB = MH + RB
[Magnetic Bearing] = [Magnetic Heading] + [Relative Bearing]
"My Brain is my head plus red blood."

2) Location of position lights. Right Side is Green, Left Side is Red.
"Port is Wine" - Left = Port = Wine = Red

3) Pressure Altitude measured to Datum Plane
True Altitude measured to Sea Level
Absolute Altitude measured to Terrain

P - D
T - S
A - T

"PTA - DST"
(Not much of a mnemonic, but PTA-DST just floats better in my brain.)


Anything to share with a R/W n00b?
 
When I took my PP written I got only one question wrong. It was one of the type, "Determine another plane's orientation relative to you based on seeing these colored lights."

In most of the audio stuff I do the mnemonic is "Red Right", because generally the red cable runs the right audio channel (I'm not sure if this is standard, but it's the way I set things up). That mnemonic blocked any other experience I had with planes, and thus I got the question wrong.

Now it is forever ingrained in my mind to reverse the mnemonic when dealing with aircraft.
 
I use "AV1ATE" to remember the necessary aircraft inspections:

Annual
VOR check (for IFR)
100-hour (for flight schools and passengers-for-hire)
Altimeter/static system (for IFR)
Transponder
ELT - battery and ops

And, of course, there's the ancient navigator's phrase to remember the heading corrections: True Virgins Make Dull Companions - Add Whiskey.

True Heading
+/- Variation
= Mag Heading
+/- Deviation
= Compass Heading
Add
West Var/Dev

If you're going backwards to compute wind, it's "Can Dead Men Vote Twice At Elections?" (which any Cook County IL resident knows they can).
 
I use TOMAATO FFLAMES to remember required equipment for Day VFR Flight:

Tachometer
Oil Pressure
Magnetic Compass
Airspeed Indicator
Altimeter
Temperature Gauge (for air-cooled engines)
Oil Temperature Gauge (for liquid cooled engines)

Fuel Gauge
Flotation Gear (if flying over water for hire)
Landing Gear Position Indicator
Anticollision Lights
Manifold Pressure Gauge
ELT
Seatbelts
 
Perhaps everyone already does this, but, FWIW...

After logging on and starting the written, I use one sheet of scrap paper to write down all the various formulae, memory items, etc I have listed (7 for the CFI, for example) and then make sure I fill in all 7 slots.

It makes it easier to have your own reference card handy as you go through the test.
 
Am I the only one that finds mnemonics more confusing than learning the actual lists?
 
Here's another one to remember the engine out checklist for a 172N:

Always Calm When Losing My Free-Falling M&M's

Airspeed to best glide
Carb Heat on
Wind Direction & Speed
Landing Site
Mixture Rich
Fuel Selector to Both
Fuel Primer in & locked
Mags on Both
Master On
 
t0r0nad0 said:
Here's another one to remember the engine out checklist for a 172N:

Always Calm When Losing My Free-Falling M&M's

Airspeed to best glide
Carb Heat on
Wind Direction & Speed
Landing Site
Mixture Rich
Fuel Selector to Both
Fuel Primer in & locked
Mags on Both
Master On
Click to expand...

Where's the required "This can't be happening to me!!" and colorful expletive?

:hairraise:
 
For engine out, I'll stick with "Glide, Grass, and Gas" -- it's about all anyone can remember at that point.
 
I think it is a purely personal thing. Some people are good at memorizing lists... I need to picture it in my head.

Airspaces, for example... I memorized the data by imaging the "wedding cakes" picture in my head. So, whenever I think about airspace vis/clouds, I imagine that picture first. I still know the data, but when I recite it out, I am filling in a puzzle image in my mind.

The lists do the same thing for me.

R22 Required VFR-Day equipment...CAMALSFOOT:
Compass
Altimeter
Manifold pressure gauge
Airspeed
Landing Lights (For Night)
Seatbelt
Fuel gauge
Oil Pressure guage
Oil Temperature guage
Tachometers

And GOAL:
Governor
OAT Gauge
Alternator
Low RPM Warning System


I literally will say "CAMALSFOOT, GOAL" outloud if I've got an unexpected indicator light/gauge failure at run-up.


Just how I'm wired, I suppose.



Lance F said:
Am I the only one that finds mnemonics more confusing than learning the actual lists?
Click to expand...
 
Don't anyone bother trying to learn the required equipment for day/night IFR/VFR flight -- it's a pointless risk and a waste of time and brain cells. It's pointless because if you're in a situation where you have to decide, you have the time to look it up so you don't get it wrong. It's a risk if you don't look it up, misremember, and something bad happens, the FAA will call it a deliberate act and burn you for it. And if you don't have the time to look it up (say, if the Horvidos Indians are closing in with spears and poison dart blowguns), you won't care what the book says -- you'll launch regardless, because there is nothing the FAA might do to you that is worse than what the Horvidos Indians will do to you.

"Jock -- start the engine!" (Henry "Indiana" Jones, Jr., Ph.D., somewhere in South America, 1936)
 
CARoss said:
1) MB = MH + RB
[Magnetic Bearing] = [Magnetic Heading] + [Relative Bearing]
"My Brain is my head plus red blood."
Click to expand...
The mnemonic I was taught for that is
MH + RB = MB
Mike Had Roast Beef, Mike Barfed
(Obviously, Mike was a vegetarian :))

And CONGRATS!
 
A sailor walks into a bar and asks, "Where's Red?". The bartender responds, "Red left for port".
 
Lance F said:
Am I the only one that finds mnemonics more confusing than learning the actual lists?
Click to expand...

Nope. I agree with you. They just clutter my brain. I find by the time I memorize some mnemonic I have already memorized the procedure so the memory aid is useless. The hardest part of private pilot training for me was dealing with CFI who only had thing memorized with mnemonics. I tried repeatedly to convince them that things like 'tomato flames' were useless because if you need to ask that question about the aircraft you were flying you had best know where to find the answer in the book. Their response was usually that I needed to know this stuff for the oral. I felt it was better to show that I know how to find answers in the FAR/AIM. I did it my way and passed with no problems even getting compliments on my knowledge of the FARs.
 
MH + RB = MB
muddy hole + rubber boots = muddy boots

Lots of good ones here - just trying to pick the one that works best for you is the key I suppose.
 
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