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rdunhamtn(at)hotmail.com
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 Posted: Wed Oct 04, 2006 6:53 am Post subject: Thinking things electic |
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Raymond,
I recently heard an interesting saying. It goes like this...
5% of the people think.
10% of the people think they think.
and 85% of the people would rather DIE than think.
When I graduated from medical school my head was crammed full of "answers".
I could spout facts like nobody's business. Then I met the public and
realized I didn't know how to "doctor" people. In other words, I didn't know
how to think like a doctor!
This revelation came early in my career in a busy ER in Knoxville,
Tennessee. I had a patient with a sore throat and I didn't know how to treat
it, or even where to go to find out. Shocking, isn't it? I was already an
MD. In fact, I already knew how to treat heart attack, stroke and many
serious and life threatening conditions. But I didn't know how to evaluate
that sore throat! I was taken aback, as you might guess.
Fortunately, I had a teacher supervising me who was ready to fill the gaps
in my knowledge. And, even more fortunately, I learned from him how to
evaluate patients, or more correctly, their problems. At first, I was miffed
at him because when I asked him how to treat this patient, he handed me an
article to read! I was busy! The ER was jumping and this "minor" problem was
bogging me down. But, since I wasn't the only MD on duty, and I was in
training after all, I sat down and quickly read the article. After I was
done, I knew what to do. But, most curious of all, I had been exposed to the
thought processes of the author and it transformed my thinking! I have
continually worked to hone my skills as a medical thinker for the past 25
years. But that teacher was the beginning of my real medical education.
Likewise, Bob Nuckolls has been the beginning of my electrical education. He
makes it fun and rewarding. I like it so much I've read the 'Connection at
least a half dozen times. I read this list every day. I've come to LIKE
wiring airplanes! When I tell my OBAM airplane buddies, they just shake
their heads in disbelief. One even asked if I would wire his!  ) You see,
they're in the 3rd group. At least concerning electrons. They don't want to
have to think about wiring their sky charriots. They just want to fly them!
And, who's to blame them for that? That's why most of us build the dern
things, isn't it? They are content to wire theirs according to the suggested
diagrams supplied with the kit. Why not? It works, doesn't it?
But we AeroElectric listers are the chosen few. Either by education or
avocation we find ourselves thinking things electric. Sure, we want answers,
but, even better, we want our fancies tickled! That's what Bob is doing
here. We like it! We'll have the "answer" soon enough. But I'd like to know
if my manner of thinking works! After all, I may be up there screaming along
in my Sky Scorcher someday when things go awry and I'm gonna be all I've got
to get things managable! I want the confidence to get that done. And Bob's
method of teaching fills that need for me. At least concerning things
electric.
Rodney in Tennessee
Unabashed Nuckollhead
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Jim Baker
Joined: 30 Mar 2006
Posts: 181
Location: Sayre, PA
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| Posted: Wed Oct 04, 2006 8:19 am Post subject: Thinking things electic |
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| Quote: | You see,
they're in the 3rd group. At least concerning electrons. They don't want to
have to think about wiring their sky charriots. They just want to fly them!
And, who's to blame them for that?
|
Let's look at that a different way. First a backgrounder...
My Dad taught me to fly. He was a CFII and and A&P w/ IA. I
learned to fly and learned systems and the why and how of those
systems and could work on them, too. On the other hand, I'm
neither of the above.
Those folks who just want to "fly" aren't, I believe, being properly
grounded in systems theory, either mechanical/electro-
mechanical/electrical. Those with a passion for learning beyond
"flying" make better pilots in my estimation. I'm marginal when it
comes to pure electrical but can generally get the information I
need to act on some issue. I have a better handle on
mechanical/electro-mechanical. Am I a whiz? Nope. Not even
close...just persistent and methodical.
Not thinking will get you in world of hurt. Don't question
conventional wisdom and you'll have to accept the
consequences.
Jim Baker
580.788.2779
Elmore City, OK
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N6030X(at)DaveMorris.com
Guest
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| Posted: Wed Oct 04, 2006 8:51 am Post subject: Thinking things electic |
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I am finding it more and more difficult to remember things by
rote. I do much better when someone tells me WHY something is a
certain way, because then I can derive the answer over and over
again, if I should forget the actual answer.
For instance, I forget the final approach speed I'm supposed to use
in a C-172. But if I know that you can derive that number from 1.3
times the stall speed, then I can compute it for any airplane, not
just the C-172.
Sometimes there are other factors that have to be considered in an
answer. For example, my instructor tells me that the final approach
speed for my Mooney should be 80mph. Nail that 80mph and I've got a
great shot and a great landing.
But 80mph I can get in a thousand different ways. One of them has
the nose pointed way up into the sky and full power. That's
80mph. One has the nose exactly at the horizon, and less
power. Should I be using either of those "80" attitudes when setting
up for landing? No. Neither should I be using the "all power off"
80, because it turns out, that, too is 80, but the sink rate is way
too high. So, my instructor tells me the other factors that go into
the 80 I should have. I should have about 400fpm sink rate, then
adjust manifold pressure to get 80. And he explains all about the
amount of angular change to round out the flare with a 400fpm sink
rate versus a 600fpm sink rate, etc. etc. He asks me, when there is
a 20mph headwind, does that change your rate of climb or your angle
of climb? Does it change your angle of descent? So what should you
do when landing into a strong headwind?
If he just said "remember the answer is 80", that would not teach me
what I really need to know to handle all situations that I'm going to
encounter.
An interesting thing I learned by seeing the inside of the contactor
was the spring. Now, admittedly that spring is hardly stressed, and
will probably never break, but if the contactor is mounted
upside-down, then voila, the spring is not needed because gravity
will do the same job. So there's another, albeit tiny, data point.
(I will admit that I've been cursed with "but why" ever since I was a kid.)
Dave Morris
At 11:18 AM 10/4/2006, you wrote:
| Quote: |
> You see,
> they're in the 3rd group. At least concerning electrons. They
don't want to
> have to think about wiring their sky charriots. They just want to
fly them!
> And, who's to blame them for that?
Let's look at that a different way. First a backgrounder...
My Dad taught me to fly. He was a CFII and and A&P w/ IA. I
learned to fly and learned systems and the why and how of those
systems and could work on them, too. On the other hand, I'm
neither of the above.
Those folks who just want to "fly" aren't, I believe, being properly
grounded in systems theory, either mechanical/electro-
mechanical/electrical. Those with a passion for learning beyond
"flying" make better pilots in my estimation. I'm marginal when it
comes to pure electrical but can generally get the information I
need to act on some issue. I have a better handle on
mechanical/electro-mechanical. Am I a whiz? Nope. Not even
close...just persistent and methodical.
Not thinking will get you in world of hurt. Don't question
conventional wisdom and you'll have to accept the
consequences.
Jim Baker
580.788.2779
Elmore City, OK
|
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http://www.matronics.com/Navigator?AeroElectric-List |
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Speedy11(at)aol.com
Guest
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| Posted: Tue Oct 10, 2006 9:10 am Post subject: Thinking things electic |
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I'm not sure if Dr. Dunham intended eclectic or electric in the subject line, but both would have been appropriate.
I still am not convinced that we must all be so trained on electrics as to be able to derive all electrical answers from our base knowledge. Sometimes we don't need the huge foundation of knowledge. To use Dr. Dunham's example, my grandmother knew how to treat a sore throat (she completed the fourth grade), yet she had virtually no knowledge of medical techniques. I'm not trying to put down Dr. Dunham, I'm just saying we don't always need to know everything in order to accomplish a relatively simple task. But, occasionally, we need confirmation from someone who has that knowledge. We need someone who will look at our electrical plans, and instead of saying study Z-99 and come back tomorrow, give us advice on how to best implement OUR desired plan. After I do a load plan and draw my schematics I need someone trained (large knowledge base) in electrics to analyze my concept and help me find errors. I am willing to pay for such advice and I suspect others are willing to do the same. In many cases, builders don't have the time or desire to learn it all.
STILL, Dr. Dunham makes me think. His is the best argument I've seen on this forum in favor of indepth learning as opposed to adequate knowledge.
I commend you for your thoughts.
I think I'll rethink my own thoughts and try to implement some of your thoughts.
How's that for eclectic?
But, I am serious when I say that. I will strive to think more instead of depending on others to do my electrical thinking. Until I reach that level of learning (I may never reach it), any electrical experts out there willing to help me analyze my electrical? I'll pay a 3 month electrical advice retainer such that I can call and send emails for advice. Bob?
Stan Sutterfield
| Quote: | 5% of the people think.
10% of the people think they think.
and 85% of the people would rather DIE than think.
When I graduated from medical school my head was crammed full of "answers".
I could spout facts like nobody's business. Then I met the public and
realized I didn't know how to "doctor" people. In other words, I didn't know
how to think like a doctor!
This revelation came early in my career in a busy ER in Knoxville,
Tennessee. I had a patient with a sore throat and I didn't know how to treat
it, or even where to go to find out. Shocking, isn't it? I was already an
MD. In fact, I already knew how to treat heart attack, stroke and many
serious and life threatening conditions. But I didn't know how to evaluate
that sore throat! I was taken aback, as you might guess.
Fortunately, I had a teacher supervising me who was ready to fill the gaps
in my knowledge. And, even more fortunately, I learned from him how to
evaluate patients, or more correctly, their problems. At first, I was miffed
at him because when I asked him how to treat this patient, he handed me an
article to read! I was busy! The ER was jumping and this "minor" problem was
bogging me down. But, since I wasn't the only MD on duty, and I was in
training after all, I sat down and quickly read the article. After I was
done, I knew what to do. But, most curious of all, I had been exposed to the
thought processes of the author and it transformed my thinking! I have
continually worked to hone my skills as a medical thinker for the past 25
years. But that teacher was the beginning of my real medical education.
Likewise, Bob Nuckolls has been the beginning of my electrical education. He
makes it fun and rewarding. I like it so much I've read the 'Connection at
least a half dozen times. I read this list every day. I've come to LIKE
wiring airplanes! When I tell my OBAM airplane buddies, they just shake
their heads in disbelief. One even asked if I would wire his! ) You see,
they're in the 3rd group. At least concerning electrons. They don't want to
have to think about wiring their sky charriots. They just want to fly them!
And, who's to blame them for that? That's why most of us build the dern
things, isn't it? They are content to wire theirs according to the suggested
diagrams supplied with the kit. Why not? It works, doesn't it?
But we AeroElectric listers are the chosen few. Either by education or
avocation we find ourselves thinking things electric. Sure, we want answers,
but, even better, we want our fancies tickled! That's what Bob is doing
here. We like it! We'll have the "answer" soon enough. But I'd like to know
if my manner of thinking works! After all, I may be up there screaming along
in my Sky Scorcher someday when things go awry and I'm gonna be all I've got
to get things managable! I want the confidence to get that done. And Bob's
method of teaching fills that need for me. At least concerning things
electric.
Rodney in Tennessee
|
[quote][b]
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http://www.matronics.com/Navigator?AeroElectric-List |
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