The Vestiby System

Ah, studying.

How I thoroughly enjoy every second of knowledge that I gain.
Wish it came in an easier format.  Like SpongeBob or something.

However, today, I studied something particularly interesting.  I’ve read the section a hundred times, and have even been tested on it about that many times.  But for some reason, it really stuck out to me today.

It was a section on common illusions that pilots encounter.  Illusions that can majorly affect your landing, or make you feel like you’re making a right turn when you’re flying straight.  Obviously, these are no good, so it is best to avoid them if at all possible. 

The most common flight illusion is referred to as “The Leans,” and it is exactly as it sounds.  The pilot feels as if they are leaning in one direction or another.  Their perception (the body’s conception of its surroundings through physical touch, [Webster, 1960]) is being tricked by the vestibular system.

Break down on the Vestiby System (not a technical term) –

So pretty much, your inner ear is really complicated.  You have these canals, and tubes, and all sorts of stuff in there, including little hairs (which is, quite frankly, incredibly disgusting).  These little hairs are attached to nerves that send sensations to your brain for interpretation.  When you move, or hear, this gelatinous substance lined with otoliths (which are micro-sized bits of limestone) moves or vibrates.  This fluid moves the hairs, the hairs send it to the brain and the brain tells you what you’re doing or hearing (Jeppesen, 2006).

The first hundred times I read that, I really thought nothing of it.  It just grossed me out.  But today, for some reason, it made me think of how awesome our bodies are.  All of that is happening on such an extremely tiny scale, but it makes all the difference in the world. 

So anyways, when you’re flying, the fluid in your ears moves around and you can feel when you’re turning, unless you’re turning really slowly.  Then that fluid lags behind.  So when the pilot’s turn is for a long period of time and then they level off, they feel like they’re turning.  Oftentimes, they try to correct based off of this, and end up either extremely off course or in some cases, running into something (FAA, 2008).

Don’t worry, this only happens at night or in the clouds, and most pilots are smart enough to know that you always fly based off of your instruments, not your feelings. 

Incredible, right? To think, that your body is full of these itty-bitty nerves and receptors that are all trained to stimulate from some form of change and then send a signal to your head and register as a sensation (Webster, 1960)

Maybe I’m alone in this and I need to get out of the house more.  My textbooks are actually starting to entertain me.

    Guided Flight Discovery: Instrument/Commercial. (2006). Englewood, CO: Jeppesen Sanderson, Inc..

Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge. (2008). Oklahoma City, OK: U.S. Department of Transportation: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

Webster's New World Dictionary of the American Language (College ed.). (1960). Cleveland, OH: The World Publishing Company.

Oh, Happy Day!

Okay, I won't get too carried away.

I just completed day four in operation “Be A Better Pilot”.  I feel like I’ve been at this "study harder" thing for a month.  It hasn’t even been a week.

However, I already have started to see a tiny bit of improvement.  On Tuesday, I was reading Federal Aviation Regulation 119.1, which are certification applications for commercial operators.  Fancy talk for: I was reading the laws that told me what I could, and couldn’t do as a commercial pilot.  Well, earlier this morning when I went flying, my instructor asked me some question relating to this very regulation.  My first reaction was to say, “How the heck would I know?” but then I thought about it.

I started retrieving* information, that quite frankly, I didn’t even remember reading.  I started spewing out words and it ended up being correct.  Unless I have some awesome superpower, I think the studying is working, and it hasn’t even been a week.

It’s a lot harder than I anticipated.  Reading a boring book on laws or how to fly an airplane is no picnic, but in the last two days I’ve found ways to make the time pass quicker.  I set a timer, so I’m not tempted to look at the clock every 3 minutes, and I eat a snack while I’m reading.  For some reason, it makes the time pass quicker. 

I was so excited this morning about the studying working that I decided I would definitely have to keep on top of it for another week or so.  I have to make sure it wasn’t a freak coincidence, or if this “spacing effect” of studying is really helping. (Spacing effect is the idea that, studying in small increments over a distributed amount of time allows for better memory retention that just one massive study session.  I learned that from my Exploring Psychology textbook). 

So, I guess…another week! 

I’m ready for some more days like today.

*Myers, D. G. (2011). Exploring Psychology: Eighth Edition in Modules. New York, NY: Worth Publishers.

Plan for Executing "Setting A Goal"

As I stated in my previous post, I have set a goal of studying one hour every day for my aviation courses.  Now that I have had time to mull over my bold new idea, I find myself struggling and wishing I had tried something a little easier. 

Sure, for most people, this doesn’t seem like a lot.  It actually seems pretty easy.  But have you ever read a manual on how to do a flight procedure? Or read a book of regulations that are stuffed so many to a page you almost need a magnifying glass to see the words?  It’s not just incredibly boring; it’s monotonous.  Some of the concepts are easy enough to understand, but others are hard unless you’re in an actual aircraft and able to see what you need to see. 

But I set forth this goal knowing it was achievable, so I will bite my tongue, and just do it.

I need a studying method though.  I need an incentive that will push me to do it every single day.*

The possibility of a more receptive mind isn’t tangible enough, and therefore, isn’t rewarding.  But I have an idea…

If I built a calendar, and crossed off every day that I studied, I’d not only be able to physically feel the satisfaction of checking off the day, but I’ll be able to more easily count down the days until I don’t have to do this anymore.  It’ll be my positive reinforcement and will encourage me to keep going so that I can get that rush of accomplishment every day.*

 (This may not seem like a reward to normal people, but I get an incredible high after I cross something off of my to-do list.  It’s addictive.  I love finishing projects and feeling like I’ve done something, even if that feeling only lasts a couple of minutes).

So, my next step is to get a calendar, and a big green sharpie (green because it’s my favorite color and a sharpie because I just love the permanence of it).  When do I start? Monday, 17^th of June in the year 2013.  I need the weekend to get my affairs in order just in case taking my one hour of me-time away does in fact send me over the edge.  Plus, my OCD will not allow me to start at the near-end of a week.  That’s just crazy talk. 

After one week, I will post my progress, and see if I need some other form of motivation…or if I need to check myself into an institution. 

*  Meyers, D. G. (2011). Exploring Psychology: Eighth Edition in Modules (8th ed.). New York, NY: Worth Publishers.

Setting A Goal

During this lovely summer in Salt Lake City, I am attempting to do too many things at once.  I have three jobs, I am taking two classes, and I am desperately trying to cling to my dwindling social life.   As if that is not enough, I have decided to start my flight training for a Commercial Rating (seeing as I am a Flight Operations Major, I should probably make this my number one focus).  However, every time I look at my schedule and try to fit another thing in, I get a wave of anxiety.  It's cascading over me.  Thoughts of, "What the hell am I going to do?" and "I'm most likely going to die from exhaustion," are filling my head.  

But if I want something, I have to do it? Right?  If I'm determined enough, I'm sure I can set out enough time for studying and flying.  So here is my goal:

I will study my aviation concepts and maneuvers for one hour every day until the end of the summer.

Just one hour.  That's it.  It seems feasible.  I wake up at six to do a morning work-out, so my schedule will go as follows:

0600 - Wake up 

0605 - Dressed and eat yogurt

0615 - Work-out routine

0700 - Shower

0730 - Study 

0830 - Dress for work/eat breakfast

0915 - Leave for work

Every day.  Until September 1st. 

I think this is a great place to start. It's manageable, it's practical, and it'll be easy to keep track of.  I usually read or watch the news in the morning after my work-out anyways, so I'm just substituting reading a textbook in for reading Game of Thrones.  

According to the 'SMART' Goal Setting (1) it is:

S - Specific: Clearly outlined, with a time set.

M - Measurable: For one hour, every day.

A - Attainable: As mentioned before, I'm removing one thing, and replacing it with studying.

R - Realistic: Doesn't require too much time, and it fits into my schedule.

T - Timely: With a specific time laid out, I'll check on my progress every week, to see if it's working.

This goal, is not only “attainable” and “realistic”, it should dramatically improve my previous knowledge of aviation.  The repetition and the consistency of reading procedures over and over again will hopefully help me retain more information.  Not only that, if I am reading and studying about maneuvers before I even do them in the airplane, I’ll have a better chance of executing them without as much practice (this will cut down on flight time so it won’t cost as much!!).  After a work-out, my mind is clear and ready for anything, so I should be able to remember what I study easier when my mind isn’t bogged down from the day.

It’s applicable.  It’s do-able.  It’s going to happen.  Now, I just have to set up a studying method.

(1)    SMART Goal Setting. (2010, February 20). Retrieved June 13, 2013, from Goal Setting Guide website: http://www.goal-setting-guide.com/goal-setting-tutorials/smart-goal-setting