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Author Topic: Meters or feet???  (Read 14257 times)

Offline SteepTurn

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Meters or feet???
« on: June 01, 2006, 07:39:41 AM »
Hello red barons!

Just a question I found nobody to answer until now...

Why the hell gliders (ok, not the gliders, but their pilots) are calculating all in meters (at least here in good old Europe) and all the rest travelling around the skys in feet?? ??? ??? ??? Or is there anybody else who use the metric system??
P.S. Gliders seems quite boring to me, no engine which can break |:)\
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Offline Roland

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Re: Meters or feet???
« Reply #1 on: June 01, 2006, 09:34:21 AM »
Quote from: SteepTurn on June 01, 2006, 07:39:41 AM
P.S. Gliders seems quite boring to me, no engine which can break |:)\

But if the engine breaks, what have you got? A glider, no?

I don’t see what’s boring on a glider. There is much thinking involved. Again, I can’t see the boredom in here … :-\
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Offline SteepTurn

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Re: Meters or feet???
« Reply #2 on: June 01, 2006, 09:52:20 AM »
Quote from: Roland on June 01, 2006, 09:34:21 AM
Quote from: SteepTurn on June 01, 2006, 07:39:41 AM
P.S. Gliders seems quite boring to me, no engine which can break |:)\

But if the engine breaks, what have you got? A glider, no?

I don’t see what’s boring on a glider. There is much thinking involved. Again, I can’t see the boredom in here … :-\

OK,ok! Probably "boring" is not the correct word, but I allway say: things without engine are not interesting... except there are tits ;)
Sorry, I had to write this now ;D ;D
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Offline FlyingBlind

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Re: Meters or feet???
« Reply #3 on: June 01, 2006, 10:06:16 PM »
I prefer the meters, feet....i think americans use them.Everythin' in europe is in meters or kilometers.In America - they use Feet and Miles...do not know why...and it is sorta disturbing :P
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Offline chuckar101

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Re: Meters or feet???
« Reply #4 on: June 02, 2006, 02:56:29 PM »
Its cause were stubborn and want to be different.  Plus we like the smaller numbers it makes it easier to do the math.
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Offline Frank N. O.

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Re: Meters or feet???
« Reply #5 on: June 02, 2006, 03:28:11 PM »
Well the aviation std. is knots and feet so....

But smaller numbers? it takes 3 feet to make one meter. However I see the point in being able to say that your plane can climb to 6000 (ft) instead of saying 1830 (meters).
But a top speed of 200 sounds better than 120 (I can't remember the exact convesion but I think it's around 1.840 meters per nautical mile which at least here is what knots are, per hour).

It does also help that nothing from car-driving (which is what I've only done so far) can be compared to flying so switching from kph to kts and such doesn't conflict with any skills or habits I have already and important values are written in the same unit in the checklist and such so no problem.

Frank
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Offline Stef

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Re: Meters or feet???
« Reply #6 on: June 02, 2006, 09:06:25 PM »
Haha, now there's a funny topic that could get the Europeans and Americans fighting with each other!  ;D Just ask the mechanics among us... There are some aircraft with an American hull but French engine etc... So you need two compete sets of tools if you work on them! (I remember my brother complaining about that).

Well, it's obvious that the metric system is logically superior, however that's not always sufficient to convince people. Some habits are hard to break with. If it were otherwise we would all be speaking Esperanto by now, wouldn't we?  :D
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fireflyr

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Re: Meters or feet???
« Reply #7 on: June 03, 2006, 04:11:25 AM »
Quote from: FlyingBlind on June 01, 2006, 10:06:16 PM
I prefer the meters, feet....i think americans use them.Everythin' in europe is in meters or kilometers.In America - they use Feet and Miles...do not know why...and it is sorta disturbing :P

I prefer the feet, meters....I think europeans use them, Everything in America is in feet or miles. In Europe-they use meters and kilometers... do not know why...and it is sorta disturbing  :P

You see, my little friend, the argument goes both ways!!!!!!!!!!!! 8)
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Offline Stef

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Re: Meters or feet???
« Reply #8 on: June 03, 2006, 05:01:18 PM »
Quote from: fireflyr on June 03, 2006, 04:11:25 AM
Quote from: FlyingBlind on June 01, 2006, 10:06:16 PM
I prefer the meters, feet....i think americans use them.Everythin' in europe is in meters or kilometers.In America - they use Feet and Miles...do not know why...and it is sorta disturbing :P
I prefer the feet, meters....I think europeans use them, Everything in America is in feet or miles. In Europe-they use meters and kilometers... do not know why...and it is sorta disturbing  :P

Europeans and (officially) every other nation on this planet (except Liberia, Myanmar and... the USA!)  :P 8) ;D
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Offline Roland

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Re: Meters or feet???
« Reply #9 on: June 04, 2006, 08:45:21 PM »
The British do not use, at all, any metric system. They simply refuse.

However, I do not think that there is need for a “fight”, quarrel or argument about metric or imperial. I had to use both in my career and could not tell which is better. My very first aircraft I got my hands on was a Pilatus PC 6 (Yes, I’ve been a fixed wing mate) which is made in Switzerland. The engine? P&W PT6-A27 = imperial. So I started with both toolsets right away. Later on I had to mix my tools again and again. Finally conclusion: so what?

Prefer? What and for what? If somebody wants to nail me down I would prefer the imperial system. It is far easier to handle.
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Offline SteepTurn

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Re: Meters or feet???
« Reply #10 on: June 04, 2006, 09:40:50 PM »
Hold on guys!!!!

My intention was not to start a "fight" about meters or imperial.
It was only a dumb question if somebody knows why glider pilots in Europe (at least in SWI and GER) use the metric system, while I for my PPL-SEP was trained in the imperial system.
I don't mind to use imperial, now I'm used to it....

good nite to all!

Read you soon!!

...taxi to parking BRAVO (bed)
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Offline Gulfstream Driver

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Re: Meters or feet???
« Reply #11 on: June 05, 2006, 04:17:16 AM »
I think that as long as the French are using the metric system, the US will use the imperial.
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Offline Frank N. O.

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Re: Meters or feet???
« Reply #12 on: June 05, 2006, 10:53:25 AM »
Quote from: SteepTurn on June 04, 2006, 09:40:50 PM
Hold on guys!!!!

My intention was not to start a "fight" about meters or imperial.
It was only a dumb question if somebody knows why glider pilots in Europe (at least in SWI and GER) use the metric system, while I for my PPL-SEP was trained in the imperial system.
I don't mind to use imperial, now I'm used to it....

good nite to all!

Read you soon!!

...taxi to parking BRAVO (bed)
Where do you read a fight? I see the same friendly talks and jokes as usual here.

Frank
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Offline SteepTurn

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Re: Meters or feet???
« Reply #13 on: June 05, 2006, 11:21:00 AM »
Quote
Where do you read a fight? I see the same friendly talks and jokes as usual here.

Frank
Quote

Roland wrote something about a "fight" coming up....  ;)
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fireflyr

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Re: Meters or feet???
« Reply #14 on: June 06, 2006, 12:36:10 AM »
Quote from: Roland on June 04, 2006, 08:45:21 PM
The British do not use, at all, any metric system. They simply refuse.

However, I do not think that there is need for a “fight”, quarrel or argument about metric or imperial. I had to use both in my career and could not tell which is better. My very first aircraft I got my hands on was a Pilatus PC 6 (Yes, I’ve been a fixed wing mate) which is made in Switzerland. The engine? P&W PT6-A27 = imperial. So I started with both toolsets right away. Later on I had to mix my tools again and again. Finally conclusion: so what?

Prefer? What and for what? If somebody wants to nail me down I would prefer the imperial system. It is far easier to handle.


Reminds me, I rode British motorcycles for years and still have my whitworth wrenches--------
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