Re: Tom Knauff's newsletter

One of the problems with multiple choice is that it can't capture the 
subtleties of the subject being examined, or at least that it requires 
very careful question design.

Two of the three questions posted by Tom Knauff do not, in my view have 
clearly right answers:

> During a steep, continuous left hand turn, how are the controls held?
> 
> A.	Left Aileron, right rudder, back stick
> B.	Left aileron, left rudder, back stick
> C.	Right aileron, right rudder, back stick
> D.	Right aileron, left rudder, back stick
> 
I'm aware of a genuine debate between experienced and capable pilots 
whether C or D is the right answer. From my own experience, it's 
somewhat type-dependent as to whether a small amount of rudder into or 
out of the turn produces the best climb rate.

> During an off field landing, what color farm field is generally most
> desirable?
> 
> A.	Light green
> B.	Dark green
> C.	Dirt color
> D.	Color is not im****tant
> 
In the UK at least, the answer to this depends on the time of year. In a 
wet April, definitely A or B, but only if you can see brown through the 
green(I've been involved in retrieves where the glider parts had to be 
carried to the edge of the field because the soil was so sticky that the 
glider wheel jammed solid after a few yards rolling). In June, probably 
C, but you won't find a C field in England in June unless some strange 
kind of cultivation has been carried out, which might mean heavily 
ploughed up clods of earth. A would be OK if it's short grass, but not 
if it's long barley (much lighter than wheat, though yellowing now).

If my answers are reasonable, then we really don't know whether the 37% 
score reflects the knowledge of the pilots tested or the differing 
assumptions made when setting and answering the questions.