How to memorize ops limits

[Guest guardhopefull]

I may be exposing my week brainpower here but was wondering if anyone could suggest some techniques for practicing ops limits. I’m able to do it in writing on the "fill in the blank" sheet. But when it comes to randomly having someone ask me one while standing up I can't seem to spit them out especially with the associated note that may go along with it.

We hit the flightline a week from Thursday and I’m trying to get these down. So if anyone has some suggestions for what worked for them please share! Thanks

[Toro]

Read them over...and over...and over....and over....and over...and over...and over....and over....and over...and over...and over....and over....and over...and over...and over....and over....and over...and over...and over....and over....and over...and over...and over....and over....and over...and over...and over....and over....and over...and over...and over....and over....and over...and over...and over....and over....and over....

[Rocker]

Nothing beats repetition, but another good idea is to fill out the sheet in a different order. I've also found that it helps if you study the system and make your own notes with all associated numbers as you go through each system and really learn and understand what the numbers mean. You can always go old school and make flash cards. I did that for the 25 boldface items for the C-12 and it was effective.

[Guest Remy1492]

I picture the guages, I am visual so if I think of the guage, the needle and its upper and lower limits I remember the #. if you ask me the # off the top of my head, it takes me a minute to think about the guage, its picture and where the red and green lines are, then I remember the limits.

whatever works for you.

any other zen like techniques out there.

[Guest jeff1234]

I am the king of forget fast. This may sound hilarious but it worked for me. I would take a small tape recorder and randomly read out the ops limit (in question form). Then stand in front of a mirror, play the tape, and answer the prompted limit. I would do the same for boldface and give myself time limits cause there are no pauses,uhs, or umm's in stating the limits/boldface. Reinforce it by getting some buddies together and standing at attention while they ask you limits/boldface.

[Batman]

First, remember "Hopefull" that when it comes to BOLDFACE, spelling does matter.

Secondly, as for your "week" brain power, keep this in mind (literally): During college we could remember the seating location of every hottie in those 600-person lectures. We remembered the directions to parties verbatim without the use of maps or street numbers. When it came time to get the girl's phone number, we placed that 7-digit lottery number into our human "lock box"--no Fairchild instructor could get that from us.

Flash cards are the only way to go. It forces you to actually write-out the questions/answers and your better half can help you study as foreplay.

To help get over your fears of being able to stand-up and recite BOLDFACE I'd recommend you immediately start using them in normal day-to-day conversations.

I never went through the Main Gate at Vance without telling the SF dude "Handgrips Raised - Triggers Squeezed".

When some driver provokes you in traffic, yell "Throttle - Retard"! Follow it up with the Fuel Shutoff T-Handle and Throttle Cutoff verbiage to let him know you're serious.

On Friday nights, when you're out chasing tail get the local hotties involved in your study. Tell her all about "Dual Only Maneuvers". If she balks or makes excuses re: boyfriend or something let her know it's not on the "Prohibited Maneuvers" list. If things go Tango Uniform yell out the "Abort" procedure.

Some of the married guys that would get home after the routine 12-hour flightline days only to find their "better half" in no joyous mood would often just throw out the "Thunderstorm Prevention Airspeed" as a greeting. 180 kts!

These are only "techniques". Talk to, study with, and help your buds. They're going to experience the exact same feelings and difficulties as you.

On your worst day at pilot training remember there are hundreds of dudes wishing they were in your UPT slot.

BATMAN

[Gas Man]

Our Flight Commander told us "unofficially" to go drive around and have your buddy quiz you while you are driving in traffic. Now I gotta say this works pretty well, but practice this at your own risk as accidents may happen. Also I have to agree with those above in saying you have to look at them over and over and over...........

[HercDude]

Follow Toro's advice. When it comes to ops limits & boldface, there is no excuse to not know them after you start day one. You've had plenty of time to memorize, so spend every single second doing that, until you have it down. Then, only do it half the time you were before. After you hit the flight line, start doing it all the time again. I still spend time on the john memorizing ops limits . . . you never grow out of it.

I was always better at jotting them down than spouting them off, so I would get together with my buds and we'd just go down the sheet 15 or 20 times over the corse of a night until there were no more problems.

If you haven't gotten the point yet - IT'S ALL ABOUT REPETITION.

[Toro]

Originally posted by Batman:

Flash cards are the only way to go.

Totally agree. I started making flash cards in T-37s and continued all the way through my MQ upgrade. Some I handed off to students, others I still have around - I'll go back through them occassionally to brush up on anything from 11-217 to wing standards.

I never went through the Main Gate at Vance without telling the SF dude "Handgrips Raised - Triggers Squeezed".

That obviously didn't work too well for you - that boldface is wrong (no 'd' in raise or squeeze).

[HerkDerka]

I never quite got some of the techniques for training that fellow students came up with. I'm not into the flashcards or casual conversation boldface, but to each his own. The key is to find who works best for YOU. Everyone learns differently.

I'm big on Anagrams and System Study.

BEEFSHOP, CCTARGO, GHOST, OFFSS, ETNUCUUUTV, CLOMP. If the gouge anagram doesn't work for you, make up your own. NOTTWISS was an old Tweet fav. I still remember using "Security Forces Squadron" for the emergency airstart to make me think of "SFS".

S Starter - Air

F Fuel System - Emergency

S Starter and Ignition - GND - On and hold until 30% RPM

(Pretty sick that I remembered that. Proves my point however.)

One thing that works for me is reading in-depth in the pubs and trying to figure out why you are doing each step. Think about what you are doing to the aircraft by preforming the boldface and what that action does to correct the situation. Consider the limits of the aircraft, the systems, and the mission afterward. IMHO it is an awesome way to increase your knowledge. Once you understand how the system works, it tends to make memorization a load easier.

HD

[ClearedHot]

Personally,

I study the Ops limits and pretend my life depends on me knowing what I should about my weapons system.

[Guest Jetjock19]

FLASH CARDS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

that is the only way to go. Not only can you mix up your ops limits while reading them, you are picking them up as you are writing them down as well. All you have to do is put a little time into it and the result will be worth it. I always forget those kinds of things and just go back to the cards to refresh.

= :D

[Guest KoolKat]

That's the answer to all of it really. All the tips, tricks and gouge you can get your hands on won't ever change that.