ATP written test questions
I have an ATP written test prep software and have been going through the questions preparing for it.
I'm actually pleasantly suprised at just how many I already know, but am down right scared at the ones that I don't.
For example, all of the questions regarding charts asking you to calculate CG, if the CG limit was exceeded, CG shift if you move passengers, etc, how much is that actually used? In flight planning for the Hornet we have a software program that does that for us, and I don't even recall having to learn how to do manual calculations in training. While we don't have to worry about moving passengers or exceeding the floor loading for a pallet, we do make sure we know if we drop a piece of ordnance of a rack closer to centerline the ordnance left on the outboard rack may put us out of asymetric weight limits or if an external fuel tank doesn't transfer, etc.
Obviously the question isn't if you check your CG before flight, but if you actually do manual calculations. In prepping for the test questions like this, is this something where I can just memorize the answer for the test knowing I'll use software on the line, or should I go ahead and learn how to do it the old school way?