Getting Around On The Ground

By Fred Moses (18 December 2001)

unway incursions have recently been a hot topic. Getting Around On The Ground, a new multimedia tutorial from Aviation Tutorials, is intended to address that problem by thoroughly teaching the student the types of airport markings, singage and lighting that can be found at an airport.

After a brief intro, the disk's format is first to present about a dozen topics including various signs (runway, location, direction, etc.), pavement markings, airport lighting, and others. After several narrated pages (ranging from 3 to 28 depending on the topic) using realistic visuals to illustrate the signs (markings, etc.), there is a short quiz where you are asked two or three questions to see if you understood the lesson. At the end of the tutorial there are some narrated quick tips relating to the info presented, a case study of a runway incursion, and "Documents and Literature" section with some other written FAA materials and some web links.

The main strength of the tutorial is its simple narrative style accompanied with well-done visuals. I also like the quizzes at the end of each section. However, I think that the quizzes were too short and easy. More and and perhaps a little trickier quiz questions would have served to reinforce the

3D "ground-view" graphics are used to illustrate airport signs
material even more. Similarly, at the end, the case study was interesting, but there was only one, and it perhaps could have gone into a little more detail. (In all fairness, the links section did have a link to one additional case study, with "more coming soon.")

The tutorial would be a useful tool to use prior to going on a trip. It's easy to start up and to skip to the relevant sign or marking (or other) sections to quickly review them prior to embarking to an unfamiliar airport. My ranking would be a 4 out of 5. For $29 (the suggested price according the the web site) it's not a bad additional resource to have lying around if you don't feel that comfortable with airport signs and markings.

The tutorial emphasizes case studies and statistics
Getting Around On The Ground™ requires the following:

486 or higher PC
Microsoft Windows 95, 98, or higher
4 mb RAM (8 mb recommended)
CD-ROM drive
2 mb hard drive space
Video supporting 256 color mode (minimum)
Sound card (not required, but recommended)

Fred Moses
alcott@mediaone.net

Visit Aviation Tutorials' web site.

Author Fred Moses is an active pilot holding a private pilot/ASEL certificate with instrument rating. He currently flies a 1979 Cessna 182Q.

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