curiosita - accelerometer

This exercise is the second one mentioned the book How to think like Da Vinci.
I intend to get curious about a device that I came across recently. It is called "Accelerometer."
1. who invented accelerometer?
2. when was it invented?
3. what was it first use?
4. what is it used mostly in?
5. How does it work?
6. Is it mechanical or electrical?
7. who made it famous?
8: who manufactures it?
9. How much does it cost?
10. what ore all the places it is used?
11. can it replace gyroscope?
12. what fueled it's invention?
13. Is it used in tablet PCS and laptops for shock detection?

Private Pilot Cheat Sheet - Airplane Systems

Four strokes of an engine are intake, compression, power and exhaust stokes.
Induction Systems

1. Throttle and mixture control allow us to chose RPM and the fuel/air ratio.
2. Air forced through venturi picks up velocity and creates low pressure. This low pressure will make the temperatures drop causing water vapor to condense forming carb ice.
3. Carb ice can form at or below 70F with relative high humidity.
4. First indication of carb ice is loss of RPM

Ignition Systems

1. Dual magnetos for improved safety and better engine RPM
2. Detonation is uncontrolled explosive ignition of fuel/air
3. If you suspect detonation, lower the nose to increase airspeed and the cooling airflow around engine and reduce the engine power.
   

Some day I would do this.

Amazing hike, it makes me feel dizzy. You think you can handle this? Think again. Watch the video here.
Check the video here

First cross country flight :)

Yahooo! I have been on my first cross country flight :). Before you start wonder about "cross country!!!!" let me explain what cross country means in the world of aviation. Cross Country in aviation means any flight over :.....
Alright back to my flight. I went to Hemet Ryan from Gillepsie. That is from SEE to HMT. Now for the path. There are bunch of stuff we had to take care in figuring out the flight path. Few of them are: airspace restrictions, the terrain, visible landmarks, near by airports, altitudes, winds and weather etc. Winds and weather were good and was not an issue at all. A straight line through to HMT from SEE would take us through some nasty Bravo airspace. So we had to go around the space. So we thought we would first head out to Ramona (RMN) around San Vincente reservoir. And then shoot over to French Valley via Pauma Valley and then head to Hemit. Now having figured out these as my check points, we had to figure out at what altitude we had to fly. Since we had our magnetic course in the second hemisphere, we had to fly at even+500 feet according to hemispherical rule. The hemispherical rule says "If you are above 3000' AGL and on a magnetic course between 0 and 179 included, the altitude should be at odd+500' feet. If the magnetic course is between 180 and 359 included, then the altitude should be at even+500' feet." To obey this rule, we decided that we would fly at 4500' on the to route and at 5500' on the way back. I got the visual check points, the estimated times to reach them, the magnetic headings needed and the radio frequencies required on the way. Having gotten these, I had to call up the FSS and file a flight plan with them. We asked for a flight plan in a round-robin fashion, which is another way to say it is a to-and-fro without any other landing in between. The briefer told us to open the flight plan on 122 MHz once we are airborne.
I got the plane pre-flighted, which is the process in which we determine if the airplane is good to be flown. The process consists of checking the fuel quality and quantity, the nuts and bolts of the plane, the flight controls. When I went to check the fuel quality, there was water in the fuel tanks. I had to drain the fuel for a while to get clean fuel. After I pre-flighted the plane, we, my flight instructor and I, got into the plane and called the ground for clearance to taxi. Well, after the initial calls and hold shorts, we took off. The winds kept changing direction. We had to adjust the heading every once in a while. The Earth looks very beautiful from air. On the way out we couldn't really see Pauma Valley Airport, as it was just behind a line of mountains and we got a little off to the right side of the intended path. It was beautiful flying over the other airports.

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More questions during Michigan trip!

I came across the following questions when I was on a campus recruiting trip to Michigan. Any inputs on this would be appreciated.

1. Where did the fraternity houses come up?
2. Why do the fraternity houses have some random three Greek letters as their names?
3. How do the fraternity houses pick their names?
4. Why do fossils form?
5. How do fossils form?
6. How do people find the age of a fossil?

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Creativity at its best!!

Friends, I always thought the best creativity comes when multiple disciplines merge to create a totally new way of looking at things. I was never mesmerized creativity as I was mesmerized by the following video. I wonder how long it must have taken for them to come up with this and to orchestrate the whole thing. Kudos to who ever did this. Come back for more of such interesting videos and articles.


If you want to check out the video on youtube, click on the following link :
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DuUERMeLsNw

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Travel checklist!

I was going on a trip to a cold place and was wondering what I need to take along. Here is the checklist I made.
Personal stuff:

1. Tooth brush.
2. tooth paste.
3. tongue cleaner.
4. mouthwash
5. shaving set
6. Body wash /soap.
7. shampoo and conditioner.
8. Towel
9. moisturizer
10. comb
11. chap stick
12. underwear
13. clothes
14. Socks
15. belt
16. jacket
17. warm clothing

Documents and business related stuff:

1. Ticket confirmation
2. Travel documents (Visa., passport)
3. Hotel confirmation
4. car reservation confirmation
5. maps to get to destination.
6. extra cash.
7. cell phone / charger
8. Laptop / charger
9. Ipod /charger
10. Any medicine
11. Music CDs
12. Bluetooth. + charger

wow! just realized that on travel we have to carry so many different chargers. why can't someone come up with a single charger or standardize the charger? may be I should patent the idea.

If you guys have anything to add to the list, please add in the comment.