Connection between aviation and geography?

[ATLcenter]

I'm going out on a limb here...

One of the things I have managed to hypothesize throughout the years is taht people who's hobbies include aviation have better geography skills than people with other hobbies (such as bands, eating, dancing, etc) That's not to say that if one of your hobbies are aviation, you don't have any other hobbies, but in general... most of us are aware that say, some airline such as Thai is from Thailand.... and it has a hub in Bangkok. There, we already have the country and capital. Also, airport codes themselves can boost one's geography (in my views). Trying to find distances between JFK and LGA can indeed teach you a thing or two about NY's geography.

I could be wrong, but that is just a hypothesis. And that's not to say that if you are not into aviation, you don't know what the capital of the US is... or the other way around.

[Airigami]

At this stage, I've almost polished off an entire bottle of wine, so if I don't make sense, you'll know why...

I think this is a really good hypothesis. My sense of geography has definitely improved the more I have learned about aviation. Obviously, I don't think good geography skills and a love for aviation are inseperable, but nonetheless, I think that they do compliment one another quite well.

OK, now back to Thanksgiving dinner...

Gobble. Gobble.

[CheckSix]

I think that could be quite true. I love geography... People think I'm weird.




Happy Thanksgiving

[Katamarino]

There's a big difference between knowing where places are and their capitals, and actual Geography!

[ATLcenter]

Originally Posted by Katamarino

There's a big difference between knowing where places are and their capitals, and actual Geography!

True enough, Jess... before I took a geo course in school I thought it was all capitals, etc. But I know its not. HOwever, it is difficult to talk about demographics or physical features about a place you don't know even exists. Capitals, etc are just a small wing of political geography, which is the branch that aviation teaches you (once again, my opinion). Perhaps actually flying and looking through the window teaches you a bit of physical geography about the place you are flying over.

[ptbodale]

Goergraphy major here. Urban and Rural Planning were my majors. And now I work for an airline.

[Braniffnut]

Well I have travelled and worked in some 70+ countries on all 6 continents (still hoping to make Antartica before it melts). I have been reading the National Geographic since I was 9 and I was practically born on a DAL bound Braniff Electra (ok, ok some 35 minutes after landing) as well as being born into a Braniff family so I suppose my interest in aviation was almost a rite of passage. I would say that anyone who has a serious interest in aviation most likey is probably somewhat geographically savvy.

Sadly in many US public school systems, geography courses are no longer offered much to the dismay of the National Geographic and other organizations. So, it is not suprising that even today many American's have difficulty locating their home state on a map that features no state names, capitals, ect.

Thomas

[Freightdogg]

I don't think that many pilots or others involved in aviation are really superior in Geography in it's pure sense. For example most pilots would not be able to tell you what part of China produces the most grain, or where the greatest concentration of Diamonds are mined in Russia, or the population of Mexico City. But I have noticed that most pilots do have a very refined sense of place location. For example, I have had a few in-flight emergencies that required landing at the nearest airport. Even without GPS or LORAN I was able to make a turn directly to the nearest airport without consulting a chart first. Pilots also tend to be very good at navigating roads in a strange city and arriving where they intended to go without asking for directions or getting lost along the way. So while most pilots don't really know geography as a science, they do seem to never get lost easily.

[ATLcenter]

Originally Posted by Freightdogg

I don't think that many pilots or others involved in aviation are really superior in Geography in it's pure sense. For example most pilots would not be able to tell you what part of China produces the most grain, or where the greatest concentration of Diamonds are mined in Russia, or the population of Mexico City. But I have noticed that most pilots do have a very refined sense of place location. For example, I have had a few in-flight emergencies that required landing at the nearest airport. Even without GPS or LORAN I was able to make a turn directly to the nearest airport without consulting a chart first. Pilots also tend to be very good at navigating roads in a strange city and arriving where they intended to go without asking for directions or getting lost along the way. So while most pilots don't really know geography as a science, they do seem to never get lost easily.

True enough, but knowing where someplace is is usaully the first step in learning about it. Fly into CPT, and you are bound to find some diamonds. Just simply stare at the soil as you fly and you can see glaicers in Greenland, the lihgts of New York City, The one line of Cheasepeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel.... I know that agricultural geo is a part of geography, I guess that's the exception to the rule. But my point is, get into aviation and you will be atleast get a bit of an upperhand...

And that brings one into the connections of travel and geogrpahy, but that is at best undebatable...

ATLcenter