Readback: July 2021

IFR Staff

Tuesday, June 22, 2021 at 03:46 PM ET

Verified

** Courtesy of NTSB**

Key Takeaways:

A reader corrected a previous quiz, clarifying that light is an electromagnetic wave, differing from radio waves and x-rays only in frequency.
A Mac user expressed frustration over the lack of Garmin avionics trainer software for macOS, particularly for older systems, with the magazine offering explanations for Garmin's stance and suggesting Windows-based workarounds.
A pilot criticized the FAA's new chart publication schedule, arguing it negatively impacts aviation safety, increases waste, and disadvantages pilots who rely on paper charts, advocating for a return to the old six-month cycle or print-on-demand.

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Only the Frequency Differs

Answer 5 to the Quiz in February 2021 explains that “[f]iber-optic communication is light and not electromagnetic.” James Clerk Maxwell would disagree. Radio waves, light, and x-rays are all the same thing, just at different frequencies. (I don’t dispute that the light signal in the fiber-optical cable is unaffected by space weather.) My apologies for what may seem like nitpicking to some. I love the magazine and the Quiz.

Wayne Rigby
Clifton Park, NY