Hi John;
Ok,
I didn’t realize you were referring to matching your US odometer to
distances up here. Not a problem up here as every vehicle sold in Canada since
1977 has the odometer in Km. And from wheat to steam and everything in between,
it drove everybody from farmers to engineers nuts at first. I was 10 when it
was switched and wasn’t impressed at the time as I was having enough
trouble learning the 3 “R”s, but it turns out to have benefitted me
as I can easily use both systems without the need for mental conversion (except
temp, never did care for the Fahrenheit thing), but my Dad who all along has
embraced the metric system still mentally converts (even though he is loathe to
admit it), while my much younger brother has never really known anything but
metric. I can tell you that many things are much simpler to calculate using
metric. Steam tables are one of the nastiest examples I can think off. Not
something many people ever have to deal with, but a good example of how much
simpler and strait forward that metric can make something.
While
I still have memories of dreading the changeover, in hindsight it was really
all that painful and it will benefit future generations. Dave, correct me if I’m
wrong but I believe the US military has changed over or are in the process of
it now? So while you naturally want to resist it, if not your kids, then your
grandkids will benefit from a change while they’re young enough to adapt
easily.
I’m tempted to answer some of the other e-mails
regarding economic benefits etc. but I really can’t see what continuing
this discussion has to do with rotary engines in airplanes, so I’ve
decided to leave it at this.
Now
if wasn’t currently -29C here (that’s -20F for you SAE types) or if
I’d gotten my shop heated before winter, then maybe I’d actually be
working on my plane and have something more relevant to talk about!
Todd (resistance is futile…
you will be assimilated J)
From: Rotary motors in
aircraft [mailto:flyrotary@lancaironline.net] On Behalf Of John Downing
Sent: Monday, November 27, 2006 6:20 AM
To: Rotary motors in aircraft
Subject: [FlyRotary] Re: Metric
Todd;
When you leave Michigan and travel east towards Niagara Falls, you pass
through the rural farm land all laid out in mile square sections. The
signs are in km and the odometer is in miles and all the distances need
conversion. I didn't think it was broke, but they changed it. When
you look at the bushels of wheat per acre, it really gets more
involved, hectoliters per hectare??, that change must have driven allot of
ole farmers nuts. Just my casual observation from the farm.
JohnD
-----
Original Message -----
Sent: Monday, November 27,
2006 12:25 AM
Subject: [FlyRotary] Re:
Metric
I
have seen this in Canada and none of the distances match anything you
see.
I don’t get this? Care to elaborate?
Todd (matching distances everywhere I
look)