Q14 - In older commercial airplanes

[noah]

14. (E)
Question type: Inference
This argument compares how two different models of plane affect how a flight crew cross-checks changes in flight controls. In newer planes, because the control panel makes visual checks more difficult, the flight crew must more frequently conduct verbal cross-checks than similar crews in older planes. (E) can be proved by the given statements, since the argument establishes that flight crews of newer planes must do more verbal cross-checks because of changes in how easily those crews can complete other types of checks.

(A) is out of scope. The argument does not discuss the speed at which crews complete flight changes.
(B) is too extreme in suggesting that verbal cross-checks are the most valuable. Perhaps other types of cross-checks would be more valuable, but are less easy to conduct.
(C) is unsupported. The argument states the crews in new planes must do more frequent verbal cross-checks, indicating that the crews of older planes may do some.
(D) is too extreme. The argument states that the changes made to flight controls are harder to view, not impossible.

#officialexplanation

[zooeysfranny]

I still don't quite understand how the argument depends on "other means of cross checks" could you please explain? I understand why the others are wrong but not really why D is right.

[timmydoeslsat]

I still don't quite understand how the argument depends on "other means of cross checks" could you please explain? I understand why the others are wrong but not really why D is right.

The correct answer is E for this question. It may have a been a typo on your part.

This is a most strongly supported question. So, we want to hunt for an answer choice that we can prove (or close) from the text.

The stimulus informs us that older planes had a control panel design that allowed for any changes made by one crew member to be seen immediately by another.

These newer planes make it more difficult to observe these changes in the control panel. I will quote, "Thereby, eliminating a routine means for performing valuable cross-checks."

A consequence of this is that the crew members must verbally inform each other more frequently of changes made.

So, let us think about what this is telling us. On the newer planes, a form of cross-checking involves verbal interaction more so than it did in the older planes. The reason is the control panel design.

Lets look through the answer choices. It is common on these question stems that the answer choices will go too far.

A) We were not given information about length of time in changing of flight controls.

B) Most valuable? Too far. Also the word frequent goes too far. We were informed that the newer flights did an action more frequently, which does not imply frequent.

C) No need? Too far. We know that on older planes, a routine cross-check could be done by looking at the control panel. That doesn't prevent the crew from talking in other ways.

D) Cannot observe? Too far. We know that it is harder to observe on the newer planes, but to say it cannot be is too far.

E) This is provable. How often the crew shares information verbally depends in part on what other means for performing cross-checks are available to the crew members.

First, I like how this answer choice says "depends in part." It does not say large part.

Second, lets look at it in this way.

Older Planes:
Changes can be observed immediately on Control Panel

Newer Planes:
More difficult to observe changes on Control Panel, have to do so verbally more frequently than before.
---This eliminated a routine way of performing cross-checks

So, we know that number of times the crew share information verbally is subject to change. In this case, the newer planes involved MORE of this verbal sharing since one way of doing the cross-checks (viewing on the control panel) was eliminated.

[michellemyxu]

I can see why E is correct now, but I'm still trying to figure C out. I chose C because the stimulus says "the design of the control panel allows any changes in flight controls ... to be immediately viewed by the other crew members." C is saying that crew members in older airplanes "have no need to...", it's not saying that the being able to view the changes would prevent them from informing the changes verbally. Why is it wrong? Help needed o.0

[ohthatpatrick]

On Inference questions, you're looking for the answer that is "MOST provable" based on the available information.

Because we want the most provable answer, we have a bias in favor of weaker claims and against strong claims.

It's easier to prove "I'm NOT the world's best dancer" than to prove "I AM the world's best dancer".

(C) is making a very strong claim:
On older planes there was ZERO need EVER to exchange information verbally about flight control changes.

Even though we know the co-pilot on older planes can see a flight control change, there could still be circumstances in which verbal information is exchanged.
- maybe the co-pilot is looking the other way so the pilot lets him know that she changed something

- maybe the pilot changes something and knows the co-pilot can observe the change but she still wants to discuss it with him

Contrast how strong a claim (C) makes: "Members have NO need for verbal exchanges"
with how weak a claim (E) makes: "Sharing verbal information depends IN PART on how easily the co-pilot can observe changes"