Maths and pilot training.

[Inspirondreams]

So here goes,

I'm 32 years old and I've saved up like 200k us dollars.

I had a flight trial like a year ago and really enjoyed it.

I've done a bit of of research on the net and read into ppl and cpl as progression routes, I don't want a career as a pilot, only simply to further develope myself give me something to work for.

My only concern and something I've always been shy about is my maths skills. I've never particularly studied maths as a teenager and returned to school as a mature person on my own will.

I'd really like to train and develope but I'm concerned that I won't be able to pass any maths related material. Could anybody tell me what exactly is involved in ppl / cpl in terms of maths.

[KayPam]

Nothing too terrible.
You can use, on the test day, something called a computer which will be helpful in avoiding some maths.

The worst you WILL have to be able to do is a series of conversion to answer a question like :
You're at an airport at 1500ft AGL, you need to be at 3500ft or higher 5 nautical miles after takeoff. Your ground speed is 120kt, headwind is 20kt. What is the minimum rate of climb to meet this altitude constraint ?

There is more complicated stuff, but the stuff i'm thinking about is not likely to be the subject of many questions (polar stereographic chart which is a ****ty formula like 1/cos(λ/2)^2 or something like that), or can be resolved graphically using the computer (wind and CAS/TAS computations)

[Inspirondreams]

Hi kaypam,

Thanks for the reply, that really helped to get a glimpse.

[neboskreb]

In flight, no real math is used; instead, a bunch of thumb-rules is used. In in-flight related questions, you will not be tested for math but for these simplified rules. You'll be taught the rules at some point in your training.

There is indeed some math in questions regarding pre-flight preparation, but it is mostly limited to addition/subtraction, and using a calculator is allowed.

Conversion of time and fuel is best helped with a Flight Computer (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/E6B). It is allowed on the test; in fact it is a MUST USE thing as it calculates quicker than an electronic calculator.

Regarding the memory for numbers, the longest ATC clearance you're legally required to accept is 3 elements (e.g., altitude + speed + heading instruction) - I don't believe anyone would have problem remembering three numbers.

[Piltdown Man]

I disagree. Arithmetic (not Maths) is regularly used flying. In the early stages it will be used for flight planning and navigation. In the later stages for fuel calculations, loadsheet preparation, inflight diversions etc. Certainly in the early stages of PPL and CPL it was good enough so that the Nav. computer (circular slide rule etc.) didn't actually have to be used. But you really should have a grasp. But we are talking about simple multiplication, division, addition, subtraction and simple formula rearranging. Nothing that a 12-13 shouldn't be able to deal therefore nothing that you can't teach yourself or whip off the internet.

[eckhard]

For the PPL:
You should know multiplication tables by heart;
You should be able to add, subtract and do simple divisions in your head; and
You should have an understanding of ratios and proportions.

For the CPL, replace 'should' with 'must' and add:
A basic grasp of square root, sin and cos functions.

As Piltdown Man said: Arithmetic is regularly used in flying.
You don't have to be any kind of expert in maths, but you will have a few problems if you are not comfortable dealing with numbers.
I did instruct someone up to PPL level who was dyslexic and I didn't find out until the navigation cross-country stage. He did finish the course but struggled a lot with some of the written exams.

Good luck!

[paco]

What he said, plus shuffling of formulae around....

[noflynomore]

No maths involved buddy, it's simple arithmetic with the tiniest appreciation of some basic trig functions.
Having said that an abilty to do mental arithmetic is vital but is not a difficult skill to master. As TA said if you know your 3 and 6 times tables and can multiply/divide round numbers in your head its a cinch.