dyslexia? big problem?

[Blinkz]

hiya.

i'm hoping to start on the long road to becoming a pilot in the not too distant future. I have to pass a lantern test.

One concern I have is about maths. I'm slightly numerically dyslexia and so can have some trouble doing maths in my head. is this going to cause a big problem? i'm fine with thoery etc (i've done a number of maths courses as part of my computer science degree)

Are they any ways I can try and improve my mental arthmetic etc?

[SunderlandMatt]

It's probably best not to tell people before you start your training. If it is a problem then it will become obvious to the QFIs. Very few young people these days have any need to opportunity to use or develop their skills.

If it does show though whilst sat in the hot seat (and that's when these thing do tend to flair up) then you will find Nav difficult and possibly some approaches and fuel too. The actual flying shouldn't be too tough however.

Preparation is the only way to get around things like this, the more you do on the ground means the less you have to think about under pressure.

The aptitude test should flag something along these lines however.

I have heard that a number of people with dyslexia have very good spatial awareness however. So that could help with test scores.

Good luck with it though. Practise makes perfect.

[FLYING COUNSEL]

Being good at theory isn't going to help much, if you've miscalculated fuel requirements,etc. I don't mean to be too negative and I wish you every success, but perhaps an airline career is not for you (I may be wrong, indeed I hope I am), but there is still many rewarding flying careers, like instructing that would not perhaps not be as numerically challenging.
Anyway best of luck with your career.

[Blinkz]

what are the kind of calculations that need to be done in your head? its not that i can't do them, its just i'm not particulary good at doing. I haven't done any mental artimetic for about 6 years now tho so I'm kinda out of practice.

[Onan the Clumsy]

what are the kind of calculations that need to be done in your head?

I'm at 5500' and I'm thinking about landing. The airport's at about 500', so Traffic Pattern Altitude will be 1500' (500 + 1000)

That means I have to lose 4000' (5500 - 1500)

If I want to do this at 500fpm, then means it'll take me 8 minutes (4000 / 500)

If I'm travelling at 180 knots, that means I'll travel 24 miles (8 * (180 / 60))

And I want to get there say five miles out, so I need to start the letdown at 29 (24 + 5) miles out.

In fairness, this only LOOKS complicated. You'll be doing the same calculation again and again and it'll become (5500 - 1500) * 6 plus a little bit, and when you think about it, you only need to be as accurate as you can fly.

And then there's fuel burn too, and weight and balance.

Good luck

Actually the calculation will really become "Oh look there's that house. Already? I'd beter start descending"

[Blinkz]

cheers onan, that stuff is just common sense and yea i got no prob with doing that. what kinda thing do u have to do for fuel etc?

[Onan the Clumsy]

More common sense really.

I'm leaving xxx and the ops spec requires that I arrive in yyy with an hour's reserve.

Each engine sucks 30 galons per hour, but returns 10 gph to the main tanks (fuel injection), so we'll burn 20 (30 - 10) gph a side. If the journey takes an hour and a half, how much will I need?

The answer of course is: ((1.5 + 1) * 20) = 50 gallons a side. Which is coincidentally the capacity of the main (tip) tanks.

I can therefore ask the fbo to top off the tips and I'll be alright - and better still, I can show planning that followed the letter of the ops spec.

Simple stuff really and again if you do it all the time, you don't need the calculation, just "top of the tips" will do.



And for extra points...what kind of airplane is this?


Hope I don't seem too