Have a question regarding PPL>>>>>
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Devon UK
Posts: 7
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Have a question regarding PPL>>>>>
Have wanted to get my PPL for some years, but have let my fear in one area stop me. This is embarassing for a 41 year old, but I suppose I must confess.
My name is Tony and my maths stinks
Now I really do want to start lessons in the spring, but am very worried about the degree to which my maths may be stretched (strangely I work in IT). I am willing to go to night school to brush it up, well actually re-learn it. But am unsure of the key areas for me to learn, please could someone advise me.
Many thanks in advance from the dunce in the corner.
Devontony
My name is Tony and my maths stinks
Now I really do want to start lessons in the spring, but am very worried about the degree to which my maths may be stretched (strangely I work in IT). I am willing to go to night school to brush it up, well actually re-learn it. But am unsure of the key areas for me to learn, please could someone advise me.
Many thanks in advance from the dunce in the corner.
Devontony
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: Cambridge, England, EU
Posts: 3,443
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like
on
1 Post
Well, you need to be able to do primary school arithmetic, there are lots of tedious conversions between litres, US gallons, pounds etc, but beyond that:
(1) You need a basic understanding of what a vector is, how to add vectors, how to resolve vectors into components in various directions. This is used in understanding the forces on an aircraft in flight, and in planning navigation taking the wind into account.
(2) A very basic understanding of trigonometry is also useful, mostly in relation to the above. When ATC tells you the wind speed and direction as you approach to land, for example, you need to be able to work out, in your head, how much of that is the crosswind component and whether or not you are going to attempt to land with that much crosswind. *But*, nobody *actually* does this by memorising sine and cosine tables, they actually do it by memorising some very simple approximate rule of thumb, and this is entirely possible to do without actually understanding the trigonometry at all.
Altogether you're looking at enough maths to have occupied three or four lessons early on in the O-level course.
(1) You need a basic understanding of what a vector is, how to add vectors, how to resolve vectors into components in various directions. This is used in understanding the forces on an aircraft in flight, and in planning navigation taking the wind into account.
(2) A very basic understanding of trigonometry is also useful, mostly in relation to the above. When ATC tells you the wind speed and direction as you approach to land, for example, you need to be able to work out, in your head, how much of that is the crosswind component and whether or not you are going to attempt to land with that much crosswind. *But*, nobody *actually* does this by memorising sine and cosine tables, they actually do it by memorising some very simple approximate rule of thumb, and this is entirely possible to do without actually understanding the trigonometry at all.
Altogether you're looking at enough maths to have occupied three or four lessons early on in the O-level course.
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Devon UK
Posts: 7
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Thanks very much.....
Much simpler than I thought, perhaps I was too busy expecting complex equations!
Well I had better get cracking on some revision.
Thanks again
Devontony
Well I had better get cracking on some revision.
Thanks again
Devontony
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: Who cares? ;-)
Age: 74
Posts: 676
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
don't worry about Math, Tony.... I'm lousy, too, and managed to get as far as a CPL (commercial licence) 
I still use my fingers sometimes heehee (oooops.. maybe I shouldn't out myself heehee)
Lots of math problems you can get done using a simple calculator. And for other things, like liters/gallons, there are simple forumlas you can either learn by heart or put on a "cheat sheet"
Don't let poor math keep you from trying!! good luck!
Westy
I still use my fingers sometimes heehee (oooops.. maybe I shouldn't out myself heehee)Lots of math problems you can get done using a simple calculator. And for other things, like liters/gallons, there are simple forumlas you can either learn by heart or put on a "cheat sheet"
Don't let poor math keep you from trying!! good luck!
Westy
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: UK.
Posts: 262
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Don't worry about it Tony, the most I ever had to count was how many boxes of cornflakes I had in the cupboard, but I wanted that PPl so I studied and got it. If I can do it as a bored housewife, you can do it no problem. Go for it. Good luck.
