Maths and Physics knowledge req'd for ATPL and airline flying?
Join Date: Nov 2004
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you must I repeat must be good at manipulating formulae.
for example
if Pt=Pd+Ps what does Pd equal?
answer Pd=Pt-Ps
for a multiplication example
if t=d/s
what is distance equal to?
Ans d=s x t
In my atpl (residential) class, there are students of differing academic qualities, from graduates to no formal qualifications. The students weak in mathematics struggled with manipulating formulae and geometrey (working out angles without actually measuring them) however most have managed to plunder on and pass the exams.
for example
if Pt=Pd+Ps what does Pd equal?
answer Pd=Pt-Ps
for a multiplication example
if t=d/s
what is distance equal to?
Ans d=s x t
In my atpl (residential) class, there are students of differing academic qualities, from graduates to no formal qualifications. The students weak in mathematics struggled with manipulating formulae and geometrey (working out angles without actually measuring them) however most have managed to plunder on and pass the exams.
The Cooler King
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Being an out and out moron when it comes to maths and physics, I needed a miracle to get up to ATPL standard.
The OAT Media CDROMs "Essential Maths" and "Essential Physics" are fantastic at just £20 each.
Very clear graphics are used to explain the concepts and the narration is excellent - the guy who does the voiceovers really seems interested in what he's explaining.
However - if anyone from OAT Media gets to read this.........with regards to the Aviation Meteorology CDROM.....you have a female narrator who explains some of the met stuff in a tone of voice that sounds like she would rather be doing something else, anything else in fact, rather than explain meteorology.
You also use the same guy from the Maths and Physics CDROMs on there too - he should be used for everything. He has a great delivery style that says "There. See? Simple."
The girl on the disc could almost be heard to sigh at some points!
The OAT Media CDROMs "Essential Maths" and "Essential Physics" are fantastic at just £20 each.
Very clear graphics are used to explain the concepts and the narration is excellent - the guy who does the voiceovers really seems interested in what he's explaining.
However - if anyone from OAT Media gets to read this.........with regards to the Aviation Meteorology CDROM.....you have a female narrator who explains some of the met stuff in a tone of voice that sounds like she would rather be doing something else, anything else in fact, rather than explain meteorology.
You also use the same guy from the Maths and Physics CDROMs on there too - he should be used for everything. He has a great delivery style that says "There. See? Simple."
The girl on the disc could almost be heard to sigh at some points!
, but still I went through the exams with a first time pass.Join Date: Nov 2003
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I have a good understanding in basic maths and physics but I feel I suffer in manipulating formulas...My naughty parents took me on holiday the week my maths teacher decided to teach the class this!! grr...
does anyone know a good site that offers a straight forward explanation?
does anyone know a good site that offers a straight forward explanation?
Join Date: Jan 2006
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iniitial assessment procedures
hi,
does anyone with any experience of the intial assessment procedures at schools like cabair know the rough pass rate for the intial maths and physics exams. it has been years since i studying the stuff and suddenly i have an assessment coming up. It seems like 2 very broad areas to brush up on in such a short time. Also how important are the results to the final decision on whether you are in or not? (bearing in mind the PILAPT profile as well). thanks for you help
does anyone with any experience of the intial assessment procedures at schools like cabair know the rough pass rate for the intial maths and physics exams. it has been years since i studying the stuff and suddenly i have an assessment coming up. It seems like 2 very broad areas to brush up on in such a short time. Also how important are the results to the final decision on whether you are in or not? (bearing in mind the PILAPT profile as well). thanks for you help
Join Date: Jun 2002
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Before I started my ATPL's I spent a week whilst on night shift going through my Maths and Physics revision from GCSE Bitesize available on the BBC website.
Fantastic for getting back up to speed.
Fantastic for getting back up to speed.
maths
Join Date: Sep 2005
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being used to formulas and trigonometry helps but ATPL is pretty basic math and physics, the mathematical tools needed can be obtained and learned pretty quickly just by using google
it's pretty basic in math and physics, the thing about ATPL-theory is that theres alot to remember
it's pretty basic in math and physics, the thing about ATPL-theory is that theres alot to remember
Join Date: May 2006
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Mathematics
I really need helps here. I wanted so much to operate a plane, and I wanted to join the school of flying. But my mathematics isbad. That makes me a bit nervous to join. You see, every dollars counts, regardless of my achievement.
My questoin, does mathemATICS plays essentially in the course?
My questoin, does mathemATICS plays essentially in the course?
Join Date: May 2006
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Mathematics dilemma
I am in a big dilemma here 
. please help.
I really need helps here. I wanted so much to operate a plane, and I wanted to join the school of flying. But my mathematics isbad. That makes me a bit nervous to join. You see, every dollars counts, regardless of my achievement.
My questoin, does
mathemATICS
plays essentially in the course?
. please help.I really need helps here. I wanted so much to operate a plane, and I wanted to join the school of flying. But my mathematics isbad. That makes me a bit nervous to join. You see, every dollars counts, regardless of my achievement.
My questoin, does
mathemATICS plays essentially in the course?
Join Date: Apr 2002
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flymax is right, but i dont think it would restrict anyones ability to fly.
if you consider yourself hopeless, then maybe you should enrol yourself for few mathematics and physics courses at uni, just to help yourself out during training. afterall, you dont need to hold a bachelors or masters in either discipline to be a pilot. Basic understanding should suffice.
i have an uncle who failed his year 12 mathematics. he retook it next year and now is a captain of A310-300.
all comes down to your basic understanding and how wisely you can utilize it during your career as a pilot.
richie
if you consider yourself hopeless, then maybe you should enrol yourself for few mathematics and physics courses at uni, just to help yourself out during training. afterall, you dont need to hold a bachelors or masters in either discipline to be a pilot. Basic understanding should suffice.
i have an uncle who failed his year 12 mathematics. he retook it next year and now is a captain of A310-300.
all comes down to your basic understanding and how wisely you can utilize it during your career as a pilot.
richie
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It really depends on how far you wish to progress through the licences and ratings. For a straight-forward PPL there is not really that much mathematics. You will of course need to know how to add, subract, divide and multiply-all of which can be done on a calculator-and know a few basics like: speed=distance / time etc.. But you are not supposed to depend on an electronic calculator (which is why you buy two 
), so as part of your PPL training you are taught how to use a Flight computer (basically a slide rule) and this makes it a lot easier.
For CPL's, IR's and anything more advanced, I believe that a better understanding of mathematics is required. Good luck.
), so as part of your PPL training you are taught how to use a Flight computer (basically a slide rule) and this makes it a lot easier.For CPL's, IR's and anything more advanced, I believe that a better understanding of mathematics is required. Good luck.
Está servira para distraerle.
If your mathematics and physics are bad, then you have a not insurmountable uphill battle.
On the mathematics side of things, mental maths agility will stand you in better stead than a deep understading of Einstein. There are many shortcuts which you can use which will enable you to perform perfectly reasonably as a pilot.
The physics is perhaps a little harder. However, most of what happens in the air can be duplicated by you in the bath tub with a toy boat. Air and water perform very much the same dynamic or static functions around an aerofoil as a hull.
I wouldn't worry too much about it all. The writing of a CV, however is very important. May I respectfully suggest that an unhurried, unworried approach to such matters combined with the use of a spell/grammer checker will impress those whom you wish to employ you to a far greater extent than degrees in, what to many, are obscure sciences.
Good luck.
Just how bad are you at maths?
You will need to be able to add, subtract, divide and multiply. You will likely be able to use a circular slide rule to do this (easy enough once you know how.) You should also be able to manipulate very simple formulas.
Example:
A x B = C
Now if you already know C and A but don't know B, how do you work out B?
C divided by A = B
A common use of the above is with distance and time equations, where speed x time = distance travelled.
Also, once you start flying a jet or high performance turbo prop you will need to be able to multiply by 3 in your head (to work ou a descent profile.) That's about as difficult as it gets in the real world of flying. It may be a little more tricky for the exams, but none of it involves particularly tough concepts.
Don't sweat it, it's not hard, though it can be a distraction trying to work things out while you are flying, luckily modern equipment does a lot of the work for you. But it's still good to do it roughly in your head just to check your equipment is giving good answers!
You will need to be able to add, subtract, divide and multiply. You will likely be able to use a circular slide rule to do this (easy enough once you know how.) You should also be able to manipulate very simple formulas.
Example:
A x B = C
Now if you already know C and A but don't know B, how do you work out B?
C divided by A = B
A common use of the above is with distance and time equations, where speed x time = distance travelled.
Also, once you start flying a jet or high performance turbo prop you will need to be able to multiply by 3 in your head (to work ou a descent profile.) That's about as difficult as it gets in the real world of flying. It may be a little more tricky for the exams, but none of it involves particularly tough concepts.
Don't sweat it, it's not hard, though it can be a distraction trying to work things out while you are flying, luckily modern equipment does a lot of the work for you. But it's still good to do it roughly in your head just to check your equipment is giving good answers!
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Maths
It is important to understand and be able to do maths for your gnd training, but for the flying planning - you need to know the 3 & 2 times table. And that is only to work out your descend. The rest of your flight, you must go out and have the most fun you can !!
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I would say that you need to be fairly fast in basic calculation. F.ex. during training you will need to calculate required rate of descent on an approach. Lets say you have a groundspeed of 120 kts, which is the same as 2 NM pr minute. When you are 10 NM from the runway you start your descent from 3000 ft, to cross distance 5 not lower than 1500 ft (minimum altitude at this point) . Your rate of descent will be: 5 NM divided by 2 NM pr min = 2,5. 3000 ft - 1500 ft = 1500 ft. 1500 ft divided by 2,5 is 600. So you need to descend from distance 10 with a rate of 600 ft per minute to pass 5 at 1500 ft. I know this was very specific, but this is the kind of stuff you will have to be able to do. On larger aircrafts I would say numerical reasoning, crosschecking the information provided on the displays, will be more important...and of course the 3 times table he he, already mentioned.