Brains involved in pilot training

[Commander1]

Hi, I know this sounds like a stupid question but I really want to pursue a career in flying, im currently an aircraft dispatcher. Is there alot of in depth maths and physics involved? Im ok with basic maths and using a calculator etc but im not that smart, even at school I was the lowest at maths.

dont get me wrong i can learn and pick up things. I find weight and balance no problem in my job but im wondering if i had what it takes to fly. I spoke to some airline pilots and they said its fairly easy maths.

Cheers.

[AlphaMale]

Apparently it's like GCSE level Maths and Physics.

I did read a big FTO's website saying that the BBC bitesize website was good revision for the Maths and Physics?!? I have also read that doing your ATPL exams is no harder than studying for your A' levels.

I've got myself an ATPL book and I look through it now and again just to make it easier to understand in the long run.

[maxdrypower]

Mate , its fairly easy maths if your good at maths , same as everything if your good at it its easy . I am ****e at maths and never even got o level , therefore I was struggling like hell , there is a lot of maths involved but nothing that cant be learnt if you need to. I got myself a tutor and was taught was was necessary . Now it doesnt seem to bad but anyone who tels you there isnt a lot of maths involved is telling porky pies . But again if you have a good standard to start with then it will be easy , if not you need to get up to speed

[slip and turn]

To pass ATPL theory, I'd say the maths is no worse than needed for a good grade at GCSE. There's no calculus and very little mechanics, just rote stuff really. To be a smart pilot who can instantly recalculate for anomalies, you still don't need calculus, but you need better than GCSE maths, and IMHO you owe your passengers more than you can swallow by rote and regurgitate simply as abc or d

[Commander1]

Hmm its not as bad as I thought. I had a private tutor that got me up to Standard grade level A but unfortunately i've forgot alot of it as i dont use it in my working life, multiplying etc is no bother to me.

Im currently saving for my airline pilot license. I wonder if its worth my while applying for sponsorship, when they see my grades from highschool for maths they will cringe.

Cheers.

Sarah.

[skyhighbird]

I've just been studying the maths questions in my psycometric test books. So long division, percentages, ratios, basic trigonometry. This is inline with the practice questions you get on on flight school websites.

So I imagine the maths you learn on the ATPL course will be along those lines and if you find it tough, help will be on hand.

But the main thing is to learn the maths subjects I mentioned above for your selection tests.

xx

[CAT3C AUTOLAND]

Dispatcher!?

If you can do a manual load sheet in my eyes you are a god . It is no more difficult than that.

Good luck with your training.

[flan]

At work I mainly use two, three, five and ten times tables and these I mainly use during the descent, distance verses altitude and keeping an eye on the V-NAV descent.

For other checks like fuel I use a calculator, performance I use the calculator, manual load sheets I check with my calculator

I think you will be fine dont worry the more you use basic maths the quicker you will become. It's only at selection where you might be faced with doing slightly more complicated maths, without the use of a calculator.

For tips on division, percentages and ratio's there are plenty of books available to get you upto speed.

As CAT3C AUTOLAND stated if you can do the manual load sheet at work then you should have no problems.

Lots of luck with your training

flan.

[The Otter's Pocket]

I was the second worse in my whole skool at mafs. Only beaten by the skool cat and it was stuffed.

I had no problems with the ATPL ground school or exams. I spent a great deal of time practicing questions and trying to understand what the questions were trying to ask, then unbelievably I could answer very complex questions in stages that started to make sense.

I think that being quick witted and an ability to learn is the key, backed up by an ability to mentally break down a question so that you get a ball park answer, before going deep into the question.

Give it a go. The ATPL questions are glorified PPL questions.
Don't stress.

[Commander1]

Hey thanks for the info people i really appreciate it!

Its kinda built my confidence in myself now knowing that its not as bad as i thought it would be, hey maybe i can do afterall.

Cheers all!

P.S where would you guys rather fly in the UK or the USA i know theres the JAA and FAA licenses my boyfriend is American so i'll probably end up being a dual citizen in the near future.

[The Otter's Pocket]

If you want to work in the UK, fly in the UK.

[Boing7117]

I've done the ATPL groundschool, and I'll echo the thoughts of some of the other posts,

* The mathematics element of the course is GCSE at best - There were some sin/cosine stuff we covered, but that was done in one lesson - and those that didn't grasp it first time soon picked up once they'd gone home and thought about it some more.

* If you can do M&B - you'll be fine. It doesn't get much more complicated than that!

Best of luck!

[hpcock]

Don't stress on this one.....

If you can do a manual load sheet in my eyes you are a god . It is no more difficult than that.

& that about sums it up. Just be able to add, subtract, multiply & divide. I

It doesn't get any harder than that in the flightdeck, & I'm saying this having worked as an ATPL ground instructor who used to teach aviation mathematics to students.

All the best
HPC

[Commander1]

Hey all, thanks for the advice!

Im going to save for 5 years and with financial help from my parents I will have enough to get a JAA license though Im not sure whether to get an FAA or JAA license, I would like to live in the USA but im not sure if the quality of life would be better than here pay wise and just in general?

Is it easier to get into the airline industry with a JAA license? Could i live and work in Spain as an airline pilot without being fluent in Spanish?

Sorry if i sound ignorant but im not so up-to-date with the FAA and JAA regulations etc

It would be no problem for me to move to the states as my partner is American but i dont want to get a FAA license then regret it.