Mathemtics.

[fenton77]

Mathematics.

Hello everybody.

This is my first post on this forum, just after some advice regards to
the daily mathematics required for airline pilot. I have a copy of
mathematics and physics for aviation professionals by Charles E. Dole.
I find this very useful, but just wondering in the day-to-day routine
what is the majority of your mathematics. As this is a subject that
isn't my strongest point. I am flying out to America from Australia to
commence my professional training. I have zero hours looking at
getting a FAA license, to work hopefully in Asia, Africa,or South
America. Very happy to start in air taxi type of thing. Thank you for
your advice.

[C-3PO]

Hi there,

Multiplication tables and basic trigonometry is about all.
It's always good to be curious and try to understand aviation physics but on the ground only since there is no time for advanced mathemetics once airborne.
Using simple formulas to estimate headwind, Xwind, GS, Basic factor, TOD and required ROD in order to stay ahead of the situation is in my view what a pilot is meant to do. And that requires no high intelectual level but basic mental maths practice. Beware that theoritical atpl subjects provide no such practice.

[INNflight]

I downright sucked at anything maths-related in school, but I think that was mainly due to lacking interest.

Once I got into flying, the math just comes with it (especially during your instrument rating), and I just didn't mind - even wasn't so bad at it in the end.

A lot of what you'll need in everyday flying will relate to rules of thumb for things such as rate of descent, ground speed, wind correction angle etc... and anything related to speeds versus time and distance.

Not too hard to figure it all out once you see what it's good for.

[cavortingcheetah]

You're going to the States to do your training? Pragmatism isn't perfect there but it's a lot better than the tortuous numbers with which one had to come to grips in the UK.
In reality aviation maths is quite simple. It's not free thinking. There are a set number of circumstances where you'll need numerical agility and care. Once you've got your head around some basic concepts such as fuel planning and some navigation fundamentals you'll probably find that you invent your own short cuts to suit your own brain skills.
Best of luck.

[Timothy Claypole]

3x table, 5x table, add, subtract, multiply and divide. That's all there is to it. Nobody's working out trigonometry on the flight deck these days.

[welliewanger]

As the previous poster mentioned, the maths we do while flying is quite simple.
BUT
You really need to have the mental agility to do said simple maths while thinking about a dozen other things. Each separate element of flying is quite simple, but when you put them all together it gets tricky.
The best training I can recommend for real world flying is just general everyday mental arithmetic. Examples:

- Driving to work at 30mph and it's 23 miles, what time will I get there?
- Dinner cost $36.92 for three of us. How much is that each?
- The bank is offering 6% saving rate. If I save $6,000 for three years, how much will I get back?

There's loads of oportunities to sharpen up. The above were easy to do when sitting at a computer with nothing else to do. But what when you're also talking to ATC while reading an approach chart? If you can do the sort of calculations above while having a conversation, then maths while flying will be easy.

HOWEVER
The maths during the initial training (for EASA / JAR and probably for Oz too, not so much for FAA) is much more mind boggling. I did maths up to university level. I'd say that it's not much more difficult than GCSE (English exams at 16) but A-level (exams at 18) maths would be a very good foundation.

On another matter, why are you choosing to do the American license? I'd have thought the Aussie one would be more useful to you.