Maths and Physics knowledge req'd for ATPL and airline flying?
 

why do I keep on hearing myths about training to be an airline pilot being extremely difficult? Is it? how much maths & physics is there during training? is it hard?

Training to be a pilot is difficult, otherwise everyone would do it.

Seriously though, there is a lot of groundschool to cover on the course, but the actual technical level of this work is not too hard (somewhere around A-Level standard for the most part).

Maths and Physics come in handy for the more technical bits, bt generally it's an exercise in learning a lot of facts.

If you get stuck with bits there are always people on PPRUNE to ask for help.

cheers spin_doctor, I guess I'll have to take the dust out of those old maths & physics books and have a browse...

Help! A-level maths to be a pilot?
 

Hi,

Is it now neccesary to have an A level in Maths to becaome a (sponsered) pilot? If you dont have maths then, (apart from Physics) what else do airlines prefer? All advice welcome

G-BPEC

Spelling is quite useful...

A/S Level Maths and Physics Revision?
 

Hi there everyone,

This is a bit off the topic of this forum, but I kinda need a bit of help. Due to pursuing various activities I have been absent from a bit of my A/S Level Physics and Maths coursework.

I am quite annoyed at this and so I am lookinf to find ways on how to make up the information I have lost in class.

If anyone knows of any good revision/learning methods or resources then I would be very greatfull.

Thanks very much folks
Rusty

Hi

I am too at college studying as maths and physics. I suggest the BBC AS guru website for maths but physics I am not sure about. contact me if you need more help.

Tri

Rusty - tut tut.

Judging by the number of posts since your registration, it is quite obvious what you have been doing instead of attending class ;)

In all serious, only you can turn the situation around for yourself. My advice is to:

Identify where your weaknesses exist and make a study timetable for yourself. Don't overload and take regular breaks. You don't need to study for every hour of every day - in fact this could prove to be counter-productive. Also, reward yourself after making progress like going for a drink or logging onto PPRUNE!

You can get past paper books - try these examples.

If you are really struggling in areas - ask someone who can help you (classmates or teachers)

Stay calm and don't panic.

Good luck

It's considerable time since I did my A levels, but I found the "Letts Revise" guides incredibly helpful.

And don't spend so much time on the internet! (Strange, I have a stepson doing A-levels this year and keep saying the same things to him).

G

The best way, in my opinion, is to get some past exam papers and work your way throught them with the aid of a text book. You will notice that the same questions come up year after year. The biggest part of A-levels is learning how to do exams!!

Good luck.

Maths Test
 

Howdy,

I am currently in the process of applying to the cadetship programme offered by BA, following an unsuccessful attempt last year. Could anyone offer any advice about the maths test at the interview stage, any other additional advice would be great also!

Cheers

E-mail me if you like!

SB :)

Hi,
There are a couple of good books out there which I found via Amazon.co.uk. Try searching for How to Pass Numericals Reasoning Tests and see what you get back.

There was talk of a program that can be run using excel that generated random numbers etc. I don't know if it actually provided you with questions (ie 348767/34 etc) but with random numbers you could practice yourself.

I don't actually have the program, but would like it, so if someone has it could they post their details so I and others could get a copy please. Thanks.

There is a book called (I think) "Aptitude Testing for Military Pilots" available from Amazon (I don't have the ISBN at the minute) which helped me get through the Aer Lingus aptitudes last year - definately worth the money. I have it at home if someone would like a photocopy of some of the practice tests (maths, english etc) drop me an e mail and fax number and I can get you some of them.

Good Luck

Patsy 001

There was talk of a program that can be run using excel that generated random numbers etc. I don't know if it actually provided you with questions (ie 348767/34 etc) but with random numbers you could practice yourself.

I don't actually have the program, but would like it, so if someone has it could they post their details so I and others could get a copy please. Thanks.

There is a book called (I think) "Aptitude Testing for Military Pilots" available from Amazon (I don't have the ISBN at the minute) which helped me get through the Aer Lingus aptitudes last year - definately worth the money. I have it at home if someone would like a photocopy of some of the practice tests (maths, english etc) drop me an e mail and fax number and I can get you some of them.

Good Luck

Patsy 001

Spot the difference!!! :)

Well, its got me beat....

;) ;) ;) ;)

No, but you definitely spelt 'definately' wrong in both posts!

Bloody Spellchecker!!! :rolleyes:

A-level Maths???
 

Hello all,
Just wondering if it is absoluetly neccesary to have A-level maths to get a place on an airline sponsorship sceme. I looked at the BA website on this and they did not mention it as a requirement. I am just about to do my GCSEs and have to make my choices now for 6th form. Although I am prepared to do maths I would rather not as it is not my strongest subject. I am going to do Physics and I know they go together well but if there is anyway out of it I will take it as long as it does not jepordize my chances of a place.
All answers greatly appreciated,
La Fantasque.

Ps. sorry if this has been posted before.

My dear old thing - if it helps I am just
coming towards 25 years since my first flying
lesson which was followed by a long time in
the military and now a career in the airlines. I only managed a bare pass in what
was then 'O' level maths and failed physics.
To be fair I did go on through A levels and
further education but in a direction very
firmly away from the usual requirements
quoted for a career in the cockpit/flightdeck.

I have flown with very many pilots who have
had a non-scientific educational background
and I believe that it is of no detriment as
long as you have a basic ability to learn.

It is a fact of life however that both the
airlines and the military are looking for
potential when they are handing out chances
to fly at their expense. The measure of such
potential which requires maths/physics et al
is simplistic but it does make their selection procedures easier for them to deal
with when faced with a mountain of applications.

The flip side of the equation is of course
that maths/science to the highest level does
not indicate an ability to fly an aircraft
though it may show a greater understanding
of what makes it work !

So at the end of the day you must remember
that if you are looking for a career you
will have to fit in with their rules and
requirements - get that squared away and you
should soon find that the perceived level
of academic ability to do the job is not as
high as you thought - unless of course you
want to be a test pilot but that is another
story altogether.

good luck

Thanks Oldie Volvo.
I think that ,although it is not required and ,like your own example, you can make it without, I should just make the effort and do it because it is not that I am incapable, just that I find it incredibly hard. I may just do it up to AS level but with the amount of competition on the sponsered schemes I must stand out.
Once agaion thank you very much for your reply, La Fantasque.

Simply put,

Do the subjects you LIKE. They will prove more interesting and you will then without knowing it put in more effort.

I did AS Maths with the intention of working really hard at it, make no mistake about it, it is THE hardest subject going in my opinion, and it will soon seem like a wall of numbers if you don't enjoy it!

Good luck,
Rusty

Thanks very much for your replies. As I said I think I might do AS maths but I will definetely bare in mind Rusty's comments.
La Fantasque.

Don't be intimidated by mathematics as a subject. It's really only a language that enables you to understand the fundamental aspects of the real world. Unfortunately it is often presented by rather uninspiring people!

Like Oldie Volvo I've got a less than perfect academic career but have served out some time in the RAF and now fly for an airline. The RAF gave me a lot of confidence with maths because the training that I received related to problems faced in the real world and you could see first hand why such knowledge is so valuable.

That said, at your stage in the game I found maths to be rather intimidating and certainly dull. Do remember that there is always a hard way and an easy way of doing things. If you can produce the goods at
A Level you stand more chance of convincing an airline to pay for your training: more importantly you will have a job at the end of it.

A real tip for passing exams is to get hold of the syllabus and work through each point on the list crossing them off as you go. If you know your stuff on each point you will not get any nasty surprises in the exam (if it aint on the list they can't ask you!).

Good luck - never mistake effort for progress.

Cheers High Volt. I feel pretty similar to the way you did. Am I making things alot harder for myself by not doing it? I'm hoping to get a place in university and I don't expect to even apply for the airlines until I've finished (Although I would rather just get into flying as soon as possible!). Hopefully university will make me stand out more in a crowd.
La Fantasque.

It's a difficult time right now. Chase girls drink beer, listen to lots of real load rock music - do anything but do not waste time.

I have posted somehting along these lines in another post.

But anyway, an airline would prefer someone that has an A in, say Geography, rather than a B/C in Maths. I am about to do GCSEs and I chose Physics/Biology/Geography and Business Studies for AS/A2.

But choose subjects that you enjoy as they are mosy likely to be te ones that you will do well in. :)

FL390: Doubt if many airlines will get wrapped up in the difference between the odd A or B grade. English is another subject that will strengthen your case.

As one with A-Level Maths and Physics, plus a degree in Aero Eng, yet still getting rejected by BA after FB, I'd have to come to the following conclusion:

Airlines want people who do not quit. Ever. If you think you'll give A-Level maths a go, then come out with a poor grade, that may count against you more than not having done it at all.

The fact is (and I may well be corrected here), most people who apply to be pilots are those that have done Maths, Physics, etc. at school. Many have a degree, and Aero Eng is a common one. If you turn up with Art, Geography and Music and a degree in Geology, you may just stand out from the rest, despite what the airlines might say in their literature. They want a broad cross-section of people, and are under increasing pressure to find such people.

Bear in mind you may/will need to pass aptitude tests. These will include maths tests, but believe me, they are nothing like A-level. More like GCSE on speed (and don't start doing that sh*t either...)

From what I gather though, what airlines want is a 100% total commitment to aviation. Go with your heart, do what you're best at. Get the best grades you can, apply to airlines and UCAS. Do a degree in whatever you enjoy most. Get the best results you can.

But if you want that airline job, keep that in the back of your mind, whatever you decide. When your friends are working in Tesco, work at an airfield. When they spend their uni grant on beer, get an hour or two of flying in (all airlines accept that school kids and students can't afford many hours, but if you have just a few hours over a three year period, it's infinitely better than nothing at all). When your friends do D of E at school, join the ATC. When they join the wine tasting society at uni, join the Air Squadron.

These are the things that count most.

So you do all these things and decide that maybe flying isn't for you. Then you can see how the airline recruiters might think about those that have never tried.

So you do all these things and decide that flying is for you?

Then you WILL make it. One day. Somehow.

There's a wealth of people on this forum that wish they'd started earlier. You're in a most fortunate position. Make it count. And the most sincere best of luck to you.

WGW

Thanks for the encouraging replies. Its nice to know I'm not forced down any specific paths. I'll definetely take your advise and get as much aviation related things as I can into my life! Thanks again!!

La Fantasque....

Excel program for maths aptitude ?!?!
 

I can remember links to an Excel download that allowed a mental arithmetic practice sesh. However I don't seem to be able to find it :confused: The search facility seems to be unavailable (unless it's my crappy machine). Sorry chaps, I know it's probably cropped up a million times before.... Any help will be gratefully received.... :)

NB.

pssst NB: over here! www.superpilot.co.uk - follow the link to downloads.

Not Excel but does the same job.

(and before anybody nags me about the copyright photos - I have permission)
;)

[ 23 July 2001: Message edited by: Superpilot ]

Cheers SP ! :)

Thanks SP!

That's amazing for what I want too, got anything for the fractions, division, multiplication and basic algebra?? hehe.

Thanks again,
Rusty

For those get hold of “How to Pass Numeracy Tests” by Harry Tolley and Ken Thomas. ISBN 0-7494-3437-6

Questions are always of the form:

How many miles will a lorry have travelled if it maintained an average speed of 35 mph for 6.5 hours?

A) 220
B) 222.5
C) 225
D) 227.5
E) 230

A piece of wood is 120.4 cm long. A saw cuts it into 3 equal sections and wastes 0.2cm with each cut. How long are the sections?

(A, B, C, D or E)

21 litres of paint covers 7/8 of room, how much to finish the job?

(A, B, C, D or E)

15 sec for task, how many times in an hour?

(A, B, C, D or E)

Get someone to write similar questions for you, a brother or sister perhaps. All they have to do is vary the topics, names and figures. It’s the best form of practice.

Hi Guys
just to take this one stage further, does anyone know of a website or a book to aid in preparation for the spatial tests, where you have to identify which shapes can be made by folding along the dotted lines?
Thanks in advance,
Eggboy :confused:

maths and physics fot the atpl
 

hi guys/girls
i am thinking about commencing an atpl course and was just wondering what kind of maths and physics one has to be up to speed with before commencing an atpl course
it has been 5 years since school so ive forgotten most of the stuff
would be greatful for any replies

Hi there Justine.

In responce to your question about the math's and physic's requirement's for the ATPL - to be honest it's not to onourous, a bsic knowledge of electrical system's and formulae's,transposition of formulae's is all that is required.
It is more a case of volume that u are required to learn rather than that require's an intricate and extreamly in-depth knowledge.
If you require any further information - please do not hesitate to contact me - as i have just started my JAA ATPL license exam's.

Justine

Whispering Giant is spot on!
I was getting myself into a spin worrying about Trig and maths blah blah blah

I never had either of those two and I found the subjects not too bad at all and any equations that leap up can be bashed up and throttled with feedback before the exams .. common sense is king!

ta ta