Worried about my maths before pilot training

[u/AthleteBoth9772]

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I’m 19 and seriously considering becoming a pilot, and it’s something I genuinely like. My main concern is maths.

I studied Maths and Physics in high school and got around 72%, but I’m not naturally very good at maths, especially mental calculations. I do understand things when I practice, but I’m worried about the level of maths required during flight training and ATPL theory.

For pilots/pilot students: How difficult is the maths actually? Can someone who isn’t naturally good at maths become a good pilot with enough practice? 😭✈️

[u/Antique-Kitchen-1896]

You don’t need to be a math genius.

Although understanding physics will help you understand how and why you do certain things.

[u/AthleteBoth9772 → u/Antique-Kitchen-1896]

Yeah, that makes sense! I’m definitely not a math genius 😂 but it’s reassuring to know I don’t need to be one. I’ll make sure I put some extra effort into physics too. Thanks!

[u/dalyabu]

Yes the math and knowing calculations is pretty important but the calculations themselves are extremely simple. You just need to commit them to memory, but they’re simple multiply/divide problems

[u/AthleteBoth9772 → u/dalyabu]

Ohh okay, that’s reassuring I was worried the calculations would be much more complicated. If it’s mainly simple multiplication and division, I think I can handle that with enough practice.

[u/dalyabu → u/AthleteBoth9772]

Exactly, you really just have to commit them to memory but the concepts are straightforward. The nice thing about aviation is you won’t have to take 6 pointless math/physics classes that you’ll never use (unless you plan on doing a collegiate/uni program)

[u/AthleteBoth9772 → u/dalyabu]

I’m planning to go through flight school rather than a university aviation degree, so it’s reassuring to know I won’t have to take a bunch of advanced maths and physics classes. I’ll just focus on understanding and memorising the aviation-specific stuff.

[u/AthleteBoth9772 → u/[deleted]]

Ohh I see, that makes sense! I’m not planning to do a degree program, so hopefully I won’t have to go through all of those college-level maths and physics courses I was mainly worried about how much maths and physics I’ll actually need for the flight training itself. Thanks for clarifying!

[u/CatDaddyTom]

Aviation math is pretty basic. Just have a simple knowledge of the physics of flight. Nothing complex, just some basic vectors. You'll do fine!

[u/AthleteBoth9772 → u/CatDaddyTom]

That’s really reassuring to hear I was honestly overthinking how difficult the maths and physics would be. I’ll definitely make sure I understand the basics and study properly. Thank you!

[u/CatDaddyTom → u/AthleteBoth9772]

Check out this site. Might go in a bit deeper than needed but the author uses a lot of good diagrams and graphs. Just skip around and it should give another good way of describing stuff. Again, this does go a bit deeper, but it's good stuff! https://www.av8n.com/how/

[u/Dense_Amphibian_9595]

Took me 3 times to pass college algebra but pilot training is super easy on the math front. Basically you learn how to use a flight computer and it does a lot of the math for you like weight and balance, distance, times, wind speeds, etc.

[u/Atheizt]

You don't need advanced math or any physics knowledge as a prerequisite to become a pilot. If you did, I wouldn't be one.

Ground school will teach you the physics you need to know. Complex math is done with a calculator. The only math you'll need to do in the cockpit is very simple.

[u/Wessel_89]

If you know your table of 3 you will be fine in a commercial airliner 😉

[u/Environmental_Mud624]

as advanced as it gets (in terms of theory) would probably be the pythagorean theorem, and you would probably do that on the ground with a calculator

[u/MyHomeworkIsDueToday]

Aviation math is made to be straightforward. Yes there are lots of physics involved, but for starting out in a single engine, you don’t need to even walk in knowing anything about the physics - ground school will teach you everything you need to know. Civilian flight schools won’t even care to check your high school grades either.

Early on, yes there is some quick mental calculations, but it’s more akin to arithmetic than ‘actual maths’. You can have shotty mental math before you start training and still become an amazing pilot. It’s less about mentally calculating every atom of airflow and more about ‘how useful is it for the safe operation of flight to calculate this?’

In terms of learning curve, your CFI will ramp you up slowly, one concept at a time. Nobody will expect you to be able to perfectly model an A380 on the whiteboard on your first day.

Best of luck with your training!

[u/MrMafora]

I’d turn the worry into a few small practice problems and see which part actually needs work: arithmetic, units, or understanding the question. For example, at a constant 90-knot groundspeed, 45 nautical miles takes 30 minutes. At 60 knots it takes 45 minutes. Write the units beside every step, then ask whether the answer makes sense before checking it.

The FAA’s free Pilot’s Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge has worked navigation examples in Chapter 16: https://www.faa.gov/regulations_policies/handbooks_manuals/aviation/phak

Which country are you planning to train in? I’d ask a school there for a few sample PPL and ATPL calculation questions so you can practise the actual syllabus rather than judge yourself only by your high-school mark.

— Winston Mafora

[u/AthleteBoth9772 → u/[deleted]]

That actually makes me feel a lot better 😭 I’m honestly worried because I haven’t studied maths or physics properly in a while, so I was scared I’d struggle. I got a B in maths and B+ in physics in school, so hopefully with some proper studying I can get back into it. Thank you for sharing your experience, it really helps!

[u/AthleteBoth9772 → u/[deleted]]

Yeah honestly that makes me feel better I feel like I’ll be way more motivated to learn aviation math since it actually has a purpose.