How is math used by pilots?

Question

How is math used by pilots?

Answer 1

well... if you make $60/hr and you just flew 5.3 hours... and domestic beers are $3 a bottle but well drinks are 2 for 1 (at $5 each).... which should you choose to more economically plan your evening?

Bonus if you can calculate the odds that your copilot will buy drinks

Answer 2

Well in many areas. For instance, trig : You are flying in a straight line to Cape Town, but a crosswind is slowly pushing you off direction, so you have to counter your flight path in the opposite direction -  against the wind, thus placing you on a "skew" path toward your destination.

The time you're going to take getting to your destination on your current speed : Equation (Speed = Distance / Time) thus (Time = Speed * Distance)

and so on.

Answer 3

You couldn't get the plane off the ground without it.

Some not all,

Weight and Balance

Temperature and Humidity for Density

Take off distance calculated for density

Fuel consumption at run up, take off and cruising

Cross wind calculations during flight

Time to climb over distance

Time to descend distance

I know there are a lot more but I think you see the pattern.

It's not just turn the key and fly.

Answer 4

Well, you can do conversions and find your true airspeed. The airspeed indicator inside most aircraft is actually inaccurate (called your indicated airspeed)=P. Learn something new every day! From that, you can figure out how far you are and calculate the time you arrive. You can figure out how fast you're turning, how far away you are from a city, or if you're interested, how far apart two cities are.

Converting temperatures become useful too. Here in the States, we're still not used to the Celcius units used by the rest of the world. Why do we have to be so special?

Answer 5

Navigation, weights and balances for loading the aircraft; fuel; time and distance measurements... and much, much more.

Answer 6

Anything higher than third grade math ain't used much. If I did all those things Get A Grip says to get a plane off the ground I'd have been fired along time ago and never made it to retirement. Geez man.

Answer 7

it is used many different ways

Answer 8

To calculate the time before impact, or to count down the final Seconds of Disaster.