Planning to become a commercial pilot

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the amount of physics knowledge required to become a commercial pilot, comparing it to the physics demands of engineering. Participants explore the relevance of physics in aviation training and the varying opinions on its necessity.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Debate/contested
  • Conceptual clarification

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants suggest that the amount of physics needed for aviation is less than that required for engineering, with varying opinions on how much is actually necessary.
  • One participant notes that understanding the forces acting on an aircraft, such as lift and stall, is important, but emphasizes that rote memorization and natural ability may play a larger role in pilot training.
  • Another participant mentions that while knowledge of physics is helpful, it is not essential, and that practical applications like reading performance charts and making calculations are more critical.
  • Some participants highlight that many pilots come from non-technical backgrounds, such as business or political science, suggesting that a physics-heavy education is not a prerequisite for becoming a commercial pilot.
  • One participant expresses relief at receiving helpful information, indicating that there is uncertainty even among educators regarding the physics requirements for pilots.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express differing views on the necessity of physics knowledge for becoming a commercial pilot. While some argue that a basic understanding is important, others contend that it is minimal and that practical skills are more crucial. No consensus is reached on the exact requirements.

Contextual Notes

Participants reference specific concepts like lift, stall, and performance charts, but the discussion does not delve into the mathematical details or assumptions underlying these concepts.

lost
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Hi everybody
I am new here .. anyhow
I have a question .. I am planning to become a commercial pilot and I want to know how much physics you need i mean like for engineering you need tons its nothing but physics right .. so is it like same for aviation ?? some people tell me yea you do need a lot and some said well not a lot .. hope you guys can help me here .. and by the way my username is not to idolize the show .. its because i am lost I am physics ..
 
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lost said:
Hi everybody
I am new here .. anyhow
I have a question .. I am planning to become a commercial pilot and I want to know how much physics you need i mean like for engineering you need tons its nothing but physics right .. so is it like same for aviation ?? some people tell me yea you do need a lot and some said well not a lot .. hope you guys can help me here .. and by the way my username is not to idolize the show .. its because i am lost I am physics ..

Most of the pilots I have met in the service have a degree in either business or political science... :smile:

Most if not all of those guys and gals go on to be commercial pilots.
 
lost said:
Hi everybody
I am new here .. anyhow
I have a question .. I am planning to become a commercial pilot and I want to know how much physics you need i mean like for engineering you need tons its nothing but physics right .. so is it like same for aviation ?? some people tell me yea you do need a lot and some said well not a lot .. hope you guys can help me here .. and by the way my username is not to idolize the show .. its because i am lost I am physics ..

I guess that will depend on how far you go in your career. To get started, you can expect to see a fair amount in regards to understanding the forces that act on an aircraft and how they effect you, especially in terms of lift and stall. You won't be developing equations or anything theoretical, but you will be talking ideas and concepts that you had better understand. For example, do you understand this question and answer:

Q: What causes an aircraft to turn in a bank?
A: The horizontal component of lift
These are the most basic things from which almost everything depends on. You will look at physics again when dealing with weight and balance of an aircraft (simply summation of moments to determine aircraft CG and compare to acceptible locations stated for that aircraft). You'll also be dealing with vectors when it comes to navigation and flight technique (crabbing/sliding into a cross wind).

I would dare to say that the majority is rote memorization and natural ability. I have seen plenty of non technical people do very well in the field. However, I will say that you will be much better off if you can truly understand the physics behind everything that goes on in an aircraft. For example, you can know what the best glide speed is for an aircraft and utilize it when needs be, but do you really undestand why it is what it is?

I could go on, but I think you get the picture.
 
Last edited:
lost said:
Hi everybody
I am new here .. anyhow
I have a question .. I am planning to become a commercial pilot and I want to know how much physics you need i mean like for engineering you need tons its nothing but physics right .. so is it like same for aviation ?? some people tell me yea you do need a lot and some said well not a lot .. hope you guys can help me here .. and by the way my username is not to idolize the show .. its because i am lost I am physics ..

did u know that bruce dickinson, singer of iron maiden is a pilot. :rolleyes:
 
Townsend said:
Most of the pilots I have met in the service have a degree in either business or political science... :smile:

Most if not all of those guys and gals go on to be commercial pilots.

thanks .. anything is helpful to me right now :)
 
FredGarvin said:
I guess that will depend on how far you go in your career. To get started, you can expect to see a fair amount in regards to understanding the forces that act on an aircraft and how they effect you, especially in terms of lift and stall. You won't be developing equations or anything theoretical, but you will be talking ideas and concepts that you had better understand. For example, do you understand this question and answer:

I could go on, but I think you get the picture.

Thank you so much !
i truly appreciate it .. you have no idea how helpful this is to me ..
wow i feel relieved someone knew the answer to my question .. even my physics professor wasn't too sure ! :)
 
gurkhawarhorse said:
did u know that bruce dickinson, singer of iron maiden is a pilot. :rolleyes:

no i did not know that .. quite interesting :)
 
Well the knowledge of physics is minimal. What really matters is understanding what you doing and knowing the applied science aspect of the flight. Knowing the physics behind it is helpful but not essential.

In a small plane you read performance charts for various phases of the flight: take-off, density altitude, fuel burn, etc. In addition you make distance/time/speed calculations. You must understand the various critical speeds of the aircraft.

In the training manuals you will not see anything beyond algebra and little trig.
 

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