Maths for Pilots

You don't have to be "really good" at math, you only need the basics and you can use a calculator for most of it. It's sometimes useful to be able to do relatively simple addition, subtraction, multiplication, fractions and percentages in your head, as well as making good quick estimates when it comes to larger numbers, but that's a skill that improves with practice. For example, you just dropped your only pencil out of reach under your seat. Your minumum fuel consumption is 500 lbs per hour, you have 1800 lbs aboard, and you need a 45 minute legal reserve of fuel when you land. Because of unforcast headwinds you are only doing 240 knots ground speed and you have 750 miles to go. Do a quick estimate in your head to see if you have enough fuel to get to your destination and still be legal. Hhmmm, lets see...thats 3.6 hours of fuel minus .75 hours reserve is about 2.8 hours endurance. Since 3 hours times 240 knots is only 720 nautical miles, the answer is NO, you can't do it legally, you'll have to land and refuel enroute. See...pretty simple. Takes practice, but that's the sort of thing that can come in real handy sometimes.