math requirements for flight school

[MarineAir]

Hello everyone. Just signed up a couple days ago and really enjoying the helpful advice being posted on here. I Have a question though. Hope to be a marine pilot some day and wondering what level of math is required. I'm graduating college next year and enlisting in the corps. Hope to apply for OCS when I'm in. Can't go through the PLC programme and don't qualify for a NROTC contract cause I'm not yet a U.S citizen so I have to take the longer route. Also I'm already 26(not a lot of time left if I wanna fly) and the corps allows me to qualify for citizenship within a year of enlisting. My biggest worry is the level or type of math needed for flight school. I've never been good at math but good at physics. Can't deal with abstract numbers and letters that have no use in real life but to give you a brain cramp. What kind of math do I need to start getting help with to better prepare myself. Will be trying to and get into an aircrew slot as an enlisted marine to give me a good insight into the aviation community. If not,I'll be very happy as an infantryman. One more thing I want to ask. I have a few cavities in my teeth(can't afford to see a dentist yet) and have been told that I might fail a flight physical because of them. Thanx in advance for the reply guys.

 

[DocT]

Don't sweat the math. Use the search option on this site and look up the ASTB gouge (i.e. practice tests etc). The math included in the ASTB is the only math you will be given a pencil and paper and told to do. I'm no math whiz (haven't taken anything above college algebra) and did well enough to secure myself an air contract.

As for dental problems, I was shipped to OCS twice (PLC junior/seniors) without ever having anyone look in my mouth. If you are going to enlist, you will have an opportunity to get your yuckmouth squared away by Navy docs probably before you reach you MOS school. Don't quote me on the timeline, but if you're active duty that trash is covered. Any priors want to weigh in here?

Hey good on you for being so dedicated to your goal, but I would strongly advise getting second opinions on enlisting before applying for the flight contract and OCS. If you're 26 there just isn't time for all the things you need to get done going that route before you hit the age cutoff. Everything is waiverable of course, but age waivers are getting hard to come by.

I hope this helped, feel free to ask more questions. Semper Fi, Doc

 

[virtu050]

you don't need to be a math whiz to be a good pilot. a basic understanding of geometry, trigonometry and algebra is all you need.

in aviation there are lots of rules of thumbs and eyeballing. this isn't because we don't think accuracy is important.. but because sometimes speed is required more than accuracy.

 

[MarineAir]

Thanx for the reply guys. I really appreciate it. DocT, I'm not enlisting just to get a pilot contract. I've always wanted to be a marine and prefer to mustang. while I'm in, I do what I can to find out about active duty enlisted guys who want to get a pilot slot. If you or any priors have any info on that, I'd love to get more info on that.
Thanx.

 

[Sabre170]

Marine Air,

Do you not qualify for OCC? If you can get selected for OCC, then I would go that route. If not, then enlisting would be the next option. I went to boot camp with a 26 year old with a college degree. He ended up being our Company Honor Man and eventually got selected for OCC after about three years, that might make you too old to be a pilot. It will be close. If you don't mind being an NFO, then you might want to check with the Marine Corps age limits, but being an NFO would be a suggestion.

 

[MarineAir]

Hey Sabre170, What is OCC? There are very few marine acronyms that I don't now and this happens to be one of them. How does one get selected for it or what do I have to do to make myself eligible?

 

[MikeG]

Hey Sabre170, What is OCC? There are very few marine acronyms that I don't now and this happens to be one of them. How does one get selected for it or what do I have to do to make myself eligible?

OCC stands for Officer Candidate Class. It's one and the same with OCS, basically. I don't know your specifics, but you really, really should talk to an OSO before you enlist if you want to be a pilot. Age waivers are possible, but from what I've read they're not likely. And to be a Marine pilot, you have to be younger than 27 and 1/2 when commissioned. With today's deployments and how things are going, you *might* be pushing that if you enlist. Really, being a mustang is fantastic and if it suits your schedule, go for it. But talk to an OSO. It might save you some headache.