Help with becoming a pilot in the RNZAF

[baileyt]

Hi guys, I'm currently in Year 10 and will be choosing my classes for next year shortly. What classes do you recommend I do for becoming a pilot in the RNZAF? 
And do I need to take algebra/calculus? 

[Dave Homewood]

Physics would help I'd think. My recruiter suggested I take that when I was then destined to be a navigator. I hated physics so dropped it and joined a different trade.

[flyguy1050]

Hi BaileyT. An RNZAF pilot needs a solid grounding in English, Maths and Physics however we are also interested in people who are simply keen to learn. It’s important you enjoy your time at school and I’d recommend not just choosing subjects that “tick the box” if they’re going to grind you down and affect that keenness/motivation to learn. Have you contacted the NZDF recruiters as they might be able to give you a better heads up on what subjects are preferable within the current school curriculum, (I finished in the days of school C and bursary).

[suthg]

Hi BaileyT - I have aviation interests but am a Mechanical Engineer. You ask about Algebra and Calculus - these are the basic fundamentals to understanding motion - Algebra more about logic equations which help in all of the future calculus of Integration and differentiation which define motion. These two elements are the basis of Newtons Laws of motion and you can derive the equations for acceleration and velocity with these tools - that was what made maths and calculus interesting for me - solutions to real life situations and examples. The reality gave me a hunger for learning and understanding physics which is basically the application of Newtons Laws and power and energy come into play as well. My daughter was good at Maths at High School, and while at a Careers day at Waikato University, she was told she was meant to be an Inventor - started with Engineering at university - ended up a High School Maths teacher haha! As others have said - you have to enjoy what you are doing - find the joy in the solutions, enjoy English because for most careers, you need to communicate well, and to follow rules, to be obediant LOL!
Good luck with your studies and your quest. Get out to aerodromes or Airfields and ask about flying, talk aeroplane language! Or just follow on here!!
Graeme

[vansvilla]

One thing I learnt by observation is that there is a lot of math involved.
As a young lad I got to accompany Sioux pilots on some trips.
I was very impressed with how they could nominate a spot, road junction, refuel spot and say to the minute when we would arrive there.
All done with a Timex watch and large scale map.
This was well before GPS, track plotters etc, all done in the head as they flew. Simple time/distance/speed calcs.
Probably all changed now with the advent of electronic nav aids