E6B WHIZ WHEEL is a flight computer which has been used for years to prepare flight planning, there are software which replace this tool but it is still in use because those software they are not approved to be used in final exams, an alternative name for E6B is whiz wheel, it has the same functions as CRP5 navigation computer, circular slide ruler used to find different values, and storage case or a piece of cloth made with soft cotton is used to as a cover,
E6B has been used for many years in United States than any other country because it is a location where it is made for normal operations of flights and other related activities that are concerning route planning that needs some values to be known in order to continue with calculations
there are many advantages of having this piece of tool when studying to become a pilot some of flying schools are included it in a pilot bag that a student pilot pays for it for the purpose of starting training meanwhile there are many opportunities that are provided in a class to learn on the best uses of this tool,
considering to buying a new one is done through online websites or when visiting any of the pilot shop in United States or any other location with a reasonable price,
First discover was in 1930 which inverted true airspeed and a circular ruler, further development used for helping pilots with flight calculations, after release initially was used in the army before introduced for commercial purpose, later developments made a lot of models described in letters,
large number was manufactured during the world war II, but a British version of E6B was made by aluminum materials which gives a new feeling on the hands, many pilot schools prefer E6B because students who start private pilot course learn faster how to use it,
formula are written to follow them each time when there is a need to have them without have to write them down only looking on a window of each section there is written information that makes possible changes to be made when there is no means to remember corrections to be made,
sizes that these E6B comes with are always prepared with options created for customers to choose from a shop or online store but because of quality of materials in use for their constructions prices tends to be higher to some of them but they all work in a similar way without any changes except for sizes but functionality is remaining the same all the time with no changes to output results,
There are two sides, both with a circular slide ruler used to give the reading of some of the flight planning calculations, main side is used for speed calculations while back side is used for wind corrections, there are arrows which shows which direction to turn to get a corresponding answer,
formulas are written to simplify hard part of calculations, or when it is difficult to remember, this is what makes it different from a normal CRP5 navigation computer, and gives a reason why it is easy to learn how to use it, to make things clear both CRP5 and E6B are performing the same task,
there is nothing more or less from features they have including ability to perform calculations each one needs sometimes to learn how to insert some data for positive results that are coming out of each of them but sizes depend on who design that part of these tools depending on a company policy on sizes to be produced,
when working with decision making price is the first thing to consider or when a flight school prefer the uses of a certain type of navigation computer then it must be in use to remove a certain kind of confusion that tends to happen when using both of two systems but when focus on one it is easy to understand,
The main side has a place for density altitude which essential to identify it before the flight, when pressure is higher there is a lower density altitude indication,
but when temperature is higher there is a higher density altitude indication, this altitude is used to determine performance of airplane, also it solve a problem of mid air collision when there is a rapid changes in pressure which results to give a wrong indication of altitude on altimeter, sometimes a pilot true altitude is lower than indicated altitude or the vice versa of that,
to find it on E6B temperature and cruising altitude must be known, these are then computed to give accurate answers when shown from the images they tend to seems difficult dealing with it but actual situation of starting a learning process is when a class is prepared with some of subjects
especially the ones that are dealing with flying or practical training is what needs best practices to be made in then later things are getting much better after spend some time solving questions which are useful in a part of practical training and comes also in exams that are passed easily when knowing some corrections to make even where to start inserting some values and places to read answers,
True Air Speed (TAS) is one of the common values found on the outermost part of a circular rule on a main side of E6B, it is described as a relationship in between speed of airplane and air,
to get it indicated airspeed IAS must be known, but when preparing for a flight a pilot must plan a speed to maintain when cruising in straight and level flight,
this is indicated airspeed, this speed will be corrected for instrument errors by a graph in pilot operating handbook and compressibility when it is more than 300 knots to get a true airspeed TAS this is also having the same section in CRP5 and results are the same for anyone who uses any of the two there is nothing difference as an output of what is inserted as a question to find an answer,
when done with reasons of making changes new equipment is a non programmable scientific calculator which has ability to insert values and then give an accurate answer but sometimes it is impossible to find an answer when correcting for a wind speed and direction to get a new heading and a ground speed to use it for calculating time,
tools such as E6B can solve this problem when flying to some places that needs some kind of corrections to be made for an aim of completing a route data,
TAS is used to get time to fly from one point to another, as E6B will help to get the ground speed (GS) conversion from TAS and used with distance to get flight time, it is very easy to find the amount of fuel to be loaded for the route, because in a pilot operating book there is a rate in which airplane consume fuel per hour,
then it is possible to find amount of fuel to be used for the entire route because there is time already available, even the operational cost including the landing fee and fuel price can be calculated from that information,
then taken even further for future calculations that are dealing with amount of fuel to burn for a specific distance provided once having a headwind or tailwind component a ground speed is easy to be obtained by simply adding or subtracting a value of wind component from a normal wind speed,
these are easy process to continue with when working for an aim of learning to fly under certain type of conditions and when passing through questions make a good knowledge on the uses of tools like this one classes also helps in the first time when there is nothing known on their uses until a couple of class time is completed with good explanations that comes to an end of the subject with enough skills acquired,
E6B is used to correct for wind direction and velocity which has a tendency of drifting airplane from its desired track, if proper actions are not taken seriously a pilot can get lost, information about wind is given in aerodrome terminal information service ATIS or through website, and used to correct for a new heading of airplane when compass deviation and magnetic variations has been corrected, so there is a total of three corrections to make,
this is done before flight with the help of E6B and when in flight there is no time for drifting again, corrections are to be applied accordingly, whether is during a time for preparations for a route or when taking control of an airplane some changes might be noticed and it is because weather is never static but dynamic with some changes to be adjusted in flight when it is exceeded the limit that was forecasted or when there is less limit to that indicated during a time when a flight was prepared,
an instructor is teaching a student pilot to make changes to a flight plan especially on a current heading that needs some adjustments to remain on the same track, proper time of takeoff is thirty minutes within a time where ATIS broadcast is still valid to get latest information about wind,
There are effects of headwind and tailwind on the performance of airplane, before takeoff it is recommended to use a runway with headwind for a better performance of airplane, tailwind is not friendly during takeoff, but it saves time when cruising with it, when there is neither a tailwind nor a headwind, means there is crosswind either from left side or from right side, using E6B on the back side of it,
There is a section for crosswind calculations when an airplane is coming for landing, it help a pilot to apply for necessary correction not to be drifted off the runway when landing, information about wind is given by ATC,
and there is no corrections to make when flying in a traffic circuit or uses of E6B to make these corrections instead it makes more sense when approximations including timing to a final approach that makes possible changes to what it seems to correct a way of capturing a final approach segment that has too many tasks as one of them is to perform a before landing checklist and then communication clearance that is important until a next flight is where a route can be prepared once again for an aim of having an accurate flight directions even when wind speed and direction changes corrections can be made in a flight,
This tool is also able to perform various mathematical calculations, otherwise a calculator is in use, E6B consume time to give answers of simple questions of addition, subtraction, multiplication and division, what is preferred here is the use of non programmable scientific calculator,
when it is not available it is better to learn how to use E6B as it can solve almost all the problems that are encountered in flight and during the examination time, high numbers are not able to be calculated with it this is one limitation of not using it, have another alternative in calculations when preparing for exams, it is impossible to perform calculations during a flight because there are many things to take care of each time when flying with an instructor or alone that’s why a route is prepared some hours before an exactly time for departure and things are much simplified in big airplanes that these small ones, as most of pilots who buy E6B are flying piston engine airplanes under visual flight rules procedures while instrument rating are much simplified with route charts that are having tracks drawn inside them,
Even though it has been used for years in aviation history, even now it proves to still work well, it has been modified many times than a normal CRP5 navigation computer, make it popular in a lot of places, it comes with unique designs and made of various sizes to select depending on an individual need,
Also it has been made with different materials such as aluminum, it has formulas as to help user to figure out the right option to choose when computing calculations,
so far there is no tool which is above the specifications for this E6B but CRP5 proves to do all the calculations as it once again there are more to learn in both of these tools even prices of them are not the same when making orders from online stores or when buying from pilot shops all the way are better to help an pilot to fly an airplane
safely once having this tool to solve calculations important part is the uses of it in exams which is allowed and a proper uses of pencil to find wind correction angle to make in order to remain on a desired track is helping to have a better reading of some results that are having many questions in a final examinations and even it is really easy to pass through as many options in a quickest way when having enough practices,
The E6B, commonly known as the “whiz wheel,” is a manual flight computer extensively used in aviation for various essential calculations. Developed in the 1930s by Naval Lt. Philip Dalton, it has become a staple tool for pilots worldwide.
Key Functions of the E6B:
- Time, Speed, and Distance Calculations: Determines travel time, speed, and distance covered.
- Fuel Consumption: Calculates fuel burn rates and total fuel requirements.
- Altitude and Airspeed Corrections: Adjusts for true altitude and true airspeed, considering factors like temperature and pressure.
- Wind Correction: Computes heading and groundspeed adjustments based on wind conditions.
Components of the E6B:
- Front Side (Calculator Side): Features a circular slide rule for general calculations, including unit conversions and time-speed-distance problems.
- Back Side (Wind Side): Equipped with a wind correction grid to determine wind correction angles and groundspeed.
Using the E6B:
- Time-Speed-Distance Calculations: Align the known values on the circular slide rule to find the unknown variable.
- Wind Correction: Utilize the wind side to plot wind direction and speed, then determine the necessary heading correction and resulting groundspeed.
While electronic flight computers and apps have become prevalent, the E6B remains a valuable tool, especially as a reliable backup during flight planning and in scenarios where electronic devices may fail. Its manual operation ensures that pilots can perform critical calculations without relying on batteries or software.
For a comprehensive guide on using the E6B flight computer, you can refer to this instructional video: