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wdewg88

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WDEwg88
Hi all,
I am nearing completion of my online ground school in prep for the PPL written. I see in a few lessons we are going to cover the E6B flight computer for flight planning, and I was curious. It said you can get flight computer apps on your phone. Are you allowed to use those in the exam, or do I need to buy an actual E6B off amazon? Do I also need a plotter?

Second, unrelated question- all of these example sectionals and VORs that are used for the exam questions- do they hand you those print outs before the exam, or do they appear on the screen? They seem to be sort of small on the computer monitor.

Thanks!
 
No phones allowed during the exam. PSI has a nice E6B app integrated with the testing software. It won’t hurt much to learn to use the actual E6B. I seem to relearn it each time I take a test.

There is a paper test supplement that is used during the exam. A pdf of the supplement can be downloaded from the FAA website.
 
Laser grade has a REALLY nice on screen E6B that you can use for the exam.

In the real world I never use a e6b, I just do the math, most of it is pretty basic.
 
Sportys also has an electronic E6B that is exam legal.
 
I too am prepping for my written. I have the whiz wheel and a plotter. Is the electronic E6B worth getting for the exam or just stick with what I have?
 
gdwindowpane said:
I too am prepping for my written. I have the whiz wheel and a plotter. Is the electronic E6B worth getting for the exam or just stick with what I have?
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Stick with what you have.

Remember that the questions will say something like: "Choose the best answer", and that's what the whiz wheel will do for you. Besides, after your checkride, you'll never use it again anyway!
 
gdwindowpane said:
I too am prepping for my written. I have the whiz wheel and a plotter. Is the electronic E6B worth getting for the exam or just stick with what I have?
Click to expand...

I'm not sure how important it is now. When I did my private in 2006 the instructor told me I didn't need the electronic one (and apparently I didn't, I passed) but he would recommend it for the commercial written. He claimed some of the commercial questions require precision that was hard to do on the whiz wheel.

As has been said above, the test systems have a nice one built in. The only problem is if it takes you very long to figure out how to use it (which, in fairness it shouldn't, but still nerves and all...)

John
 
Clark1961 said:
No phones allowed during the exam. PSI has a nice E6B app integrated with the testing software. It won’t hurt much to learn to use the actual E6B. I seem to relearn it each time I take a test.

There is a paper test supplement that is used during the exam. A pdf of the supplement can be downloaded from the FAA website.
Click to expand...

Do I need to print that out and take it with me, or do they provide that at the testing site?
 
wdewg88 said:
Do I need to print that out and take it with me, or do they provide that at the testing site?
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They will provide you with one. It does help to be familiar with the booklet before taking the test.

Almost everything you need (except maybe an E6B, plotter, and calculator) will be provided during the test. You will be required to empty your pockets, remove hat, remove coat or jacket, etc. they try to minimize the chance of cheating. The FAA does publish info on taking the knowledge test.
 
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wdewg88 said:
Do I need to print that out and take it with me, or do they provide that at the testing site?
Click to expand...

Clark1961 said:
They will provide you with one. It does help to be familiar with the booklet before taking the test.

Almost everything you need (except maybe an E6B, plotter, and calculator) will be provided during the test. You will be required to empty your pockets, remove hat, remove coat or jacket, etc. they try to minimize the chance of cheating. The FAA does publish info on taking the knowledge test.
Click to expand...

You do not need to print it out they will supply the booklet and a plotter, be careful on the plotter I use the standard plotter but the plotter that was supplied had the rotating wheel for determining course and wasn't familiar with that. Be aware that the scale of the sectionals is not the same scale as your plotter so for distance it actually helps to use a piece of scrap paper to mark points and then align with the scale on the sectionals in the book.
 
paflyer said:
Just memorize the answers.
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Much harder to do these days. Now that the FAA has stopped publishing the question banks you're at the mercy of folks who are willing to ignore the legal message prohibiting them from repeating the questions outside the test and their memories.
 
jsstevens said:
Much harder to do these days. Now that the FAA has stopped publishing the question banks you're at the mercy of folks who are willing to ignore the legal message prohibiting them from repeating the questions outside the test and their memories.
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They stopped publishing a long time ago. But "test prep" software like Sheppard Air have pretty accurate Q&A.
 
Clark1961 said:
You will be required to empty your pockets, remove hat, remove coat or jacket, etc. they try to minimize the chance of cheating.
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And if you look shifty, they do a body cavity search.

After reading this thread, I opened a pocket on my flight bag and there was my whiz wheel where it has rested since I bought the bag 10 years ago. This after similar stints in many previous bags after my test back in the 70’s. Never used it after that test.

Cheers
 
Learn to use the E6B, plenty of YT instructional videos on how to use it. It's fun to learn it, even if you won't use it in the future.
I took my E6B and my plotter to the written test. They gave me the book (testing supplement with all the images) and a piece of plastic sheet and marker pens. I laid the plastic sheet on the image, used the marker to draw on it, so you don't actually mark in the book (that will be used by others for future tests).
None of the questions I got on the test required the use of E6B (I guess I was lucky).
They had a locker, where I had to place everything and went into the testing room with just E6B, plotter, favorite pen and pencil. (but they provided pens, pencils, scrap paper).
I was the only one in the room, among 4 computers, cameras in every corner of the room and the monitor was outside and they were supervising to make sure I don't cheat. If you have an electronic E6B, you can bring that, but the E6B apps that are on smartphones will not be allowed. I'm glad I didn't spend the money on an electronic E6B. The one I have on the iPhone is perfect for everyday use. I even used it during the oral portion of the CR.

wdewg88 said:
all of these example sectionals and VORs that are used for the exam questions- do they hand you those print outs
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- yes, they will give you the book, which you can download from here: https://www.faa.gov/training_testing/testing/supplements/media/sport_rec_private_akts.pdf
 
I have an Ancient ASA CS2 that I only have used on my writtens. As pointed out, the testing centers (certainly LaserGrade) have a pretty nice one built into the testing station, but I used my ASA because I was intimately familiar with it having used it on my practice tests.
 
Thanks all. I appreciate it. Pretty excited to go ahead soon and knock out the knowledge test at the end of the month and have the AME appointment end of next week. Then I should be ready to actually get off the ground.
 
wdewg88 said:
Thanks all. I appreciate it. Pretty excited to go ahead soon and knock out the knowledge test at the end of the month and have the AME appointment end of next week. Then I should be ready to actually get off the ground.
Click to expand...

Good luck!

Cheers
 
gdwindowpane said:
I too am prepping for my written. I have the whiz wheel and a plotter. Is the electronic E6B worth getting for the exam or just stick with what I have?
Click to expand...
I too wondered if I needed the electronic E6B. I didn't get it and got along fine with the manual one. You can learn the manual one in a very short period of time. Do some flight planning with it. I think it's actually easier to use.
 
Somebody has to do it...
mr-spock.jpg
 
ACG said:
I too wondered if I needed the electronic E6B. I didn't get it and got along fine with the manual one. You can learn the manual one in a very short period of time. Do some flight planning with it. I think it's actually easier to use.
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And it also gives you a very descriptive visual representation of why the answer is what it is...especially when it comes wind correction angles and how they change with air speeds. That's something the electronic versions just don't do. They just spit out an answer and you have to trust that it's right.

GIGO is much easier to catch on a real e6b.
 
timwinters said:
And it also gives you a very descriptive visual representation of why the answer is what it is...especially when it comes wind correction angles and how they change with air speeds. That's something the electronic versions just don't do. They just spit out an answer and you have to trust that it's right.

GIGO is much easier to catch on a real e6b.
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or just sketch the wind triangle on paper...which the E6B is also doing so it's a wash either way
 
I can't remember if I actually used my whiz wheel for my private written, but I know I had it with me, along with my plotter. For commercial and onward, all I took was a basic calculator and a straight edge.
 
timwinters said:
I use my e6b on almost every flight. I guess it's harder to use when you have BBQ sauce all over your fingers.

:p

:cool:
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Mine sits in my kneeboard pocket, normally dialed up to my groundspeed. Makes a quick look at time and distance pretty simple.

And the metal E6b is easy to clean.
 
Mine ain’t fancy...or metal...

34933813975_20421aefbf.jpg


...but look what it has on the back!

34123168773_a7aa2a0aba.jpg


But seriously, I don’t carry it, and haven’t used one in probably 20 years or more.

But still a soft spot in my heart for them.
 
I don't think I used whiz-wheels for any of my ratings tests, but I do like them as sort of art objects. I have a Felsenthal "U.S. Property" and an old Kane, both beautifully made with engrave markings -- completely unlike the current silk-screened junk.

I also have the "baby" version CPU-26A/P, again a U.S. Property version beautifully made with engraved lettering. Mine is much nicer than the one at the Smithsonian: https://airandspace.si.edu/collecti...tion-general-aero-products-corp-type-cpu-26ap

To complete my anachronistic collection I have a more modern Jepp "CR Professional Computer" which I never did completely figure out and a couple of very unusual "Jimmy Mattern C4" computers that are a sort of E6B crossbred with dividers for measuring leg lengths. https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/1956-mattern-aeronautical-model-c4-1806422391
 
I like the E6B - like a slide rule, you can/can use it, if you want; I haven't actually done so since the 70s, though. It's a relic, like a sextant, but endearing.
 
Some written tests have E6Bs built into the software. You can always buy an electronic E6B
 
Capt. Geoffrey Thorpe said:
Do they check for a hollow tooth with performing enhancing drugs in it?
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No, but the cute young lady administering the test did insist on doing a strip search. Then she required me to strip search her to make sure she didn’t bring any contraband into the room on my behalf. By the time we finished stripping and searching and stripping and searching, an hour had passed and I was completely exhausted and unable to think straight.

And that’s why I was only able to score a 93 instead of the 100 I expected.
 
Half Fast said:
No, but the cute young lady administering the test did insist on doing a strip search. Then she required me to strip search her to make sure she didn’t bring any contraband into the room on my behalf. By the time we finished stripping and searching and stripping and searching, an hour had passed and I was completely exhausted and unable to think straight.

And that’s why I was only able to score a 93 instead of the 100 I expected.
Click to expand...
That's your story and you're sticking with it? :)
 
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