Manual E6B

gibbons said:
I know many who do, but I do not. I also don't use a slide rule.
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Don't try to fool us, Chip, we all know they haven't progressed past fingers and toes for math in Arkansas. ;)
 
dmccormack said:
Anyone else still teaching/ using the whiz wheel?

:dunno:
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Ironically, I just used one two nights ago for the first time. I was planning my first dual XC and wanted to do it all by hand: E6B, plotter, etc.

It took a while, especially since I'd never really learned how to use one before. :rolleyes: OK, strike the "really": I'd completely ignored the thing up to now. :D

But I got it done and then checked the results with the E6B that is built into WingX. I have it running on my phone and it was great to see that my manual calculations were correct. They were off by a minor amount but I figured that the programmers at WingX should be given a little leeway for error. :D:D:D

I'm actually old enough to remember using slide rules for real. They disappeared at almost exactly the same time as elevator operators. If I had one in front of me right now, I could multiply, divide and do square roots without thinking. Much more than that and I'd really have think hard.
 
I think the whiz wheel will be around for a long time to come despite there being many alternatives. It's sort of like navigation and sectionals. Since our technology is changing so much, I believe its nice to have a "common ground" so to speak, and then work up from there to what suits each person best.
 
My first instructor at Wings Field in PA recommended that I use a manual one, as he felt students understand the relationships and information a little better than just pushing buttons on the electronic version, although it didn't matter to him which you ended up choosing.

I switched flight schools ($$ reasons, Wings is fantastic and I'll be renting from them soon) and started using the manual E6B. There's a student that has the Sporty's Electonic one, and I can get answers faster than he can,... we did a suito "quick draw" contest one night while waiting our turn.
 
Rob Schaffer said:
I switched flight schools ($$ reasons, Wings is fantastic and I'll be renting from them soon) and started using the manual E6B. There's a student that has the Sporty's Electonic one, and I can get answers faster than he can,... we did a suito "quick draw" contest one night while waiting our turn.
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I have the Sporty's E6B also. I've used it a few times in the air, but used it most often for Knowledge exams.

During my CFI Oral the Examiner asked me to do a time distance problem. I demonstrated how to work it on the manual, then the electronic.

"OK, so moving on..."
B)
 
Rob Schaffer said:
My first instructor at Wings Field in PA recommended that I use a manual one, as he felt students understand the relationships and information a little better than just pushing buttons on the electronic version, although it didn't matter to him which you ended up choosing.

I switched flight schools ($$ reasons, Wings is fantastic and I'll be renting from them soon) and started using the manual E6B. There's a student that has the Sporty's Electonic one, and I can get answers faster than he can,... we did a suito "quick draw" contest one night while waiting our turn.
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I still use the whiz wheel for all the above. I don't go along with the slide rule comparison. I used a slide rule in highschool, and while they both use a moving scale, the slide rule uses a sliding scale, while an e6b uses a rotating scale. There is a big difference when it comes to looking at and visualizing the information.
 
I was just thinking about how long the manual E6B would remain in flight training syllabi the other day.
Personally, I tend to think it should at-least be part of primary training. Like was stated above, it's a good way to teach relationships, and I believe it helps develop a pilots thought process so that mental calculations (or at least ballpark estimations) can be made in-flight.
In addition, I also feel it is worthwhile to make calculations without a manual computer or an electronic computer - the old fashioned way (pen and paper or maybe + - x / calculator). Again, the more you can do manually, the better off you may be able to make those quick calculations mentally....but then again, I'm kind of old fashioned about those things.
 
Been carrying a CR-5 in my shirt pocket since my parents gave me one for Christmas in 1982. Don't use it as much as I used to, since I did my flight planning for today's trip 20 times in the last year, and it doesn't vary all that much ;)

But I did pull it out today for about an hour to work some time/speed/distance/fuel burn/percent power/gotta-save-me-some-$$$-on -avgas-for-the-Maule problems. Had to think about the square root calculations a little, but the rest of it was pretty easy.

Fly safe!

David
 
Technically speaking, both use logarithmic scales. When you're multiplying or dividing you're adding or subtracting the logarithm of a quantity. The slide rule, which also comes in circular variety, just has more graduated scales for higher order math functions such as cubes and trigonometry.

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I still have a Pickett and a Post in their original cases in a box around here somewhere. The rich kids in college had the HP 35, the rest of us had a slipstick.

Maxmosbey said:
I still use the whiz wheel for all the above. I don't go along with the slide rule comparison. I used a slide rule in highschool, and while they both use a moving scale, the slide rule uses a sliding scale, while an e6b uses a rotating scale. There is a big difference when it comes to looking at and visualizing the information.
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Yep-still use it and the wind correction thing on the back too.
 
Steve said:
Technically speaking, both use logarithmic scales. When you're multiplying or dividing you're adding or subtracting the logarithm of a quantity. The slide rule, which also comes in circular variety, just has more graduated scales for higher order math functions such as cubes and trigonometry.

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dead_reckon1.gif


I still have a Pickett and a Post in their original cases in a box around here somewhere. The rich kids in college had the HP 35, the rest of us had a slipstick.
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Just like being married, every time I think I'm right I find out that I'm wrong. My experience with slide rules are limited to the one I had in highschool chemistry, and that one was not round. Anyway, I've never used an electronic e6b or a round slide rule, so whatever I say is just an opinion, and shouldn't be taken as the last word on the subject.
 
My wife and I were waiting to board an airliner when a pilot stopped near us to answer his cell phone. [Airline pilot, I mean] He set a flight bag down and I saw an E6B sticking up, an inch or so of it showing. I pointed to it, said something like, "I still use one of those, too, sometimes." He chuckled, said it went with him on every flight, sticking up like that so he could reach for it with one hand and pull it up, no batteries to go dead, etc.
 
I wonder when the last time that airline pilot actually used it though. Sounds like an emotional security blanket to me. ;)
 
billwil said:
I wonder when the last time that airline pilot actually used it though. Sounds like an emotional security blanket to me. ;)
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I'll bet you would be surprised by how much he uses it. We have a family friend that flies corporate jets, but whenever he is flying light aircraft he always works things out on an e6b. I asked him if he ever uses it in his work, and he told me once in a while. He says that he uses it to double check when things don't look right. Whatever that means in the corporate pilot world.
 
Believe me, I get the being married comparison....daily! :yes:

Maxmosbey said:
Just like being married, every time I think I'm right I find out that I'm wrong. My experience with slide rules are limited to the one I had in highschool chemistry, and that one was not round. Anyway, I've never used an electronic e6b or a round slide rule, so whatever I say is just an opinion, and shouldn't be taken as the last word on the subject.
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I'll admit I've rarely used mine in flight, but I still use it all the time for preflight planning. And in flight, I know it will simply never let me down, even if I sit on it or drop it in a puddle on the ramp.
As far as them being tricky to use, it's nonsense. I have never been a heavy electronic calculator user, though- some folks used to buttons and a screen may find the whiz wheel baffling at first.
But then again, I'd never used a slide rule, either... I figure if I can learn to work a whiz wheel with one hand while flying, anybody can.
 
My problem with the manual ones is that aligning the small lines in turbulence with old eyes, especially at night where one hand would need to be holding a flashlight (Yes Jesse, this is one of those situations where you'd probably need one) could be "challenging".
 
I've had the same cardboard E6-B flight computer since 2000. I still use it a lot. I like it for some odd reason. I am not a numbers person so I especially like how the wind side of the E6-B lets me visualize what is going on rather than just presenting numbers.

What really helped me was getting stuck in the E6-B event for flight team back in college, which forced me to learn every nuance of the thing and be fast at it. I've forgotten some functions, but can whip up most answers in a hurry, faster than I can type into the electronic E6-B. Someone gave me an electronic one and I rarely use it.

gprellwitz said:
My problem with the manual ones is that aligning the small lines in turbulence with old eyes, especially at night where one hand would need to be holding a flashlight (Yes Jesse, this is one of those situations where you'd probably need one) could be "challenging".
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That just made me wonder: does someone make an electronic E6-B with backlighting?
 
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skyflyer8 said:
That just made me wonder: does someone make an electronic E6-B with backlighting?
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I was wondering that too. At least it's possible to do. Luminescent ink on a manual E6B just ain't going to work well! :no:
 
TangoWhiskey said:
Kate,

Yes... if you buy the software versions that run on Palm or Windows handheld devices.
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I have the E6B on my Palm Treo but the thing gets so bright at night, it's just not feasible for some flights. I'm better off using the Sporty's calculator with a red light.
 
KennyFlys said:
I have the E6B on my Palm Treo but the thing gets so bright at night, it's just not feasible for some flights. I'm better off using the Sporty's calculator with a red light.
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The other problem I have with the E6Bs on a Palm-type device is the lack of the dedicated keys. When I'm flying the plane, I'll operate the devices largely by touch; then glance at them to confirm that it's right. When you don't have tactile feedback, that's very difficult!
 
gprellwitz said:
My problem with the manual ones is that aligning the small lines in turbulence with old eyes, especially at night where one hand would need to be holding a flashlight (Yes Jesse, this is one of those situations where you'd probably need one) could be "challenging".
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I rarely fly long night XC SEL (I suppose that's a good topic for another thread!).

But when I do fly shorter hops at night I wear a super cool, super cheap Headlamp (Wal Mart, $14.95). It has bright and mid-intensity, as well as red light settings built in, and the strap fits easily under my DC headset.

The bright setting is good for preflight in and out of the cockpit, and the red light setting helps preserve some night vision -- though the dim white setting doesn't exactly ruin it.

Bottom line: What you look at is lit -- and that's all that matters!
:yes:
 

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gprellwitz said:
The other problem I have with the E6Bs on a Palm-type device is the lack of the dedicated keys. When I'm flying the plane, I'll operate the devices largely by touch; then glance at them to confirm that it's right. When you don't have tactile feedback, that's very difficult!
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I just operate it like I sometimes fly... blindly. :)
 
gprellwitz said:
I was wondering that too. At least it's possible to do. Luminescent ink on a manual E6B just ain't going to work well! :no:
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Unless you have self illuminating charts (ala EFB which would likely have a built in E6B function), you will need a way to put light on your paper and I would think the same source of photons would be sufficient for the manual (or electronic) E6B.
 
dmccormack said:
I rarely fly long night XC SEL (I suppose that's a good topic for another thread!).

But when I do fly shorter hops at night I wear a super cool, super cheap Headlamp (Wal Mart, $14.95). It has bright and mid-intensity, as well as red light settings built in, and the strap fits easily under my DC headset.

The bright setting is good for preflight in and out of the cockpit, and the red light setting helps preserve some night vision -- though the dim white setting doesn't exactly ruin it.

Bottom line: What you look at is lit -- and that's all that matters!
:yes:
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Funny you should mention that! I bought one at Home Depot or Lowes a couple of months ago. Haven't done much night flying since then, though!
 
lancefisher said:
Unless you have self illuminating charts (ala EFB which would likely have a built in E6B function), you will need a way to put light on your paper and I would think the same source of photons would be sufficient for the manual (or electronic) E6B.
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One hand to hold the E6B, one hand to hold the pencil, and (see Dan's post for the solution) one hand to hold the light! Rate problems can generally be done one-handed on the mechanical E6B, at least after a little practice. Wind problems, OTOH, generally benefit from two hands. There are, of course solutions to this. A cockpit mounted light, the map light under the yoke, the head light Dan mentioned, or a pen light held in the teeth.
 
I've been looking online for any kind of manual that explains how to use this thing. I found a very old AIM (1970's vintage) that discussed the slide rule side and gave some example problems and solutions, but I can't seem to find anything more current or anything with the "wind face" solutions explanations.

Does anyone have a link or reference for instructions for the ol' manual whiz wheel? Thanks!
 
every E6B ive seen for sale comes with an instruction manual.

I always carry my CR4 with me and use it fairly regularly for figuring true airspeed and whatever else i feel like calculating. yesterday in the 182RG i was using it to try to figure out my fuel burn.
 
djshannon said:
I've been looking online for any kind of manual that explains how to use this thing. I found a very old AIM (1970's vintage) that discussed the slide rule side and gave some example problems and solutions, but I can't seem to find anything more current or anything with the "wind face" solutions explanations.

Does anyone have a link or reference for instructions for the ol' manual whiz wheel? Thanks!
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On the ASA product page (here) you'll see a link to download the Product manual -- all vendor's E6B's are the same with slight variations.
 
Can anyone list a practical use for a E6B that couldn't be done easily with a basic (non e6b) calculator? Or even with a simple pencil & paper calc?

For distance, add the numbers on the chart.

For time, divide by cruise speed.

For fuel, multiply that by GPH.

What am I missing? I learned to use one when I was a student, but just haven't figured out a practical use since then.
 
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