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- - E6B Calculator? (https://www.airlinepilotforums.com/flight-schools-training/141807-e6b-calculator.html)

Do pilots still use E6B calculators?

Or has it gone to the way of the abacus?

Use them for what?

I do. But that depends on the planning and flying. Most are far too lazy to do much beyond look at a prepared flight plan and follow a magenta line, any more.

Quote:

Originally Posted by JohnBurke (Post 3598425)

Most are far too lazy to do much beyond look at a prepared flight plan and follow a magenta line, any more.

I thought you don't like it when people state anything other than 100% verifiable facts? Any proof that most pilots are too lazy to properly flight plan?

Quote:

Originally Posted by 2StgTurbine (Post 3598428)

I thought you don't like it when people state anything other than 100% verifiable facts? Any proof that most pilots are too lazy to properly flight plan?

You thought? Don't do that. You'l hurt yourself.

Still use my circular slide calculator that I purchased in ‘73. Probably one of the few that never left on my dash board to warp. And yeah… I still use my paper version of my P&PM rather than then the new fangled iPad, EFB googoophonics stuff.

In flight I use quick calculation rules that are easy to apply and 98% accurate or better. It can literally be quicker to be running an e6b for cross country preflight calcs than doing it by hand…but now software does that, from private pilots to 121 ops. The rules of thumb always apply though and can be used in flight, also logistically way easier than busting out an e6b or calculator. That is what I do while flying, run my own numbers and compare to the FMS/gps/cdi etc.

I have the old manual one, but I prefer the e6b iOS app.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Babar Azam (Post 3603915)

While modern technology has made many aspects of aviation easier and more efficient, many pilots still use E6B calculators, also known as flight computers, as a backup tool or as a way to double-check their calculations. The E6B calculator is a circular slide rule that pilots use to perform various calculations related to flight planning, navigation, and fuel consumption. It has been in use for more than 75 years and is still a required tool for many pilot training programs around the world. However, with the advancement of technology, many pilots now use electronic flight computers or aviation apps on their tablets or smartphones to perform the same calculations. These tools can provide faster and more accurate results, but they also require a reliable power source, which the E6B calculator does not. Ultimately, the use of E6B calculators is a personal preference for each pilot, but they are still considered an important tool for aviation calculations.

Thanks chatBot!

It’s traditional training of fundamentals. When learning to calculate E6B functions accurately, the relevance of related variables for each task is better mastered and recalled as needed in practice. VonBraun discussed this in memoir of his engineering studies. Instructors and examiners demanded exacting lab skill in measurement taken with caliper, pressure indicators, speed monitors and so on. At the time, he bitterly resented being graded on what was considered unworthy of advanced level research. Only much later, when faced with problems of hitting production targets while maintaining ridged tolerance/standards for the V missile program, did the value of full curriculum training come into focus. Shop class hacks are ok so long as you understand what the solutions given really mean.

Thanks for everyone's replies.

I don't have a E6B now, and I don't plan to get one anymore.

I currently use a combination of calculations in my head, my iPad, and the onboard computer/map of the Cirrus SR20.