Study aid · PPL Subject 6 · Air navigation and flight planning
E6B Flight Computer
A working E6B in your browser, both faces, laid out like the one you take into the exam. On the computer side, drag the inner disc and swing the red cursor. On the wind side, turn the compass disc, slide the grid and mark the wind dot. Open a worked example to see each setting made for you.
CautionA learning tool, not a certified instrument. Scale positions are calculated from the standard formulas and the ISA model, so readings match a real E6B to slide-rule precision. Practise on your own computer before the exam, and check CAA NZ rules for what you may take in.
Computer side
Turn the disc
Rate arrow (60)
Outer value over 60
Outer value over 10
Cursor line
Outer scale
Inner scale
Hours scale
Windows
TAS ÷ CAS
Density altitude
An E6B gives digits only. 12 can mean 1.2, 12, 120 or 1200. You place the decimal point from a rough mental estimate.
Fine-turn the inner disc
Fine-turn the cursor
DistanceVolumeLengthWeight, indices
Worked examples
Each one sets the computer for you
Wind side
Solve the wind triangle
True index
Disc reads
Grid
Speed under grommet
Wind dot
Speed arc
Drift line
Dot from grommet
Drag the compass ring to turn the disc and the middle to slide the grid. Turn the pencil on and tap inside the disc to mark the wind dot; drag the dot to move it.
Turn the disc
Slide the grid
Wind dotSpeed arcsDrift linesTrue index
How the wind face works
Wind dot up, grommet on groundspeed
The clear disc carries a compass rose and turns under the true index. Behind it the grid slides up and down: the arcs are speeds, the lines fanning out from the bottom are drift angles. The small ring in the middle is the grommet.
With the wind direction under the index, you mark the wind dot straight up from the grommet, wind speed away. Turn the course under the index and slide the grid until the dot sits on your TAS arc. The drift line through the dot is the wind correction angle, and the speed under the grommet is your groundspeed. Right of the centre line, add the WCA to the course; left, subtract it.
The drift scale on the frame either side of the index lets you read heading straight off the disc. The left side doubles as the east-variation side: with true heading under the index, magnetic heading sits over the variation figure on the left. East is least, west is best.