Using the E6B flight computer

Using the E6B flight computer

Aviation Test Prep includes a full on-screen E6B flight computer — the same computations as a CX-3-style electronic E6B. It's permitted on FAA knowledge tests, so you'll find it on study, review, and Question-of-the-Day screens via the 🧮 E6B button at the bottom-right. The window is draggable — grab the title bar and move it so your question and answer choices stay visible.

Getting started

The E6B opens as a plain calculator. To run a flight-computer function, tap ☰ Menu (top-left) and choose one. Tap to close it.

The E6B opens as a plain calculator — tap ☰ Menu to pick a flight-computer function.
The ☰ Menu groups every function, tool, and unit conversion.

The keypad

  • Number keys 0–9 and . type into the selected value. ± flips the sign. deletes the last digit. C clears the value.
  • + − × ÷ and = do ordinary math on the selected value (e.g. compute 4 × 60 right in a field). takes the square root.
  • ▲ / ▼ (and ENT) move between the fields of a function. ☰ MENU returns to the function list.

How to set up a problem

  • Tap ☰ Menu and choose the function for your problem (e.g. "True Airspeed & Mach").
  • Tap the value row you want to fill — it shows a blinking cursor — then key the number in on the keypad.
  • Repeat for each known value. Anything the E6B can calculate appears automatically in amber.
  • Most functions are reversible: enter the values you know and the unknown is filled in. In Glide, for example, enter any two of ratio, distance, and altitude lost to get the third.
  • Time fields are decimal hours (30 min = 0.5, 2 h 32 min ≈ 2.53). Use the Calculator or Timer for clock math.

Atmosphere

Pressure & Density Altitude

Enter indicated altitude, the altimeter setting (inHg), and OAT (°C). Pressure altitude and density altitude calculate.

Example: Indicated 5,900 ft, altimeter 29.75, OAT 24 °C → pressure alt ≈ 6,058 ft, density alt ≈ 8,470 ft.

Standard Atmosphere

Enter an altitude to get the ICAO standard temperature and pressure at that altitude.

Example: 20,000 ft → −24.6 °C, 13.75 inHg.

Cloud Base

Enter surface OAT and dew point (°C) to estimate the base of cumuliform clouds, in feet AGL.

Example: OAT 28 °C, dew point 3 °C → about 10,000 ft AGL.

Pressure & Density Altitude — amber values are calculated.

Airspeed

True Airspeed & Mach

Enter calibrated airspeed (CAS), pressure altitude, and OAT (°C). True airspeed and Mach number calculate.

Example: 125 kts CAS, 8,500 ft PA, −5 °C → TAS ≈ 141 kts, Mach ≈ 0.221.

True Airspeed & Mach — 125 kts CAS, 8,500 ft, −5 °C → 141 kts TAS, Mach 0.221.

Wind & Heading

Wind Components

Enter wind speed, wind direction (magnetic), and the runway number (e.g. 3 for runway 03). Headwind is positive (tailwind negative); crosswind is + for a right crosswind, − for a left.

Example: Wind 350° at 10 kts, runway 03 → 7.7 kts headwind, 6.4 kts left crosswind.

Wind Triangle (correction)

Enter TAS, true course, wind direction, and wind speed → wind correction angle, true heading to fly, and ground speed.

Compass Heading

Enter true heading, magnetic variation (positive for West, negative for East), and deviation → magnetic heading and compass heading.

Example: True heading 203°, 4° W variation, 4° deviation → magnetic 207°, compass 211°.

To / From

Enter a course or radial to get its reciprocal.

Example: 150° → 330°.

Wind Components — wind 350° at 10 kts, runway 03.

Navigation

Ground Speed

Enter any two of distance (NM), time (decimal hours), and ground speed to get the third.

Example: 5 NM in 0.042 hr (2 min 32 s) → 118 kts.

Rhumb Line

Enter the latitude and longitude of both points (enter West longitude as a positive number) → true course and distance.

Holding Pattern Entry

Enter the holding radial → the inbound course to the fix (radial + 180). Use it with your heading to plan the entry.

Example: Holding on the 270° radial → inbound course 090°.

Ground Speed — 5 NM in 0.042 hr → 118 kts.

Fuel & Performance

Fuel (burn / rate / endurance)

Enter any two of fuel rate (gph), time (decimal hours), and volume (gal) to get the third.

Example: Rate 9.5 gph for 1.5 hr → 14.25 gal burned.

Glide

Enter any two of glide ratio, horizontal distance (NM), and altitude lost (ft) to get the third.

Example: 30:1 ratio losing 2,000 ft → 9.87 NM.

Climb & Descent

Enter distance (NM), altitude change (ft), and ground speed → required gradient (ft/NM), glide ratio, and vertical speed (fpm).

Example: 5,000 ft over 30 NM at 90 kts → 167 ft/NM, ≈36:1, 250 fpm.

Glide — 30:1 ratio losing 2,000 ft → 9.87 NM.

Weight & Balance

Weight & Balance table

For each item, enter its weight and arm; the moment fills in. Add rows with "+ Add item". The gross weight, total moment, and CG show at the bottom. Leave the reduction factor at 1 unless your aircraft uses one.

Example: Empty 1,495 lb @ 101.4 in, pilots 380 @ 64, rear 150 @ 75, fuel 180 @ 96 → 2,205 lb, CG 92.7 in.

% MAC

Enter CG, the leading edge of the MAC (LEMAC), and MAC length to express the CG as a percentage of the MAC.

Weight Shift

Enter any three of total weight, weight moved, distance moved, and CG change to solve for the fourth.

Weight & Balance table → gross weight, total moment, and CG.

Tools & conversions

Calculator

A standard calculator — the screen the E6B opens on. Use the number keys with + − × ÷ =, √, and ±.

Unit Conversions

Pick a category from the menu (distance, speed, weight, volume, temperature, pressure, and more), key in the value, tap the "from" unit chip, and read the value in every other unit.

Example: 100 km → 54 NM; 29.78 inHg → 1008 mb.

Trip Planner

Add a leg, then key each cell: distance, true course, TAS, wind dir/speed, variation, deviation, and fuel rate. Each leg shows ground speed, time, fuel, and headings; trip totals (distance, time enroute, fuel) show at the bottom. Add more legs with "+ Add leg".

Timer

A stopwatch (counts up) and a countdown timer that turns red past zero — handy for timed legs or a missed-approach point.

Unit Conversions — 100 km shown in every distance unit.
Trip planner — per-leg ground speed / time / fuel / heading, plus totals.
Timer — stopwatch and countdown.
    • Related Articles

    • How do I use the E6B flight computer?

      Tap the E6B button to open the on-screen flight computer without leaving your question. It handles the common computations — time/speed/distance, fuel burn, wind correction, density altitude, and unit conversions — matching what a CX-3-style computer ...
    • What Premium unlocks

      The free plan lets you try the full study flow on a fixed 40-question set. Premium removes the limits and adds the features that make the material stick. What you get The full question bank for your exam — every category, not a 40-question sample. AI ...
    • How many questions are in my exam?

      Each exam's question count is shown on your dashboard's progress bar (e.g. "62 / 670"). The number reflects every ACS-aligned question loaded for that test. The free plan previews 40 of them; Premium unlocks the entire bank.
    • Do you offer discounts for schools, groups, or CFIs?

      Yes. Flight schools and instructors can provision seats for students at volume pricing (with a free instructor seat) through our educators program. Reach out from that page for a quote.
    • What are ACS codes and the ACS lookup?

      The FAA's Airman Certification Standards (ACS) break each test into coded knowledge areas (e.g. PA.I.A.K1). Every question is tagged with its ACS code, and our free ACS code lookup lets you paste the codes from your test report to see exactly what ...