E6b+flight+computer+exercises+verified May 2026
E6B Flight Computer Exercises — Verified Practice Set
Exercise 1: The Wind Triangle (The Big One)
This is the most intimidating exercise for new students, but it follows a logical process.
The Scenario: You are planning a flight. Your True Course (TC) is 270°. The Winds Aloft are 330° at 20 knots. Your True Airspeed (TAS) is 150 knots. e6b+flight+computer+exercises+verified
The Goal: Find your Wind Correction Angle (WCA) and Ground Speed (GS). E6B Flight Computer Exercises — Verified Practice Set
The Steps:
- Set the Wind: Rotate the "True Index" (the little triangle at the top) to the wind direction of 330°.
- Mark the Wind: Look at the center hole (grommet). Slide the card so the grommet sits on a major line (like 100). Now, count up from the grommet the wind speed (20 knots) and place a dot or an 'X'. This mark represents where the wind is pushing you.
- Set the Course: Rotate the wheel until your True Course (270°) sits under the True Index triangle.
- Set the Airspeed: Slide the card until your True Airspeed (150) is under the grommet (the center hole).
- Read the Result:
- Look at your wind dot. Is it to the left or right of the center line?
- Count the lines to determine the Wind Correction Angle. (Let's say the dot is 6° to the left). You must steer 6° Left of your course.
- Look directly down from the wind dot to the vertical scale to read your Ground Speed.
Why it matters: If you don't apply this correction, you will drift off course. If the dot is to the left, you correct left. If it's to the right, you correct right. Set the Wind: Rotate the "True Index" (the
2. Part I: Wind Correction & Navigation (The Front Side)
The front side of the E6B is a rotating slide rule used for multiplication, division, and ratio problems. For navigation, the "Wind Face" (the square grid on the slide) is used to visualize wind vectors.
8 — Fuel required for diversion with headwind
- Given: Distance to alternate = 90 nm, TAS = 125 kt, headwind component = 20 kt, reserve = 45 min, fuel burn = 9 gph.
- Find: Fuel required (gal).
- Method: GS = TAS − headwind = 105 kt. Time = 90/105 = 0.857 hr = 51.4 min. Add reserve 0.75 hr → total 1.607 hr. Fuel = 1.607 × 9 = 14.46 gal.
- Answer: 14.5 gal