Problem RE: Best Electronic E6B?

[Lakeview Bill]

First, let me thank everyone who responded, at least you tried to contribute
something. But my experience here points up a problem I have noticed
creeping into this, and many other, newsgroups.

In short, the question was not whether I needed a horse, but which of three
horses to buy.

You see, I had already made the decision to put an electronic E6B on my
Christmas list, based on my own criteria. What I was trying to determine
which electronic E6B would be best.

While anything is possible, I really don't think that choosing a electronic
E6B over a whiz wheel is going to get me killed, so there was really no need
for anyone to try to influence that decision. Had I been asking if it would
be better for me to use the engine from a Vespa or the engine from a Honda
scooter to re-engine a Bonanza, I think would be prudent for anyone
commenting to say that it might be prudent to consider another alternative
entirely.

In fact, I did not get a single response addressing which among the three
models I mentioned would be best, so please allow me to try again:

I have already eliminated the Jepp model since it is being discontinued, so,
which do you guys think is the better unit, the CX-2 Pathfinder Flight
Computer or the Sporty's E6B?

Again, tanks to everyone who responded, but please let's just stick with the
question I am asking...

[Terry]

Bill

Have the Sportys E6B for several years...no problems, easy
to use.

Liked the comment about the 3 horses, hard to get a
"straight" answer :)

Terry
PPSEL

> In short, the question was not whether I needed a horse, but
> which of three
> horses to buy.

> <snipped>

> Again, tanks to everyone who responded, but please let's just
> stick with the
> question I am asking...
>
>

[Peter Clark]

On Sun, 13 Nov 2005 22:14:52 GMT, "Lakeview Bill"
> wrote:


>I have already eliminated the Jepp model since it is being discontinued, so,
>which do you guys think is the better unit, the CX-2 Pathfinder Flight
>Computer or the Sporty's E6B?

I use the ASA CX-2.

[Paul Tomblin]

In a previous article, "Lakeview Bill" > said:
>Again, tanks to everyone who responded, but please let's just stick with the
>question I am asking...

You're really not familiar with Usenet, are you?


--
Paul Tomblin > http://xcski.com/blogs/pt/
Sheridan: "Well, as answers go, short, to the point, utterly useless and
totally consistent, what I've come to expect from a Vorlon."
Kosh: "Good."

[Jay Honeck]

>>Again, tanks to everyone who responded, but please let's just stick with
>>the
>>question I am asking...

It's not that we're not sticking to the subject, it's that we're trying to
save you from buying an utterly useless device.

It's somewhat akin to buying Super Unleaded gasoline for a Ford Festiva.
Sure, it won't kill ya, but it's sure a waste of good money.
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

[Kyle Boatright]

"Jay Honeck" > wrote in message
news:S0Rdf.540530$_o.385230@attbi_s71...
>>>Again, tanks to everyone who responded, but please let's just stick with
>>>the
>>>question I am asking...
>
> It's not that we're not sticking to the subject, it's that we're trying to
> save you from buying an utterly useless device.
>
> It's somewhat akin to buying Super Unleaded gasoline for a Ford Festiva.
> Sure, it won't kill ya, but it's sure a waste of good money.
> --
> Jay Honeck
> Iowa City, IA
> Pathfinder N56993
> www.AlexisParkInn.com
> "Your Aviation Destination"

Serious thread drift, but how many of us actually use an E6B these days
anyway? Personally, I'm too lazy, especially when I have a GPS on-board.
Back in the days where people were flying without nav-aids, I'm sure it was
great to have the 'ol E6B to estimate drift angles and the like, but with a
GPS, it gives accurate and instant feedback so I can handle drift (and ETA
and a hundred other things) real-time.

KB

[George Patterson]

Lakeview Bill wrote:

> I have already eliminated the Jepp model since it is being discontinued, so,
> which do you guys think is the better unit, the CX-2 Pathfinder Flight
> Computer or the Sporty's E6B?

I have the ASA and like everything except the dim display. I've not tried the
Sporty's unit, but, IME, everything at Sporty's is overpriced.

George Patterson
Drink is the curse of the land. It makes you quarrel with your neighbor.
It makes you shoot at your landlord. And it makes you miss him.

[Arnold Sten]

Kyle Boatright wrote:
> "Jay Honeck" > wrote in message
> news:S0Rdf.540530$_o.385230@attbi_s71...
>
>>>>Again, tanks to everyone who responded, but please let's just stick with
>>>>the
>>>>question I am asking...
>>
>>It's not that we're not sticking to the subject, it's that we're trying to
>>save you from buying an utterly useless device.
>>
>>It's somewhat akin to buying Super Unleaded gasoline for a Ford Festiva.
>>Sure, it won't kill ya, but it's sure a waste of good money.
>>--
>>Jay Honeck
>>Iowa City, IA
>>Pathfinder N56993
>>www.AlexisParkInn.com
>>"Your Aviation Destination"
>
>
> Serious thread drift, but how many of us actually use an E6B these days
> anyway? Personally, I'm too lazy, especially when I have a GPS on-board.
> Back in the days where people were flying without nav-aids, I'm sure it was
> great to have the 'ol E6B to estimate drift angles and the like, but with a
> GPS, it gives accurate and instant feedback so I can handle drift (and ETA
> and a hundred other things) real-time.
>
> KB
>
>
I use my sporty's E6B all the time, not so much for navigation but for
W&B, and Density Altitude calculations. Heck, I even use it
once-in-a-while as a timer for non-aviation activities. And since my
wife is forever mis-placing our regular desk calculator, its nice to
know that I always have my "own" calculator ready and waiting in my
flight bag (she doesn't get into that bag).

[Andrew Sarangan]

Now I am curious. What kind of calculations can you do except divide by
60?

[Peter Duniho]

"Andrew Sarangan" > wrote in message
oups.com...
> Now I am curious. What kind of calculations can you do except divide by
> 60?

Now *I'm* curious, did you not realize how it is an E6B accomplishes "divide
by 60"? :)

The core of an E6B is simply a circular slide rule. As with a basic linear
slide rule, you have two logarithmic scales that allow you to perform any
multiplication or division you like.

The "60" is highlighted, and the regular logarithmic scale is paralleled by
a conversion from minutes to hours. This makes time-speed-distance
calculations even easier. But they don't restrict your use of the slide
rule.

Pete

[Jay Honeck]

> I use my sporty's E6B all the time, not so much for navigation but for
> W&B, and Density Altitude calculations.

Once I bought a plane that couldn't be loaded outside of CG limits (when
carrying people, not pianos, anyway), and with enough power to take off on
even the hottest, highest days, I ceased needing to know that stuff.

We've got a beautiful metal E6B in the lobby of our aviation-themed hotel,
and it's fun to show to visiting pilots. Most of them scratch their heads
and say something like "Wow, I haven't seen one of these in years!"
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

[Jose]

> Serious thread drift, but how many of us actually use an E6B these days
> anyway?

I do, all the time, for flight planning. For in-the-air work I find my
mental math to be sufficient.

Jose
--
He who laughs, lasts.
for Email, make the obvious change in the address.

[Kev]

Lakeview Bill wrote:
> I have already eliminated the Jepp model since it is being discontinued, so,
> which do you guys think is the better unit, the CX-2 Pathfinder Flight
> Computer or the Sporty's E6B?

Never really used the CX-2, but had a Sporty's which I liked. Rugged
and easy to use.

I had once thought about getting the Sporty's flat E6B, which could be
put in a kneeboard's paper rings, but some owners said the LCD
sometimes cracked easily because of the thinner shell.

Kev

[Longworth]

Jay Honeck wrote:
> It's not that we're not sticking to the subject, it's that we're trying to
> save you from buying an utterly useless device.
>
I agree. We were given a Sporty's E6B as a gift during our student
days. Not sure whether it was allowed during the written test, we just
continued to use our whiz wheels. I think we turned it on once just to
check out the features and had never used it. I don't even where we
put the darn thing in the house (probably under piles of aviation books
& magazines ;-)).

We purposedly flew without GPS for over a year after getting our PP
certificates to practice our pilotage and dead reckoning skills for
cross country trips. Good old whiz wheel was used for the planning.
Enroute, wind corrections were adjusted mainly with pilotage. I find it
easier to use some mental math tricks than to fiddle with any
calculation devices.

I agree that the GPS simpliflies eveyrything in flying. BTW, I just
checked Sporty's E6B price at $59.95. This is pretty close to the
price of a non-aviation GPS nowaday!

Hai Longworth

[Andrew Sarangan]

You are correct. Thanks for pointing that out.