An online E6B is a browser version of the classic aviation flight computer. It solves the same problems as the handheld wheel, density altitude, true airspeed, wind and crosswind, time-speed-distance, fuel burn, and unit conversions, but you type the numbers instead of spinning a dial. It is a fast way to check your work while you learn, and a handy backup when you are planning at home.
Part of our Navigation and Flight Planning guide. To learn the manual wheel, see How to Use an E6B and CX-3; to choose one to buy, see our E6B buyer’s guide.
Use it now: PilotMall’s free online E6B flight computer and calculator runs in any browser and even works offline. It covers density altitude, true airspeed, the wind triangle, crosswind, fuel, and weight and balance.
What an online E6B calculates
A good online E6B mirrors the handheld tool one function at a time. The core calculations a student pilot reaches for are:
- Density altitude and pressure altitude from field elevation, altimeter setting, and temperature. This drives your takeoff, climb, and landing performance.
- True airspeed (TAS) from calibrated airspeed, pressure altitude, and temperature.
- The wind triangle: wind correction angle, true heading, and ground speed from your true course, true airspeed, and the winds aloft.
- Crosswind and headwind components from wind speed and the angle between the wind and the runway.
- Time, speed, and distance and fuel burn for each leg, which you total on your nav log.
- Unit conversions: nautical to statute miles, gallons to pounds, Celsius to Fahrenheit, and more.
When to use the online version, and when to use the wheel
The honest answer is that you need both, for different moments. Use the online E6B when you are learning at your desk, double-checking a hand calculation, or planning a flight at home. It is quick and it removes arithmetic mistakes, which makes it a great study aid for the knowledge test material.
Use the manual wheel, paper or metal, when it counts most: at the FAA testing center. Phone and tablet apps are not permitted in the testing room, and you will plan by hand throughout your training so your instructor can see you understand the math. A standalone electronic E6B is allowed at the testing center, but a phone or a website is not. So learn the wheel cold, use the online tool to check yourself, and carry a mechanical or standalone electronic E6B to your exams.
Working the wind triangle for a cross-country? Pair the online E6B with PilotMall’s free VFR nav log and flight plan tool, which turns your legs and winds into heading, ground speed, time, and fuel with running totals you can print for the kneeboard.
A quick example: true airspeed
Say you are cruising at a calibrated airspeed of 110 knots, a pressure altitude of 6,000 feet, and an outside air temperature of plus 5 degrees Celsius. On the wind side you first set the temperature over the pressure altitude in the true airspeed window, then read the true airspeed opposite your calibrated airspeed. TAS comes out near 120 knots, because the thinner air aloft means the airplane is actually moving faster through it than the indicated number suggests. An online E6B does the same lookup instantly once you enter the three inputs, which is a useful way to confirm you spun the wheel correctly.
Practice with a real E6B
The fastest way to learn is to work a few problems on paper, then check them online. Start with an inexpensive paper E6B to learn the concepts, or buy a metal one you will keep for your whole flying life. Either way, you will need a mechanical or standalone electronic computer for the testing center.
What you'll need
E6B flight computers from PilotMall.com, from learn-on paper to keep-forever metal.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a free online E6B?
Yes. PilotMall’s online E6B flight computer is free, runs in any browser, and works offline. It solves density altitude, true airspeed, the wind triangle, crosswind, fuel, and weight and balance.
Can I use an online E6B on the FAA knowledge test?
No. Phones, tablets, and websites are not permitted in the testing center. You may bring a mechanical E6B or a standalone electronic flight computer. Use the online version to study and check your work, and carry an approved computer to the exam.
What is the difference between an online E6B and the wheel?
They solve the same problems. The wheel is a circular slide rule you operate by hand, which builds the understanding examiners look for; the online version types the inputs and returns the answer, which is faster for checking your work.
Does an online E6B do weight and balance?
A full-featured one does. PilotMall’s online E6B includes weight and balance along with the standard density altitude, true airspeed, wind, and fuel calculations.