What flight computer is good to use for a PPL?

[midiman]

I’m looking to get a flight computer so I can study at home. I want to learn as much as I can before going for more lessons.

I have a book on Navigation but I want practice the examples.

Should I look on Ebay ?

Thanks

[Ryan5252]

I used the Pooleys CRP-1 Navigation Equipment | Computers | NCR01- | CRP-1 Flight Computer (http://www.pooleys.com/prod_detail.cfm?product_id=121) which seemed to do the trick. If you are unfamiliar with the concept of this devilry (as I am) I would suggest you get one as quickly as practicable. You will become more proficient in its used if you can get your head around it in the earlier days.


Cheers
Ryan

[midiman]

Thanks.

I,m going to get one. Probably the CRP-1.

[eharding]

Thanks.

I,m going to get one. Probably the CRP-1.


You list your location as Berkshire - where are you flying from?

If the answer is White Waltham, you can have my CRP - model number to be supplied - whizz-wheel, free, gratis, buckshee and for nowt, provided you agree to pass on the archaic piece of plastic tomfoolery to some other EGLM student in turn on the same basis, once you've passed your exams.

The only caveat is that I'll have to go into the garage to find the thing, and there are some seriously industrial spiders in there, who only emerge at night...mostly...otherwise I'd go and find the thing now to find out what flavour of CRP it is - but the standard student model.

If you *are* in Berkshire, but not flying from White Waltham, then you're bang out of luck. In so many ways.

[BobsCousin]

Hi,

I was recently in the same position as you, I got the CRP-1 off ebay in the end, second hand for 19 pounds, good as new, definately worth looking on ebay as it costs over 40 new!

[IO540]

Don't spend too much on the circular slide rule. You will never use it for real - unless you are a masochist :)

[BEagle]

The slidey-uppy-downy bit is ace for getting ice off the car windscreen though!

I honestly cannot understand why the CAA still insists on people using the wretched things at PPL level - electronic versions have been around for years and are dead easy to use. But there are still people at the Belgrano who think that you're not a real navigator unless you can use an astrolabe, quadrant staff and lodestone on a piece of string......:uhoh:

The triangle of velocities is hardly a difficult concept to master without using a whizz-wheel.

eharding, I hope that the eight-legs have enjoyed playing with your piece of CRP!

[midiman]

I,m based near Deham so it would be (EGLD)

Waltham is about 12miles from me.

Thanks

[BackPacker]

I bought the cheap cardboard one (10 euro I believe), thinking that I would only need it to pass the exams and then use something more sophisticated.

But after five years, it's still running strong. I've never had the need to buy an electronic calculator so far. In fact, I think I can create a wind-corrected plog faster with the whizzwheel than with an electronic calculator or spreadsheet.

[IO540]

Well, that is true, but nobody I know uses a calculator for working out a wind corrected plog.

Nearly everybody who flies any distance flies 100% using GPS, and even backing this up with VOR/DME, one is getting continuous lateral guidance, so the wind becomes irrelevant.

Except for estimating one's ground speed and thus range etc, but those are dealt with using more approximate means; not least because the winds aloft forecast is usually far from accurate.

And advanced pilots have a GPS-linked fuel totaliser so as soon as they settle down in cruise, they get a continuous computation of the fuel on board at the planned destination.

Most serious VFR flight planning is done using a laptop running e.g. Navbox (maybe Flitestar for IFR/airways) and if you stick some kind of wind into that, it works out a wind corrected plog instantly.

The dedicated "calculators" which I have seen for working out the wind correction are expensive and clunky things. I have an E6B (which is what the Americans call it) program running on a PDA (and it also does W&B) but have never used it, not least because the battery is usually flat ;)

[Miroku]

I still prefer to have the whiz wheel in my flight bag in case we change the destination at the airfield, due to weather usually.

I think it's whichever route you are happy with really.

[Aerials]

I'm familiar with most general terms used in aviation but would somone please be kind enough to explain the word 'plog' which I have seen used on several threads? Guessing that almost certainly it is made up from initial letters of familiar words and once it is explained I'm sure there will be an "ahh! - obvious innit" moment here! Thanks in advance....

[S-Works]

Pilots LOG - Legs, headings, timings, fuel etc.
:ok::ok::ok:

[RedKnight]

Your plog is basically a sheet on which you list the key information for your flight. For each leg, you'll list your heading, track, variation, MSA, ground speed, distance, ETA, etc. You'll also list relevant en-route radio frequencies and aerodrome information (circuit, weather, runway, etc).

[AndoniP]

aerials -

as the others say, it is short for Pilots' LOG - PLOG. An example is below...

http://www.oatmedia.com/prodimages/vfr_flight_log_errata.jpg

[Aerials]

Well, told you I was clairvoyant! There was that moment! Thanks to Bose-X for the initial explanation which was my guess and to the next 2 contributers who amplified that explanation into a worked example which will be very useful to me in my training. Good on you all.

[Genghis the Engineer]

Firstly, I disagree with IO540; after more than 20 years flying little aeroplanes, I still use a flight computer / whizz-wheel / call-it-what-you-like regularly for my cross country flying. It's not the only way, and radio nav helps a lot, but still use it and the backup of a well constructed PLOG is one I have never regretted having.

Secondly, I'm a sad technical nerd who collects sliderules - and as such have multiple flight computers and have used all of them. Personally I think that of those I own, by far the best for navigating a little aeroplane is a Pooleys CRP-1W. There's also just room in the case to slide a Casio Fx-83, because whilst I can use the CRP for multiplication and division, it doesn't mean I have to!

(For work where I may be reverse engineering flight test data for aircraft manuals or occasionally have to do jet calculations, I use the rather larger Aviat 617 which is great, but it's overkill for little aeroplane flying and I'd not waste your money for PPL.)

That said, if you are on a very tight budget, the cheap cardboard ASA E-6b for £16 from Transair works absolutely fine.

G

[tomtom_91]

and if you have an iPhone check out


myE6B
PilotWizPro


All good computers and easy to use!

[IO540]

All depends on what one is doing. Yesterday I flew UK to Croatia, nonstop 6hrs, and while this was IFR FL170/180, I used to do these flights VFR (VMC on top of a solid overcast as necessary). Wouldn't fancy doing that the old fashioned way. GPS 100% (with VOR/DME backup) is the only practical way. Crete on Sunday... (did that VFR too, 3 years after getting the PPL).

I ditched old -style nav the day after I got the PPL and it was the best flying decision ever. It completely transforms one's confidence and resulting ability/willingness to go places. The next best was buying my own plane.

[Genghis the Engineer]

I don't dispute that you'd not wish to fly a route like that without suitable and backed up radio navaid. But myself, I'd still have a plog with predicted times / speeds / drift angles / headings.

If you suffered a major electrical failure whilst VFR on top, it might just save your neck. If (thankfully far more likely) you don't, it still helps your positional awareness and gives you another line of backup en-route.

G

[S-Works]

Personally I never fly without a PLOG of some description. At work we are required to use them. For private flying I just write the required information on the map next to the lines with each leg.

I do however navigate primarily by GPS and I never use the slide rule. I have said MANY times before, there is no place in modern aviation for an archaic error prone device. There are plenty of modern tools for carrying out the required calculations, that are simple, reliable and virtually error free. The triangle of velocities can easily be demonstrated without the need for a slide rule.

The slide rule might appeal to nerds and slide rule collectors, but it does not appeal to the modern generation and is one of the reasons that we fail to attract new blood into aviation and why it is full if 50 plus old farts who pride themselves in being from a generation where there was no other choice. Well wake up and smell the coffee, the modern generation make a passing glance at your youth as something dull in a museum as they head for the cola machine......

[beatnik]

On AndoniP's illustrative example, the planned altitude/FL (2,500') is lower than the Safety Altitude (3,100'). Isn't that the wrong way round - I always understood that the Safety Altitude was the lowest altitude you could safely fly based on obstructions/terrain. You wouldn't plan to fly lower than that would you?

[BackPacker]

the planned altitude/FL (2,500') is lower than the Safety Altitude (3,100'). Isn't that the wrong way round - I always understood that the Safety Altitude was the lowest altitude you could safely fly based on obstructions/terrain. You wouldn't plan to fly lower than that would you?

The Safety Altitude (or whatever it's called - there's a few different names for the same concept) is 1000' above the highest obstacle or 1300' above the highest terrain (which may have an unmarked 299' obstruction on it).

Yes, it's safest to fly above the Safety Altitude at all times, but that's not always possible, mostly due to airspace restrictions.

Plus, the Safety Altitude can be calculated using a few different means but the easiest is to use the number that's printed on the map for every half or full degree of lat/long. That means that a single 1000' obstacle will push the SA upwards by 1000' in an area that's potentially 3600 square nm (but more like 450 square nm for a typical half mil UK map). If you know where the single 1000' obstacle can be found, you can safely fly 1000' lower.

[Tinstaafl]

If you're VFR then published safety altitudes aren't really relevant. You're supposed to be able to see & avoid terrain & obstacles, hence - in part - the VMC criteria. VFR lets you fly much closer to the surface/obstacles than any safety altitude.

As for whiz wheels, I prefer the CR circular types such as Jepps. CR5. No bulky slide to get in the way. Much more portable. It's always in my flight bag although only occasionally used now that nearly all the aircraft I fly are GPS equipped. Used to use it a lot when I flew air ambulance from Shetland.