CRP-5 mandatory?

[Unzie_2000]

Dear all, is the CRP-5 whizzwheel mandatory equipment for the ATP subjects or is it personal choice? Has anyon got to the exam centre and been told their ASA E6-B was not allowed?

Cheers all

[Luke SkyToddler]

It's not that other nav wheels are not allowed - it's because there's an extra function on the CRP (some TAS/RAS/CAS calculations) that you need for the nav exam, and the E6B isn't capable of doing it.

To be honest I can't believe that the CAA still make you guys use whizz wheels in the 21st century, and I even MORE can't believe the ripoff price of those things, at the end of the day it's a couple of round pieces of plastic, I've had free toys in Mcdonalds happy meals with more intricate workmanship in them than that!

[EchoMike]

I teach the use of the ARC-1 (and CRP-5 and E-6B) in CAA/JAA ground school here in the colonies, and I even wrote a book on how to learn it at home. You do need to know how to use the wheel.

Advantage - NO BATTERIES - how do you feel about trusting your life to a pair of AA batteries you bought at Wal-Mart, sourced from the lowest bidder in some nasty, undeveloped third world country?

These are not terribly difficult to use, it is just a circular slide rule, and I remind you that we went to the moon in equipment designed on slide rules.

Another big advantage is that if things don't line up, you'll know your answer is wrong. With an electronic E-6B, if you hit a wrong key, you'll be inclined to accept the wrong answer as gospel anyway because "the computer says it is so."


I do absolutely agree that the AFE-1 and CRP-5 are obscenely expensive. The plastic is not terribly durable either. You can buy an aluminum (excuse me, aluminium) E-6B for $25 or $30 and it will last you the rest of your life, you can will it to your grandchildren ("your grandpa actually used to fly manually controlled airplanes way back before using gasoline became illegal"). In the real world,the TAS/CAS/RAS calculations are a waste of time below 20,000 feet and 200 knots anyway - the final correction is smaller than the instrument error limits, so why bother?

Finally, the whiz wheel (of whatever flavor) is the true mark of an aviator. Any w*nk*r can buy a big watch (and many do) and say "Hey, looka me, I'm a PILOT!!" - but proficiency (or the obvious lack of it) with the circular slide rule tells the real truth.

Best Regards,

Echo Mike

[Unzie_2000]

lol, a pilot after my own hear5t. The E6-B is a hand-me-down and I seriously begrudge forking out for a second piece of plastic just for the exams...thanks for the reply

Unz

[Frank Furillo]

You will be well advised to get a CPR-5 (or Crap-5) as it is more commonly known, it is required for the Nav exam, as some of the questions cannot be answered on a E-6B. However, have a look on ebay, and post on your ground school forum see if anyone is selling one.
Best of luck
FF

[Martin1234]

I passed the exams using the E6B. I learned how to use it for my PPL and wanted to continue using it for the ATPL's as well. All calculations needed can be done with the help of the E6B and/or a calculator. The CRP5 is more exact though, but I rather use the E6B anyway.

If you go to a full time ground school you might find that it's very useful to use the same whizz wheel as the one that is used by the teacher.

[paco]

The CRP-5 is not "required", it's just that it's used to generate the exam answers with. My own preference is the Jeppesen, but the AFE thingy is more robustly made tham the CRP, and at least looks as if they spent some money on it!

I am assured there is enough leeway in the answers to cover people using different machinery.

Phil

[Zyox]

Hmmm I was told that I wouldn't be allowed bring my E6B into IAA ATPLs, and that the CRP-5 was the only one approved. A mate of mine even has an electronic one he got in Canada and he's not allowed bring it in. Yet we both did CPL and IR exams with them in Canada. Gah

Silly 105eur for a flight computer. I miss my E6B.

[paco]

I will check with the powers that be. Last time I asked that question that was not the case.

phil

[paco]

In answer to the question:

Is it mandatory to use the CRP-5 in the exams?

The reply:

Short answer = NO.

Long answer = CRP5 is standard UK whiz wheel but any mechanical Nav
computer may be used; answer spread is sufficient for differences
between models.

See para 10.2.7 in old JIP Ch 10, as currently used in UK and para
10.3.7 in new version; both have similar wording.

Phil

[BlueRobin]

The CRP-5 has a Mach function which is where it differs to many other whizzwheels. This is where a chum's E6 let him down when he started his ATPLs in the UK.

Stop whinging and just buy one! The cost won't make a huge difference to your overall flight training.

[Martin1234]

I had to buy a "high speed slide" to my E6B in order to make wind corrections etc for not so slow aircraft. There is no problem doing mach calculations with the E6B.

[PAPI-74]

And don't be tempted to strip it down to write formula on the blank space under the wind arm either.....

[Tinstaafl]

You can also use the Jeppessen CR circular types if you wish. They have all the scales required for the exams. Some types of problems require fewer steps to solve compared to using the CRP slide type computer.

I've been using them since '87 & much prefer them to slides. I, and a number of others used ours when we converted from our Oz or NZ licences. The catch is that few instructors in the UK are willing to become familiar with the type although it's not difficult - the small manual that's supplied is quite sufficient. That's all most of us who use them used.

They're also a lot cheaper at ~US$25-30.00.