Best Calculator?

[Cron]

I think there was some discussion on this some time back but search of archives negative.
Which calculator would you recommend and further, could someone explain the position of the use of calculators in ATPL exams. For example could you take a palm top in?

Thanks in advance

(Have also posted this to Questions, apologies in advance if not protocol)

[Genghis the Engineer]

I use a big programmable Casio fx-9750g, which is fantastic - solves simultaneous equations, does matrix algebra, all sorts of things (cost me about £45, but well worth it). My spare is the current Casio fx-83, which is nearly as good for everyday use, cost about 8 quid, just won't handle much in the way of degree level maths (being a lazy sod, I hate solving quadratics and simultaneous equations longhand).

On the other hand the CAA insists that for exams you're only allowed a little 8-digit display, non programmable, probably-came-free-with-petrol calculator. Up to date as ever! So, if you are practicing for exams, you may as buy a simple one with big buttons and pictures of the red arrows on the top at an airshow.

G

[mad_jock]

Replied in questions about the fx-570w

Which i have used in the exams already.

MJ

[Fingerbang]

You are not allowed to use programable calculators in the JAA ATPL exams.

I can recommend the Casio fx-991MS. It has some useful conversion buttons for imperial-metric etc. Not a bad deal at 14.99 from WH Smiths (was that free advertising....?)

[Snubber]

Any body know where I can buy a couple of really cheap calculators which add up time. I have this habit of leaving them at work all the time. My last one was only about a £4 casio job, but I can just not find anything less than £20 crappy Tandy thhing now.

Cheers

[Paul Hickley]

You can add time using the DMS function. One degree, 60 minutes, 3600 seconds works the same as one hour, 60 minutes, 3600 seconds. Any reasonable scientific calculator will have a DMS funtion. I presume you want it for your log book, but it's also the way I recommend doing arc/time conversions for LMT problems in Gen Nav. It so much easier to divide the longitude by 15 and read the answer in DMS than use those tables. Besides, the JAA don't always give you the tables, unless there's also a Standard Time Difference or a sunrise/sunset/twilight problem.

Paul Hickley

[ 01 September 2001: Message edited by: Paul Hickley, Gen Nav Spec, Oxford ]

[ 01 September 2001: Message edited by: Paul Hickley, Gen Nav Spec, Oxford ]

[ 01 September 2001: Message edited by: Paul Hickley, Gen Nav Spec, Oxford ]

[SuperTed]

Hi could someone please tell me how to use this DMS button. It would make life much easier. I have a Casio FX 992v calculator and have lost the instructions.

Many thanks

[Paul Hickley]

OK, on the Casio there are 4 rows and 4 columns of function buttons above the number keypad. You want the one which is second column in from the left, second row up from the bottom. It'll probably be labelled o ' ''

To add 3 hours 10 to 2 hours 55, enter 3, press the DMS key, enter 1, enter 0, press the the DMS key. Press the + sign. Enter 2, press the DMS key, enter 5, enter 5, press the DMS key. Press the = button.

To convert 136 degrees and 37 minutes of longitude into time, enter 1, enter 3, enter 6, press the DMS key, enter 3, enter 7, press the DMS key. Press the divide button, enter 1, enter 5, press the = button.

Easy, isn't it?

Paul

[ 02 September 2001: Message edited by: Paul Hickley, Gen Nav Spec, Oxford ]

[ 02 September 2001: Message edited by: Paul Hickley, Gen Nav Spec, Oxford ]

[BmPilot21]

I used the Casio fx-570W.
Around £14 also.
Has the time function exactly as Paul describes above. Also, useful conversions for metric - imperial (distance, weights, volumes (Gal - Litres etc). Much quicker than the wizz-wheel.

The JAA allow scientific calculators so long as not programmable (with equations / data etc).