Digibarn Calculators & Computation Devices:
E6-B 9 Flight Computer
(also known as Dalton flight computer)

Dan Eggerding and Janek Kaliczak on the E6-B flight computer (3.5MB MP3)

During a 2007 open house at the Digibarn Computer Museum, Dan Eggerding and Janek Kaliczak, both pilots, explained how our recently donated E6-B (9) flight computer works and is used to fly airplanes. A fascinating look into a class of "mechanical" computer still in wide use (hey, it doesn't have batteries that run out)! Listen to Dan and Janek describing the E-B in our Digibarn Radio audio piece and see them handling the E6-B below. From the Wikipedia entry for the E6-B Flight Computer:

The E6B Flight Computer, also known as the "whiz wheel", is a form of circular slide rule used in aviation. They are mostly used in flight training, but many professional and even airline pilots will still carry and use their E6Bs. E6Bs are used during flight planning (on the ground before takeoff) to aid in calculating fuel burn, wind correction, time en route, and other items. In the air, the E6B can be used to calculate ground speed as well. The back is designed for wind correction calculations, i.e., determining how much the wind is affecting your speed and course.

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See Also:

Wikipedia's entry for the E6-B Flight Computer

An E6-B Emulator

Eric's circular and combination slide rules site, on E6-B