I prefer my ASA, that thing has taken a beatin, dropped and dropped, even has a crack in the screen and still works, and for some reason will run on only 2 of the 4 batteries needed

Ive used the second one - works pretty well.

I have the ASA and I think my old instructor has the other one. While the ASA is great it is also bulky and the other one is nice and slim. If could pick again I would try the other one first.

ASA has fabulous support for anything they make. If it breaks and they can't fix it easily, they send you a new one. No hassle.

Here's another option to consider.

I had an e6b. It was a bit of a pain in the arse, but probably because I didn't use it alot. The screen entries are a little weird and take some getting used to.

I bought an Ipaq, HP version of the palm pilot. Doesn't matter what you buy as long as it has excel on it. The formulas for the caculations are pretty simple and can be found many places on the web. http://williams.best.vwh.net/avform.html is a great website. You can even put an airport database in there and make a simple flight planning program. Just enter winds and you're gold. There's even smart cell phone with excel on them now.

I have a logbook, weight and balance calculator, and flight planning software. It's aircraft specific so in around 20 clicks I can have a complete flight plan done and when I land 15 more clicks and my log book is done. When I get home cut and paste to my logbook at home.

I am sure you could get a used Ipaq on ebay for the same price as a ASA.

Jeppesen whiz-wheel - the smallest one, don't leave it in the sun. Cheap, no batteries, doesn't mind being dropped and rolling under the seat; intuitive and reliable, even does Mach number. Only annoying when you get sand in it. And will give you hours of pleasure on those long flights, if you haven't used it for a while, while you try and remember how it works.

An electric, battery-powered doohicky will let you down. Guaranteed. And I also guarantee that after you finish your licenses you won't use it from year to year. Get a big watch instead, if you want something to advertise your profession.

"Measure with a micrometer, cut with an axe."

xsbank wrote:Jeppesen whiz-wheel - the smallest one, don't leave it in the sun. Cheap, no batteries, doesn't mind being dropped and rolling under the seat; intuitive and reliable, even does Mach number. Only annoying when you get sand in it. And will give you hours of pleasure on those long flights, if you haven't used it for a while, while you try and remember how it works.

An electric, battery-powered doohicky will let you down. Guaranteed. And I also guarantee that after you finish your licenses you won't use it from year to year. Get a big watch instead, if you want something to advertise your profession.

"Measure with a micrometer, cut with an axe."

AMEN

worthyofed wrote:I need opinions. You don't think it'd be that tough of a choice, but man am I stumped!!

I'm looking at getting a flight computer out of these two....

1) Sporty's E6B - http://www.sportys.com/acb/showdetl.cfm ... uct_ID=225

2) ASA CX-2 E6B - http://www.canada-shops.com/Stores/vipp ... 780.2.html

If anybody's used them, preferably if you've used or seem both...I'm wondering if anyone has any preference of one over the other. I'm leaning towards the Sporty's.

Apparently the CX-2 has more functions, but I can't think of anything I'd need to do, that I couldn't on the Sporty's.

Thanks for the help!!

P.S. if there are any other super-cool flight computers that people have, let me know! Thanks!

please buy the ASA sporty's is horrible

Snowgoose wrote:Here's another option to consider.

I had an e6b. It was a bit of a pain in the arse, but probably because I didn't use it alot. The screen entries are a little weird and take some getting used to.

I bought an Ipaq, HP version of the palm pilot. Doesn't matter what you buy as long as it has excel on it. The formulas for the caculations are pretty simple and can be found many places on the web. http://williams.best.vwh.net/avform.html is a great website. You can even put an airport database in there and make a simple flight planning program. Just enter winds and you're gold. There's even smart cell phone with excel on them now.

I have a logbook, weight and balance calculator, and flight planning software. It's aircraft specific so in around 20 clicks I can have a complete flight plan done and when I land 15 more clicks and my log book is done. When I get home cut and paste to my logbook at home.

I am sure you could get a used Ipaq on ebay for the same price as a ASA.

I went this route as well. This is a nice FREE program that I use http://www.seattleavionics.com/flightcalc.shtml

Only time this is a problem is when it comes time to write a TC Exam. You'll either have to relearn how to use a E6B, Jeppessen CR computer or borrow someones Electronic E6B because they won't allow a PDA.

I use the CX-2 but still make sure you can use the 'wiz wheel' E6B because its still sometimes faster

Hey folks,

I was doing some FGU workbook questions and stumbled upon a question I could only do on the E6B whiz wheel, not on the CX-2. I was hoping someone knew how to do it. Can you find track and G/S when TAS, Wind dir/velocity, G/S, and HDG are given? I can do it using the the wind side of the E6B.

The help would be greatly appreciated!

Also, can you bring both a electronic calculator and the whiz wheel into the TC exam? Because if I can't do this one without the wheel I want it with me!

Thanks.

I never leave the ground without my ATIS party-wheel!

http://www.atiswheel.com/

-istp

xsbank wrote:Jeppesen whiz-wheel - the smallest one, don't leave it in the sun. Cheap, no batteries, doesn't mind being dropped and rolling under the seat; intuitive and reliable, even does Mach number. Only annoying when you get sand in it. And will give you hours of pleasure on those long flights, if you haven't used it for a while, while you try and remember how it works.

An electric, battery-powered doohicky will let you down. Guaranteed. And I also guarantee that after you finish your licenses you won't use it from year to year. Get a big watch instead, if you want something to advertise your profession.

"Measure with a micrometer, cut with an axe."

Yup, been useing mine for 24 years now. So far have not had to put new batteries in it. Oh, wait....

Hey I don't see the need for an atis wheel. I have a kneeboard and I've printed several sheets of paper (folded in half) with everything you need to know (frequencies), along with blank spaces to write down Atis info.

For example:

AIRPORT GROUND TWR (I) TWR (O)
ZBB 124.3 118.1 127.6

ATIS INFO

INFORMATION ____
WND _____ @ ______
ALT _____
T/O RWY _____
LANDING RWY ______
SQWAUK ______
TIME UP ______
TIME DOWN _______

ETC.....

This works well and doesn't involve colorful dials and diagrams that are bound to confuse. But whatever works for you!

Yeah, but it ain't a party till ya party with the ATIS WHEEL!

-istp

xsbank wrote:Jeppesen whiz-wheel - the smallest one, don't leave it in the sun. Cheap, no batteries, doesn't mind being dropped and rolling under the seat; intuitive and reliable, even does Mach number. Only annoying when you get sand in it. And will give you hours of pleasure on those long flights, if you haven't used it for a while, while you try and remember how it works.

An electric, battery-powered doohicky will let you down. Guaranteed. And I also guarantee that after you finish your licenses you won't use it from year to year. Get a big watch instead, if you want something to advertise your profession.

"Measure with a micrometer, cut with an axe."

And the calculators don't work at -40! My Jepp whiz wheel does.

Cheers,

ETTW

xsbank wrote:Jeppesen whiz-wheel - the smallest one, don't leave it in the sun. Cheap, no batteries, doesn't mind being dropped and rolling under the seat; intuitive and reliable, even does Mach number. Only annoying when you get sand in it. And will give you hours of pleasure on those long flights, if you haven't used it for a while, while you try and remember how it works.

An electric, battery-powered doohicky will let you down. Guaranteed. And I also guarantee that after you finish your licenses you won't use it from year to year. Get a big watch instead, if you want something to advertise your profession.

"Measure with a micrometer, cut with an axe."

Agree 100% i've gone through the electronic options and converted back, I can still do the Calcs quicker.

Only thing I can suggest is remove the screws and add lock tite, I kept losing them.

Lurch

...and whatever you do, don't leave the wizz wheel laying on the dash in the sun!

I have the small Jepp wheel.

I know sometimes the #'s are difficult to read.

How much better is the big wheel?

I've had the CX-2 for 5 years now and never had a problem with it... once you know how the menu on it works, you can use it pretty quickly/intuitively. I have never had to change the batteries since I got it, but always keep a set of back ups with me, and of course, if all goes to hell, I still have the trusty whiz wheel.

If you are looking for a E6-B I would recommend purchasing a PDA that will allow you the ability to do other things other then flight calcuations.

Check http://www.palmflying.com/calce6bo.htm for a list of editor's picks on the best ones to purchase.

I really like ...

Palm OS
http://www.pspda.com/e6b.html
http://www.palmflying.com/fcomp.html

Pocket PC
http://www.palmflying.com/wingx.html
http://www.palmflying.com/fcomp.html

Thanks ...

PDAs rock (that is the windows ones, not the crappy palms)
they is a porgram called apic that is like a little glass panel, you can even get a weather overlay. along with ALLOT of free programs

yet another idea is a Ti-83 graphing calc, programming it with the equations. I had one laying around found the formulas and bada bing.

I'm surprised I have not been in this thread breaking off about using my manual E6B. "Hurr hurr, the batteries never fail."

Ok so fine I will continue to carry it in case of the electronic one I just purchased failing, but it will probably be useless since I won't be able to use it due to a lack of currency.

If you get good with a manual slide rule you can out run a calculator but it's rare.

Get to the point? Right, sorry.

I just dropped a little over a hundred bucks at Calgary Pilot Supply physical location. Why? Because I made the mistake of asking to play with the ASA CX-3 in their display case.

Soon I was quickly doing calculations I would probably get wrong with my wiz wheel.

Anyone farmiliar with me might have recalled, I would prefer to light a fire and cook a nice piece of meat for a sandwich to watching television, I like to fly with a paper VNC, time piece, flight plan and pencil, but... I love this thing.

You can play with a simulator here. https://online.prepware.com/cx3e/index.html