E6B Flight Computer

The E6B flight computer has been a pilot essential since the 1940s. Originally a circular slide rule, it solves the wind triangle — the vector relationship between the aircraft heading/TAS, wind direction/speed, and the resulting ground track/ground speed.

The wind correction angle (WCA) is the crab angle you fly into the wind to maintain your desired course — you always crab toward the side the wind is coming from. The heading to fly equals your true course PLUS the signed WCA (positive means crab right, negative means crab left). The ground speed accounts for headwind/tailwind components.

This calculator uses the standard wind triangle trigonometry: WCA = arcsin((wind speed / TAS) x sin(wind direction - course)). For real-time wind calculations during flight, AeroCopilot pulls live winds aloft and updates your flight plan automatically.