6 ms·

I use my E6-B flight computer [1] every time I fly. Is it a nomogram or a slide rule? I think it is both! It is such an amazing useful calculator. At the flight

I use my E6-B flight computer [1] every time I fly. Is it a nomogram or a slide rule? I think it is both! It is such an amazing useful calculator. At the flight school I went to, it was common for students who got their instrument rating to buy a nice GPS. I got a nice metal E6-B as my plastic one was showing some wear and tear. There is something really cool about instrument flying with a E6-B, and navigating using VOR/DME/TACAN and dialing in the ILS and getting on the glide slope. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/E6B https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/E6B

pawelmi 5y ago
Interesting! Wikipedia says that E6B is "one of the very few analog calculating devices in widespread use in the 21st century". What are those other few?
- kadoban 5y ago
  Does an abacus count? (heh) Oh, also: old timey cash registers, though they're _rare_.
  - PeterisP 5y ago
    I'd consider both abacus and a mechanical cash register (or even mechanical arithmometer) as digital/discrete devices, not analog; analog calculation would refer to slide rules, nomograms and the like (of which I'm sure there would be more than the slide rules and nomograms, but nothing comes to mind..).
    - kadoban 5y ago
      Yeah, on thinking about it, seems like you're right. Too bad, I can no longer think of any then. I think ballistic computers were at one point analog, but those should all be obsoleted now.
- ballenf 5y ago
  Seems like a lot of machining -- creating threads and the like -- is done with mechanical calculating devices.
- jacobolus 5y ago
  My understanding is that the “Wulff net” is still used in geology, though nowadays computers probably do most of the plotting.
- mvdwoord 5y ago
  If anyone has a chance, I can heartily recommend a visit to the Arithmeum in Bonn. It is a museum of calulation/calculators not only situated in a beautiful building, but also home to many fine and sometimes interactive manual / mechanical calculation devices. Some discrete, but it also houses the world's largest collection of sliderules. There were tons which had very specific usage, e.g. in farming. No clue which are still being used today, but I bet plenty still are. https://www.arithmeum.uni-bonn.de/en/arithmeum.html https://www.arithmeum.uni-bonn.de/en/arithmeum.html
- opwieurposiu 5y ago
  I use a slide rule similar to the E6B for calculating feeds and speeds to run a milling machine. Some manufactures used to give away promotional slide rules, like the capacitor company would send you one that lets you calculate the right size of capacitor for your application.
buildsjets 5y ago
The calculator side is a circular slide rule. The wind correction side with the sliding plate is a nomogram. https://www.gleimaviation.com/e6b-flight-computer-instructions/ https://www.gleimaviation.com/e6b-flight-computer-instructio...
- pmdulaney 5y ago
  But aren't slide rules themselves nomograms?

pawelmi 5y ago

Interesting! Wikipedia says that E6B is "one of the very few analog calculating devices in widespread use in the 21st century". What are those other few?

kadoban 5y ago
Does an abacus count? (heh) Oh, also: old timey cash registers, though they're _rare_.
- PeterisP 5y ago
  I'd consider both abacus and a mechanical cash register (or even mechanical arithmometer) as digital/discrete devices, not analog; analog calculation would refer to slide rules, nomograms and the like (of which I'm sure there would be more than the slide rules and nomograms, but nothing comes to mind..).
  - kadoban 5y ago
    Yeah, on thinking about it, seems like you're right. Too bad, I can no longer think of any then. I think ballistic computers were at one point analog, but those should all be obsoleted now.
ballenf 5y ago
Seems like a lot of machining -- creating threads and the like -- is done with mechanical calculating devices.
jacobolus 5y ago
My understanding is that the “Wulff net” is still used in geology, though nowadays computers probably do most of the plotting.
mvdwoord 5y ago
If anyone has a chance, I can heartily recommend a visit to the Arithmeum in Bonn. It is a museum of calulation/calculators not only situated in a beautiful building, but also home to many fine and sometimes interactive manual / mechanical calculation devices. Some discrete, but it also houses the world's largest collection of sliderules. There were tons which had very specific usage, e.g. in farming. No clue which are still being used today, but I bet plenty still are. https://www.arithmeum.uni-bonn.de/en/arithmeum.html https://www.arithmeum.uni-bonn.de/en/arithmeum.html
opwieurposiu 5y ago
I use a slide rule similar to the E6B for calculating feeds and speeds to run a milling machine. Some manufactures used to give away promotional slide rules, like the capacitor company would send you one that lets you calculate the right size of capacitor for your application.

buildsjets 5y ago

The calculator side is a circular slide rule. The wind correction side with the sliding plate is a nomogram. https://www.gleimaviation.com/e6b-flight-computer-instructions/ https://www.gleimaviation.com/e6b-flight-computer-instructio...

pmdulaney 5y ago
But aren't slide rules themselves nomograms?