Last blog we introduced how to use the E6B flight computer to check true airspeed, and here we like to show you the way to check density altitude. As a must to have tool for every pilot student, the E6B flight computer is always very useful and multi-purpose. We can use if for computing time, speed, distance, altitude, true airspeed, and density altitude problems. Conversions, nautical and statute scales, etc. So how to use a flight computer to check the Density Altitude? Similar like the calculation for speed, time, and distance, we can also use E6B flight computer for checking Density Altitude while knowing its air temperature and pressure altitude data.
Here let’s see how to use the flight computer’s front calculator side to check density altitude.
Rotate the inner scale until the numbers on the inner and outer scales match.
The window that is between “1:30” and “1:50” on the hour scale is labeled “DENSITY ALTITUDE” and the arrow points to the density altitude.
The numbers that rotate through this window are in thousands of feet and range from -10 (or -10,000 ft.) to 45 (or +45,000 ft.).
For Example:
What is the Density Altitude if assume a flight plan with following checkpoint information?
Pressure Altitude: 5000 feet
Temperature: 32℃
- Rotate the small disc to make sure pressure altitude number 5.0 match to air temperature number +32, as below image shows.
- Look into the density altitude window, and its arrow points to number 8, it means 8,000 ft..
So the Density Altitude is 8,000 ft..
Below youtube performs a how-to-use instruction with CYA aluminum flight computer, hope it is helpful for you!