Metal or plastic E6-B?

The metal version is heavier and more durable; plastic and paper versions are cheaper but wear out sooner.

A vinyl case and an instruction booklet, per ASA; the full operating manual is also available as a download.

Can you use it on the FAA written test?

Pilots commonly take a manual E6-B into the knowledge test; check the current FAA testing rules for what is allowed.

What is an E6B used for?

Flight planning math: wind correction, groundspeed, time en route, fuel burn and airspeed conversions.

Is the ASA E6B good for student pilots?

Yes - it is one of the standard E6-Bs used in flight training.

For Him / Her / Kids

ASA Metal E6-B Flight Computer — the slide rule every pilot learns to fly by

Reviewed by the WhyToBuyThis team · Updated September 2026 · How we choose

Perfect for

Student pilots
Checkride gift
Flight planning
Aviation classroom

Check it out

Price: $45.69

Price may change on Amazon. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. This won't cost you anything extra.

Great gift ideaChosen for real-world gifting
Hand-pickedCurated, not scraped
Honest reviewThe catch, not just the hype

Why this gift works

The E6-B, often written E6B, is the manual flight computer pilots use to work out time, speed and distance, fuel burn, true airspeed, density altitude and wind correction. This is ASA's solid aluminum version, about 9-3/4 by 5 inches and 0.65 lb, with a slide-rule side for calculations and a wind side with a crosswind correction chart. It comes with a vinyl case and an instruction booklet, and ASA offers the operating manual as a download too.

Student pilots learn to use one for the written test and cross-country planning, and many keep flying with it long after apps arrive because it never needs charging. The metal version is the one that lasts a career, which makes it a good first-lesson or checkride gift.

Who is this gift for?

Great for

Someone about to start ground school
A student pilot who has just scheduled their checkride

Think twice if

They already have an E6-B
They plan every flight on a tablet and never touch paper

The catch

It takes practice to learn, and some reviewers say the plastic wind face is hard to mark finely with a pencil or can feel stiff when new - an app or electronic E6-B is quicker once the math is second nature.

Skip for a pilot who already owns an E6-B they like, or who is well past training and plans only on a tablet.

Key specs

ASA Metal E6-B Flight Computer specifications
Brand	ASA (Aviation Supplies & Academics)
Model	Metal E6-B
Material	Aluminum
Size	About 9-3/4 x 5 in
Weight	0.65 lb
Calculates	Time, speed, distance, fuel, true airspeed, density altitude, wind correction
In the box	Vinyl case, instruction booklet
Made in	Korea (maker)

Worth knowing before you buy

It is made in Korea, per ASA.
ASA publishes a downloadable manual and instructor's guide for it.

Why we like it

Solid aluminum that lasts a flying career
Needs no battery or signal
The tool student pilots learn the math on

What to look for in an E6-B flight computer

Metal or plastic. Metal lasts; plastic and paper versions are cheaper for classroom use.
Readable scales. Clear, high-contrast scales make it quicker to read in a cockpit.
Manual. A good instruction book matters, because the E6-B takes practice.

Questions people ask

Yes - student pilots learn it for the FAA knowledge test and cross-country planning, and many pilots keep one as a backup that needs no battery.

Featured in these gift guides

Gifts for Pilots They Will Actually Take FlyingGifts for pilots: an ASA E6-B, an iPad kneeboard, a Lift 2.0 flight bag, Randolph aviators, a flight sim yoke and Stick and Rudder, each with the honest catch.

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