CX-2 pathfinder

korben88

korben88

Line Up and Wait
Joined
Apr 22, 2015
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587
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Salt Lake City
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Troy
I'm just wondering if these are worth picking up. They seem easier and quicker to use than an E6B from what I've seen, but is it $70 easier and quicker?
 
You want it for your written exams. I'm told the E6B isn't accurate enough for some of the questions on the exams.
Also, I taught my wife how to use it (the E6B was just too arcane for her) and she will plug numbers in and check our results against the flight plan and map.
My only complaint CX-2 is that it isn't back lit, so it's not as useful at night. Maybe they have fixed that in the 6 or so years since I bought mine.
 
Wait and find a used one, should be able to get on eBay for way under $70.
 
I wouldn't bother, always just used pen and paper and/or a normal calculator, if you understand what you're asking the machine to do, it's really all middle school level math.
 
That's what I'm wondering @Shepherd is it that much of a benefit on the written? There are apps that do the same thing, but obviously I can't use those for the test. But afterwards I don't know that I'll use it.
 
Talking to a couple of instructors about this subject yesterday. They confirmed that in their opinion, the E6B was not accurate enough for 3-5 questions on the Written SPL and PPL and maybe some of the other tests.
I'm old school. Whenever I am doing a cross country, I will take out a paper map and plot the entire trip, and fill out a Nav log. the CX-2 makes this really easy, as it saves the results from every step, so you sort of cascade through the process. I will then do the entire trip plan again, using the E6B to stay in practice. I actually carry the CX-2 and an E6B when I fly, and I have had occasion to use both at various time over the years.
Also, you never know when the avionics will fail in the plane. ;) Or an EMPulse will destroy all electronics and start the Zombie Apocalypse.
 
It's super old technology, any E6B iPhone App beats the hell out of it, but it's the one you can use during the exam, much easier than the round slide rule kind. It's not entirely intuitive so play with it a few days before taking the test. I used it for AGI and Commercial and wished I'd got one for the earlier knowledge tests.
 
I ended up finding a old model sporty's e6b on ebay for $20.

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korben88 said:
I ended up finding a old model sporty's e6b on ebay for $20.

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I have the same one. Clunky interface but after a bit of fiddling it works. You just have to put in the data exactly the way it wants or it will give you frowny faces. I've used it twice. Once on my PPL written and then on my IR written.
 
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