I don't see why having to revert to a backup to your EFB in flight makes it a "rough ride", but that isn't the question here. The question was flight planning, not flight execution, and the examiner isn't permitted during the oral to take away your computer-planned flight log and electronic chart, and then demand you redo all your planning it with an E-6B, plotter, and paper chart.
Yep. Technology is great. But technology will sometimes fail. Even if it has a 99.99% pass rate, if it fails that .01% I want to make sure I can make do without
Did you read the part I wrote about having a backup to your EFB for the flight portion? But that's not what we're discussing, anyway -- we're talking about flight planning, not flight execution, and nothing from the FAA says you must use a paper log and mechanical computation device for your planning.When your EFB 'fails' on takeoff and you can't access your info that exists nowhere else, I would qualify that as a 'rough ride'. Typically you start off on the same X-C that you were supposed to plan. Why not do it on paper?
I was not aware that a pencil, paper, and whiz wheel were required to learn the material needed to pass the test and be a capable Private Pilot. Can you provide some discussion on where you came up with that alleged requirement?I thought we were talking about learning the material required to pass the test and be a capable Private Pilot.
Did you read the part I wrote about having a backup to your EFB for the flight portion? But that's not what we're discussing, anyway -- we're talking about flight planning, not flight execution, and nothing from the FAA says you must use a paper log and mechanical computation device for your planning.
BTW, Foreflight allows you to print your nav log to paper to have as a backup.
While they do not HAVE to be backed up by paper charts it is a good idea. I found this on the FAA website explaining Class 1 or 2 EFB stuff. It's an interesting read. Delta is giving their pilots EFB (Microsoft Surface Pro 2) but they are still taking backup paper charts just in case. Even with the redundancy of navigational/operational equipment on those jets, they still have to think about the .00001% chance that it all fails.
From a Part 91 operational standpoint, that is true. From a PP practical test standpoint, it isn't -- unless you have a photographic memory, you are going to need a backup to your EFB on that ride, although that backup need not be paper.
I think we are still talking at cross-purposes. If you walk into the oral with your completed log, it doesn't matter what tools you used to prepare it as long as you got it right and can explain what it means. OTOH, if you can't to the computations necessary for your diversion Task in your head, you will need something to perform those computations during the flight. But on the third hand, I've never heard of an examiner failing someone's electronic E-6B or other small calculator during that task, so there is no reason to believe they would add a second problem to the diversion problem already presented.
DPE's don't work that way. They do the test by the PTS, and the PTS has no provision for a more in-depth testing based on the tools used to prepare the flight log.
All that stuff is great. Even I use my Ipad and and GPS for navigation. I don't know anyone who still uses a paper, pencil, and an E6B for flying. That being said, I still know how to navigate if all that stuff crapped out. What's the harm in bringing a paper sectional? An added 3 ounces to your flight bag that is already filled with 100 pounds of tablets/GPS? Even though it will probably NEVER happen, what will you do everything shuts off. Can you still get home or to your destination? That's the main thing. If the answer is yes, then don't worry about it. If the answer is no, I strongly suggest you relearn pilotage and dead reckoning. It might save your bacon one day.
OK, I misunderstood. I though you were saying your EFB for a practical test did not have to be backed up, not that it could be backed up by something other than paper. And yes, a non-electronic backup is not required by any FAA directive.
Something he encounters in Europe and other places outside the US, since as a Delta captain, he probably flies internationally. We just don't have any here in the US NAS. See ICAO Annex 11: Air Traffic Services, Chapter 2, Section 2.6 for details, but essentially it's uncontrolled airspace with traffic information services to IFR aircraft (but not VFR aircraft) in addition to the flight advisory service available to all in Class G, but not traffic separation between IFR aircraft as in Classes E and above.
Some, but not a lot. The PTS is pretty specific about what knowledge one must demonstrate, and there's nothing in the PP PTS saying you have to know how to use a whiz wheel. It only requires "presenting and explaining a pre-planned VFR cross-country flight, as previously assigned by the examiner" and that the applicant "Computes headings, flight time, and fuel requirements". There is nothing saying you must use any particular tool or explain how the tool you used works. So, you can do it on an abacus or with trig tables or on an electronic E-6B or in your head for all that matter as long as you get sufficiently accurate answers. Nothing anywhere says the flight log has to be an originally blank paper form you filled out by hand based on the computations performed by whatever computational device you used.
Not like Class E even for IFR -- traffic information is provided, but not separation from other IFR traffic ("Y'all be careful out there, hear?"), while separation from other IFR traffic is provided in Class E.
Agreed.
