Question 1

What conversions does an E6B flight computer handle?

Accepted Answer

The conversion side of an E6B covers exactly what this tool does: knots to mph and km/h, nautical to statute miles and kilometres, feet to metres, inHg to hPa, Celsius to Fahrenheit, and fuel weight. For the calculation side of the E6B - time, speed, and distance legs - use our Time / Speed / Distance tool at /tools/time-speed-distance.

Question 2

Why are nautical miles used in aviation instead of kilometres?

Accepted Answer

One nautical mile equals one minute of arc of latitude, which makes chart reading and position calculation straightforward on aeronautical charts. It is an international standard adopted by ICAO across all member states.

Question 3

What is the difference between inHg and hPa for altimeter settings?

Accepted Answer

Both measure the same thing - atmospheric pressure. The United States and Canada use inHg; most of the rest of the world uses hPa (or the equivalent millibar). Standard sea-level pressure is 29.92 inHg or 1013.25 hPa.