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To solve the wind triangle on a manual E6B, enter the true wind direction and speed, set the true course, then align the wind mark with the arc for your true airspeed (TAS). Read groundspeed beneath the grommet and determine the wind correction angle (WCA) from the mark’s offset. Apply that correction to true course to get true heading.
What the wind triangle tells you
Course is the intended path over the ground; heading is the direction the aircraft points. Wind can push the aircraft off its intended path, so the heading usually differs from the course. The E6B represents the wind, aircraft, and resulting ground track as vectors. Given true course, TAS, true wind direction, and wind speed, its wind side gives the groundspeed and WCA needed to maintain the course. The FAA’s Pilot’s Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge explains the wind triangle and the use of WCA to derive true heading.
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Inputs to have ready
- True course: the desired direction of travel over the ground.
- True airspeed: the aircraft’s speed through the air, not its groundspeed.
- True wind direction: the direction the wind is from, referenced to true north.
- Wind speed: the reported wind velocity in knots for this example and the E6B scale.
How to use the wind side of a manual E6B
- Rotate the disk until the reported true wind direction is beneath the TRUE INDEX.
- From the grommet, mark the wind speed outward in the direction specified by the instructions for your E6B. This is the wind mark.
- Rotate the disk until the true course is beneath the TRUE INDEX.
- Move the slide until the wind mark lies on the arc for the aircraft’s TAS.
- Read groundspeed beneath the grommet.
- Read WCA from how far the wind mark sits to the left or right of the center line. The side shows whether the correction is left or right; the scale gives its angle.
Use the scale on the specific instrument in front of you. E6B models can have different scale spacing, so count the intervals according to that model’s instructions rather than assuming every printed line represents the same amount. The wind-side sequence and model-variation warning are in the E6B manual’s wind-side instructions.
Read WCA and apply it in the correct direction
WCA is the angular correction from true course to true heading. If the wind mark indicates a right correction, add the WCA to true course; if it indicates a left correction, subtract it. Keep the left-or-right sense visible as you read the instrument rather than applying a memorized sign without checking the mark.
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Manual example
The E6B manual’s example uses a true course of 090°, wind from 230° at 18 knots, and TAS of 125 knots. After setting the wind direction and speed, aligning 090° under the TRUE INDEX, and moving the slide to the 125-knot arc, the example reads approximately 138 knots groundspeed. The wind mark is 5° to the right, so the true heading is 090° + 5° = 095°. In this setup, the mark below the grommet indicates a tailwind. This is the manual’s instructional reading, not an independent test; see the worked groundspeed and true-heading example.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Convert true heading to magnetic and compass heading
The E6B wind solution gives true heading. To continue the heading conversion, apply variation to obtain magnetic heading, then apply compass deviation if a compass heading is required. Do not treat true heading as magnetic heading.
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Using the common sign convention that east variation is positive and west variation is negative:
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One free scan finds every outdated or missing driver and matches the right update for your exact hardware.Free scan · exact hardware match- Magnetic heading = true heading − easterly variation, or add westerly variation.
- Compass heading = magnetic heading − easterly deviation, or add westerly deviation.
For example, with 10° east variation, a true heading of 095° converts to 085° magnetic heading. Deviation is a separate correction from the aircraft’s compass information and is applied only when converting magnetic to compass heading. The FAA handbook covers heading references; the E6B instructions set out the correction sequence.
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Common reading mistakes
- Entering a magnetic direction as true: the wind direction and course must be in the same true reference for this procedure.
- Confusing wind direction conventions: a wind reported from 230° comes from that direction; it is not a wind blowing toward 230°.
- Reading the wrong output: groundspeed is beneath the grommet, while WCA comes from the wind mark’s offset from the center line.
- Reversing the correction: add a right WCA and subtract a left WCA from true course.
- Assuming all E6Bs share identical scale intervals: follow the markings and instructions for your particular model.
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