There seems to be a choice of a few Flight Computers… Which do you prefer?
Apparently the CRP-5 contains errors so either AFE ARC 2 or CR-3 would be suitable?
I had to use the CR-3 (school rule) but I also saw people with the CR-5. Maybe others are allowed as well – check with your aviation authority.
You don’t need to use a “slide rule” in any JAA/EASA IR exam.
It may be that the PPL and the IMCR still needs it in as much as some of the questions are rigged to take into account the rounding of numbers which only the slide rule will produce when used correctly but I didn’t do any of this in my IR (FAA 2006 JAA 2011).
I only used the ‘wind’ side of my cardboard Jeppesen E6B flight computer during written exams. I’ve never used the calculation side during written exams or even flying. :) Some rules of thumb and formula’s are all you need to pass the written exams.
If you really want one, I would buy the cheapest available one, or better, borrow one from another pilot who has it in his flight bag and never uses it.
Your mileage may vary, but to me the flight computer has always been more hassle than help. Crude mental trigonometry (approximate sines/cosines and Pythagorean theorem), possibly with the help of paper and pencil, is all you need for the theory tests. In flight, you mostly make progressively diminishing corrections using your instruments. The only situation where you need higher precision is dead reckoning on longer legs.
I took EASA IR last year and didn’t use a sliding calculator. An electronic calculator is enough if you know the rules.
