When I took my Commercial ride last year, I showed my DE a flight plan from
DUATS. Had all the waypoints, winds, magnetic variation stuff, ground
speeds, etc. He then proceeded to ask, "How did the computer come up with
all that? What does each of those things mean?" I basically had to
demonstrate the first couple legs with a plotter & E6B to show I understood
the "traditional" stuff going on behind the scenes.


"Tim" wrote in message
...
Andrew Sarangan wrote:
This question is directed at student pilots and flight instructors.

How many of you learn/teach cross country navigation using the
traditional methods using paper charts, protractors, E6B and
navigation logs?
[snip]

So what are your thoughts on this? Is the ability to compute a flight
by hand really important? Are there important aspects I am
overlooking?


The number one reason - the students will have no idea how to do it and
what is involved in planninng a flight. Show them all of it. Besides,
what do you think the examiner is going to say if they can;t figure out
how to do any of that stuff and the student says, "Oh I just use a
computer for that. My instructor says paper and pencils and those
things are useless these days." ?