Time, Speed & Distance Calculator (E6B)
This time, speed and distance calculator solves for flight time, ground speed or distance like the E6B flight computer, with fuel used and an ETA from your departure time.
Use ground speed (true airspeed corrected for wind), not indicated airspeed. Fuel is shown in the same unit you enter for the burn rate.
For training and general informational use. Plan fuel with approved aircraft data and required reserves.
Solve time, speed and distance problems
Time, speed and distance calculations are the most common sums in flight planning: how long a leg will take, what ground speed you are making between two checkpoints, or how far you will get in a given time. This calculator does the same job as the calculator side of an E6B flight computer and adds the fuel used on the leg and an arrival time.
How to use it
- Choose what you want to find: time, ground speed or distance.
- Enter the other two values. Time is entered as hours and minutes.
- Optionally enter fuel burn per hour and a departure time.
- Calculate to see the answer, the fuel for the leg and the ETA.
Method and calculation
Distance = ground speed × time; time = distance ÷ ground speed; ground speed = distance ÷ time, with time in hours. Fuel used = burn rate × time. A useful mental check: at 120 kt you cover 2 NM a minute, at 90 kt 1.5 NM a minute and at 60 kt 1 NM a minute.
Worked example and practical notes
A 120 NM leg at a ground speed of 100 kt takes 1 hour 12 minutes. With a fuel burn of 8 US gal/h, the leg uses 9.6 gallons. Leaving at 09:30, you would arrive at about 10:42.
Accuracy and practical tips
Recalculate ground speed in flight from two timed checkpoints and update your ETA; a stronger headwind than forecast is the most common reason fuel runs short. Add taxi, climb and the legally required reserve on top of the leg fuel.
Standard time-speed-distance relationships as taught in the FAA Pilot’s Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge and ICAO-based ground school syllabi.
Last reviewed: October 2026
Read the guide: Time, Speed and Distance: E6B Basics for Student Pilots
Frequently asked questions
Should I use airspeed or ground speed?
Ground speed. Time over the ground depends on true airspeed corrected for the wind component along your track.
How do I find ground speed in flight?
Time the flight between two checkpoints a known distance apart, then divide the distance by the time in hours.
What units does it use?
Nautical miles and knots. Use the Nautical Miles Converter if your chart distance is in km or statute miles.
Does the fuel result include reserves?
No. It is the fuel for the leg only. Add taxi, climb allowance and required reserves.