CockpitCalc is a free collection of aviation calculators designed for general aviation pilots — from student pilots on their first solo cross-country to instrument-rated pilots flying IFR in the system.
As a CFI and CFII, I was constantly watching students struggle to find reliable, fast calculators during ground lessons and preflight planning. The tools that existed online were outdated, slow, and often required creating an account just to use basic functionality. Physical E6Bs are essential for building foundational knowledge — and I still teach students to use them — but when you're in the FBO running through a weight and balance or checking density altitude before a lesson, you need something fast and accurate on your phone.
I also found myself doing the same calculations over and over during my own flying — crosswind components, top of descent points, holding pattern entries, METAR decoding — and wanted a single clean tool that had everything in one place. Nothing I found came close to what I actually needed in the cockpit.
"CockpitCalc was built to be the tool I wished existed when I started flying and the tool I actually use now when teaching. Free, accurate, and built by a pilot who uses it on every flight."
Every calculator on this site is built around the actual formulas and procedures from FAA publications, the AIM, and standard aviation textbooks. The holding pattern entry calculator uses the exact FAA sector criteria. The METAR decoder is built from the official NWS decode key. The density altitude formula is the standard ICAO calculation. Nothing is approximated or guessed — if it's on this site it's correct.
Eleven free aviation calculators covering the most common flight planning and in-cockpit calculations. No ads between your inputs. No paywalls. No account required to use any tool.
Student pilots — Use the weight and balance calculator before every solo flight. Practice METAR decoding before your written test. Run holding pattern entries until the sectors make sense. CockpitCalc covers the calculations that show up most on the private pilot knowledge test and oral exam.
Instrument students and rated pilots — The holding pattern entry calculator uses the exact FAA AIM sector criteria with support for both standard and non-standard turns. The METAR and TAF decoder handles the full NWS decode key including remarks, precipitation begin/end times, and change groups. Top of descent and descent gradient calculators for IFR arrivals.
CFIs and flight instructors — Use CockpitCalc as a teaching aid during ground lessons. Every calculator shows the formula and intermediate values, not just the final answer — so you can walk students through the math. The density altitude and weight and balance tools are particularly useful for teaching hot and high performance degradation.
General aviation pilots — A fast, clean preflight planning resource. Save calculations to your account and access them from any device. No app to install, no subscription, no account required for basic use.
Every formula on CockpitCalc is sourced from official FAA and ICAO publications. The weight and balance calculator uses standard moment arm calculations. Density altitude uses the ICAO standard atmosphere model. The holding pattern entry algorithm is taken directly from the FAA AIM. The METAR decoder is built from the official NWS METAR decode key.
That said — CockpitCalc is a reference and planning tool. Always verify critical calculations against your aircraft's official Pilot Operating Handbook (POH) and applicable FAA regulations. You are pilot in command, and the final responsibility for every flight decision rests with you.
Found a bug? Have a suggestion for a new calculator? Want to report an error in one of the formulas? I want to know.
Christopher Doyle
Commercial Pilot · CFI / CFII · California