NRFRS 12-97

ROTARY SLIDE RULE

■ CHARACTERISTICS
With this rotary bezel type slide rule, a wide
variety of computations required by pilots
are possible.
• Ordinary multiplication, division and rule-
of-three calculation
• Calculation of time, speed and distance
• Conversion between nautical miles, statute
miles and kilometers

■ SCALES
The rotary slide rule consists of
A ) a dial ruler fixed on the dial and
B) a rotating external slide rule (rotary
be ze l) .
The outer circumference of the rotary bezel
is graduated at an interval of 3 deg. to form
a utility bearing compass, and the inner
circumference is provided with a logarith-
mic scale graduated from 10 to 100 and a
distance conversion scale (KM, 1000 FT,
NAUT, STAT).
The outer circumference of the fixed dial
ruler is marked with the same logarithmic
scale (10␣ –␣ 100) as the rotary bezel, and the
inner circumference is graduated with a time
s ca le .

N
5 15
3455 60 NAU
T.
70 30
0
33 50
55 70
ST
A
T.
50
45

W5 9:00 1:1 80
N 4 60 0
0 80
8:0 05
55
45

1:2
60

0
0
30

50 0

90
7:0

90
40

1:3
10

SPORTS
0

75
285

10
10
1:40
6:00
35

45

15
1:50
W

11

1 
2:00
5:00

100
12
30
255

12
4:3 40

20
0

12
0

0
24

14

2:3
0 5
4:0 2 0
14

15
24 SE
25
SW

23 3:30 3:00 16
22 15
24 17
20 21 19 18
23 15 16
22 210 0
17
21 20 18 165
19
195

Time index
(reference point for Utility bearing
time conversion) compass scale

Logarithmic scale Logarithmic scale

on fixed scale* on rotary bezel*
* Any value on the logarithmic scale is rela-
tive, for example, “19” assumes any values
that are the n-th power of 10, multiplied by
itself ... 1.9, 190, 1900 ...

■ ORDINARY COMPUTATION
[Multiplication, division and
the rule-of-three calculation]
A Multiplication
[Pro ble m ] 30 x 40 = ?
[S ol ut io n]
1) B r i n g 3 0 o n t h e r o t a r y b e z e l i n l i n e
with 10 on the fixed scale.
2) Read the scale on the rotary bezel cor-
responding to 40 on the fixed scale.
It is 12 (= 1.2 x 10 1).
3) Calculate the number of digits follow-
ing the formula in “Hint for calculation
of exponents”.
[A nsw e r] 1 2 0 0

B Division
[Pro ble m] 120 ÷ 40 = ?
[S ol utio n]
1) B r i n g 1 2 o n t h e r o t a r y b e z e l i n l i n e
with 40 on the fixed scale.
2) Read the rotary bezel scale corresponding
to 10 on the fixed scale.
It is 30 (= 3 x 10 1).
3) Calculate the number of digits follow-
ing the formula in “Hint for calculation
of exponents”.
[A nsw e r] 3

C Rule-of-three calculation
[Problem] 30/10 = ?/40
[S ol ut io n]
1) B r i n g 3 0 o n t h e r o t a r y b e z e l i n l i n e
with 10 on the fixed scale.
2) Read the scale on the rotary bezel cor-
responding to 40 on the fixed scale.
The reading is 12 (= 1.2 x 10 1 ).
3) Calculate the number of digits follow-
ing the formula in “Hint for calculation
of exponents”.
[A nsw e r] 12 0

A - 2) A - 1)
B - 1) B - 2)
C - 2) C - 1)

Hint for calculation of exponents

Any number can be given by an exponential
expression as follows.
Assum e A = a x 10 x , B = b x 10 y, and
>␣ ␣ 1)
C = c x 10 z . (10 > a, b, c ␣ =

Mult ip lic a tio n :

Then, the product of A and B is expressed
by C (= c x 10 z).
␣>␣ a, b
z = x + y if c ␣ =
z = x + y + 1 if c < a, b

D ivi sio n:
The quotient of A/B is expressed by
C (= c x 10 z).
>␣ ␣ b
z = x – y if a ␣ ␣=
z = x – y – 1 if a < b

■ COMPUTATION FOR NAVIGATION

[Calculation of time, speed and distance]
All the examples here can be calculated ac-
cording to the following formula:
SPEED = DISTANCE/TIME

A Time calculation

[Pro ble m ]
Ground speed : 200 MPH
Distance to fly : 100 miles
Time to fly : ?
[Sol ut io n]
1) A d j u s t 2 0 o n t h e r o t a r y b e z e l t o t h e
time index ★ on the fixed scale.
2) Read the fixed scale at a position cor-
responding to 10 on the rotary bezel.
The reading is 30.
3) For the purpose of determining the number
of digits, the same rule as with the division
applies. Thus, the answer is 30.
[Answer] 30 (minutes)
★ mark at the 12 o’clock position

B Speed calculation

[Proble m]
Ground speed : ?
Distance to fly : 100 miles
Time to fly : 30 minutes
[Sol utio n]
1) Adjust 10 on the rotary bezel to 30 on
the fixed scale.
2) T h e v a l u e o n t h e r o t a r y b e z e l c o r r e -
sponding to the time index ★ on the fixed
scale is read to be 20.
3) For the purpose of determining the number
of digits, the same rule as with the
division applies. Thus, the answer is
200.
[Answer] 200 MPH
★ mark at the 12 o’clock position
 C Distance calculation

[Proble m]
Ground speed : 200 MPH
Distance to fly : ?
Time to fly : 30 minutes
[Sol utio n]
1) A d j u s t 2 0 o n t h e r o t a r y b e z e l t o t h e
time index ★ on the fixed scale.
2) The value on the rotary bezel that cor-
responds to 30 on the fixed scale is 10.
3) For the purpose of determining the number
of digits, the same rule as with the
division applies. Thus, the answer is
100.
[Answer] 100 miles
★
mark at the 12 o’clock position

A - 2) A - 1)
B - 1) B - 2)
C - 2) C - 1)

[Calculation of climbing altitude,

climbing rate, and climbing time]
A Calculation of climbing altitude

[Pro ble m ]
Climbing rate : 430 FT/minute
Climbing time : 18.6 minutes
Altitude to reach : ?
[S ol ut io n]
1) Adjust 43 on the rotary bezel to 10 on
the fixed scale.
2) Find the value on the rotary bezel cor-
responding to 18.6 on the fixed scale.
The reading is 80.
3) For the purpose of determining the number
of digits, the same rule as with the
division applies. Thus, the answer is
8000.
[Answer] 8000 FT

B Calculation of climbing rate

[Pro ble m ]
Climbing rate : ?
Climbing time : 18.6 minutes
Altitude to reach : 8000 FT
[Sol ut io n]
1) Adjust 80 on the rotary bezel to 18.6 on
the fixed scale.
2) Find the value on the rotary bezel cor-
responding to 10 on the fixed scale.
The reading is 43.
3) For the purpose of determining the number
of digits, the same rule as with the
division applies. Thus, the answer is
430.
[Answer] 430 FT/minute

C Calculation of climbing time

[Proble m]
Climbing rate : 430 FT/minute
Climbing time : ?
Altitude to reach : 8000 FT
[Sol utio n]
1) Adjust 43 on the rotary bezel to 10 on
the fixed scale.
2) Find the value on the fixed scale corre-
sponding to 80 on the rotary bezel.
The reading is 18.6.
[Answer] 18.6 minutes

A - 2) A - 1)
B - 1) B - 2)
C - 2) C - 1)

■ UNIT CONVERSION
Distance unit can be converted among nauti-
cal miles, statute miles and kilometers.
[conversion among nautical miles,
statute miles and kilometers]
A Nautical miles → Statute miles
Nautical miles → K i l o m eter s
[Pro ble m ]
35 nautical miles → ? statute miles
→ ? kilometers
[S ol utio n]
1) B r i n g t h e N A U T i n d e x o n t h e r o t a r y
bezel in line with 35 on the fixed scale.
2) Find the value on the fixed scale corre-
sponding to the STAT index of the rotary
bezel. The reading is 40.3.
3) Find the value on the fixed scale corre-
sponding to the KM index of the rotary
bezel. The reading is 64.8.
[Answer] 40.3 statute miles
64.8 kilometers

B Statute miles → Nautical miles

Statute miles → K i l o m e ter s
[Pro ble m ]
40.3 statute miles → ? nautical miles
→ ? kilometers
[Sol utio n]
1) B r i n g t h e S T A T i n d e x o n t h e r o t a r y
bezel to 40.3 on the fixed scale.
2) Find the value on the fixed scale corre-
sponding to the NAUT index of the rotary
bezel. The reading is 35.
3) Find the value on the fixed scale corre-
sponding to the KM index of the rotary
bezel. The reading is 64.8.
[Answer] 35 nautical miles
64.8 kilometers

C Kilometers → Statute miles

Kilometers → Nautical miles
[Pro ble m ]
64.8 kilometers → ? statute miles
→ ? nautical miles
[S ol ut io n]
1) Adjust the KM index on the rotary bezel
to 64.8 on the fixed scale.
2) Find the value on the fixed scale corre-
sponding to the STAT index of the rotary
bezel. The reading is 40.3.
3) Find the value on the fixed scale corre-
sponding to the NAUT index of the ro-
tary bezel. The reading is 35.
[Answer] 40.3 statute miles
35 nautical miles

A - 1) A - 2) A - 3)
B - 2) B - 1) B - 3)
C - 3) C - 2) C - 1)

Markings on the rotary slide rule

C lassif i- Marking E xp lanatio n
cat io n
Distance NAUT Abbreviation of
nautical mile
1 NAUT = 1.852 km
STAT Abbreviation of
statute mile
1 STAT = 1.609 km
KM Abbreviation of
k i l o m e t er
1 KM = 3,280 feet
FT Abbreviation of feet
Speed MPH Abbreviation of miles
per hour
1 MPH = 1.609 km/h

* 1 knot = 1 NAUT/h = 1.852 km/h

Printed in Hong Kong