Stuff to have with you on cross countries?

Do people have to pee every 5 minutes? I pee like twice a day.

1. bring what ever is required to keep you legal.
2. Bring a camera.
 
peerlesscowboy said:
An extra quart of oil (or two depending on your engine) and don't forget a funnel or some convenient way of getting the oil from the container into the engine.
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Yes! Oil, a small paper funnel, and a ziplock bag to put the used funnel in after in case there is not trash bin available.
 
I've only got 3.9 hours. Before the third scheduled lesson, my CFI called and said the alternator died during run up.
"So what happens if it dies after takeoff?"
"Call the tower, tell 'em you're coming back. But your radio is probably dead."
I bought a hand held nav com radio that same day. I wanna always be able to communicate and ask for help when/of I need it.

Have fun!
 
I flew over 1,000 hours of cross county flights over about 9 years when I had my business (2004-2013) and on the typical trip I took:

Oil
Funnel
Screwdriver (six-way)
Ties down ropes
One set of mini-chocks
Fuel sump tester
"Fuel Hawk" fuel gage
Plexiglass cleaner and a couple of old t-shirts
Cowl plugs
A roll of paper towels
A handheld comm.
A pulseoximeter
A couple of empty one liter bottles clearly marked "out" with a sharpie. Like this one, with the "flip top" superglued on and the "loopie thing" cut off.

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I never carried spare tires, spare mags, spare vacuum pumps, spare alternator belt, etc. I always took the approach of proactively maintaining the bird to minimize the chances of needing a part instead of carrying parts in case something broke. I was stranded with a breakdown exactly once in those 1,000+ hours.

I also don't subscribe to the "dress for egress" philosophy. I simply dress for today's weather. If I'm flying a four hour XC in the summer then you'll find me in Tevas, shorts and a t-shirt. That attitude might change if I was flying out west though. Sure, there are some remote places around here also but how many people "dress for egress" (or worse, for Armageddon) when driving their car? And I guarantee you that in the Ouachitas and Smokies there are plenty of places that, if you ran off the road, they wouldn't find you for days and you'd never climb back up to the road.

I could prepare for WWIII when I fly but, considering the remote possibility of it happening, that's likely not a wise use of my time and resources.

That's just my approach, nothing more nothing less and I'm not dissing anyone who feels otherwise (and that seems to be a necessary disclaimer around here lately).
 
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timwinters said:
I never carried spare tires, spare mags, spare vacuum pumps, spare alternator belt, etc.
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Mags, vacuum pump, belts, sure those one can somewhat predict useful life. Perhaps on a 182 it is fair to say tires and tubes may be predictable also. In my plane however, you allow the tire pressure to drift a little low and one landing the tire will flex on the rim pinching the tube between the tire bead and rim resulting in a flat. I have had at least 4 flats in the last 800 hours or so. Because of this, I carry spares.
My carry list parallels yours otherwise though.
 
timwinters said:
Funnel

A couple of empty one liter bottles clearly marked "out" with a sharpie. Like this one, with the "flip top" superglued on and the "loopie thing" cut off.

.
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The "funnel" can be easily made with a used plastic oil quart bottle. Use the oil up and then cut the bottle in half laterally. The top half (the part where the cap was) makes a neat funnel and the next oil quart slips quite easily into the funnel.

Make a second one and put it through the dishwasher a couple of times. If it comes time to use the one liter bottle for downloading human hydraulic fluid and it happens to be your female partner's fluid, the funnel comes in handy to make sure that most of the fluid gets into the bottle. Them girls ain't got a fluid transfer hose to aim like we do.

Jim
 
One thing I have that is not listed is a passenger briefing card. I give it to my passenger when I'm doing the engine start. By the time he/she is finished, the engine is running and the headsets are on and I can tell him/her the direction of take off and departure. It is also the time when I check the intercom.

I also have a couple of empty Gatorade bottles with the wide mouth. With my BPH, a three hour flight means I'll need at least one. I consider these single use items. I don't think I would ever try to add to one that is already used.

My tools: a 6-in-1 screw driver, instrument panel Allen wrench, spark plug wrench, safety wire pliers, 1/4 inch drive with sockets for the seat belts and wheel, small needle nose pliers, stretch insulation tape and white duct tape to match the plane paint. I also have a box of 3-6 of each type of screw and washer for the plane a wheel cotter pin and safety wire. I carry one quart of oil when I cross country and a bottle of water and a few rags to wipe the plane down when I land. I have wheel chocks and tie down ropes.
 
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Basically bring your judgement and your confidence and go. You are way over thinking a 2 1/2 flight.
 
weirdjim said:
The "funnel" can be easily made with a used plastic oil quart bottle.
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Actually funnel was a misnomer. More accurately, I carry an oil spout. Can't put oil in my 182 without it.

FORANE said:
In my plane however, you allow the tire pressure to drift a little low and one landing the tire will flex on the rim pinching the tube between the tire bead and rim resulting in a flat. I have had at least 4 flats in the last 800 hours or so. Because of this, I carry spares.
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Makes perfect sense to.
 
cgrab said:
One thing I have that is not listed is a passenger briefing card.
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I use S.A.F.E.T.Y.

Seats and seat belt operation/adjustments
Air...how to work the air vents
Fire Extinguisher, where it's at. How/when to use it.
Exiting, there's your door, use it. If I tell you to open it in flight, do it.
Talking, what it means when I say "sterile cockpit" and when I'll say it.
You...do you have any questions?

Simple to remember. Covers the important stuff.

I go over this before we enter the plane, each of us standing at an open door.
 
On my longest xc leg, maybe a couple hours, a cold drink of water and a couple of chocolate chip cookies sure hit the spot.
 
FORANE said:
Mags, vacuum pump, belts, sure those one can somewhat predict useful life. Perhaps on a 182 it is fair to say...
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In a 182, or anything else with an O-470, might as well bring a couple spare cylinders and enough tools to do a partial top end overhaul on the ramp :p:p:p
 
When I'm truly traveling cross country I like to toss in a tent, sleeping bag, cooler with lots of bottles of frozen water (can keep food chilled for a good while), PLB, traffic vest, first aid kit, other things people have already mentioned...
 
timwinters said:
I also don't subscribe to the "dress for egress" philosophy. I simply dress for today's weather. If I'm flying a four hour XC in the summer then you'll find me in Tevas, shorts and a t-shirt. That attitude might change if I was flying out west though. Sure, there are some remote places around here also but how many people "dress for egress" (or worse, for Armageddon) when driving their car? And I guarantee you that in the Ouachitas and Smokies there are plenty of places that, if you ran off the road, they wouldn't find you for days and you'd never climb back up to the road.

I could prepare for WWIII when I fly but, considering the remote possibility of it happening, that's likely not a wise use of my time and resources.
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I have a friend that straps his kbar onto his lower leg during x/c flights. Some think it's over kill. But hey if you go down in some parts of Arkansas you may be sitting/walking for a day or so.
 
I carry a portable high-output backup battery that can charge any device, including my ipad with screen on. Keeps that load off my electrical system. I guess I don't trust the ciggy lighter thing plus ipad cords are criminally short.

A company called New Trent makes a few models that can actually charge a full size ipad with screen on full brightness and charge another device simultaneously. The one I have is like 2.5" x 2.5" x 1" but it is a couple years old and I believe they have newer ones.
 
Well, since David Pretty much covered the necessities. May I suggest you land at one other location near your destination and log this flight to conform to the Solo XC for Commerical experience?

61.129

One cross-country flight of not less than 300 nautical miles total distance, with landings at a minimum of three points, one of which is a straight-line distance of at least 250 nautical miles from the original departure point. However, if this requirement is being met in Hawaii, the longest segment need only have a straight-line distance of at least 150 nautical miles

Oh, And ALWAYS take tiedowns and Chocks with you. Always, even for a quick day trip.
 
Good grief, quit teasing him! :nono:

He's probably going to believe you and actually carry all that stuff! :yikes:
 
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