Things you use in your cockpit

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Movie85

Filing Flight Plan
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Tom
Hey Pilots,

I was wondering what kinds of special equipment you use in flight in your cockpit. Maybe you could share some cool little gadgets which help you, or even things you built on your own. It could be anything, like an iPad with a suction mount, a special DIY kneeboard, a nice beerholder (joking), you name it. I am curious! :goofy:

For the time being I'm just using a simple kneeboard and a pen. I have my phone attached in the middle of my cockpit using some velcro, so I can see the time, and have my little moving map. I recently bought an iPad mini, so I will start using it. Any advice regarding the mounting?

Just share all your nice tips and tricks! I think we all can learn from each other :yes:

Tom
 
This saves my back on long legs:

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I carry two pencils. In case I drop one. I use the flight can as a lap board. In my flight bag I just carry my headset and a current WAC and a blue light flashlight. And my pistol. The plane is equipped with Jeppson books.

And welcome to the board.!!!
 
I keep my "moving map" sectional on my kneeboard with backup approach plates. Always have two pens. Everything else is in the panel.
 

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Be sure to get the essential metal landing calculator
 
Zeldman said:
I carry two pencils. In case I drop one. I use the flight can as a lap board. In my flight bag I just carry my headset and a current WAC and a blue light flashlight. And my pistol. The plane is equipped with Jeppson books.

And welcome to the board.!!!
Click to expand...

What's a "flight can"?
 
Made this holder (from scrap acrylic) at work. Cut it on the CNC. Holds my pen, cell phone and anything else I need.
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Tom,
mounting options for the iPad mini will vary depending on the aircraft. what is it going into?
 
Do not ask 6PC about the things he uses in his cockpit...
 
iPad 2 (RAM mount to window) with WingX, SkyRadar box for ADS-B in, XM radio....sometimes.
 

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@Zeldman Thanks for the welcome! Why are you using a blue flashlight?

@Badger When I am in the States I tend to fly Cessnas, here in Germany I fly a Dynamic WT9, it has a "glass bubble" cockpit (don't know how to describe it, like an Extra300), so I thought about a suction mount...


Gesendet von iPad mit Tapatalk
 
The G3000 does everything so I don't really do any gadgets like Ipads. I do use plenty of sunshades though.
 
I use an 8.5x11 metal clipboard. On the back I put two wide strips of the fuzzy side of velcro to add some friction from sliding. It holds my flight plan waypoint notes, ATIS info, etc. and a checklist.
 
Aside from ForeFlight/Stratus 2 on an iPad Air 2...

A New Trent 12000 mah USB charger that can charge iPad and Stratus simultaneously with the iPad screen ON. I don't use the cig lighter. I just don't want to.

Travel John silica gel pee bags. Can't always use them - depends on pax. But they sure come in handy. FAR better IMHO than having some bucket sloshing around. With these they gel up and I put them in with the trash. Give them 20 seconds to gel and they do. not. spill.

Spot GPS Messenger/Tracker

Sometimes I use a tri-fold knee board with Post-It notes. I like to be able to stick the latest info up someplace if needed (usually not, honestly).

Pilot Eyes sunglasses, or Oakley Taper.

Rosen sun visors

A stick-on suction cup altitude bug. Really. Best purchase for the money ever.

Sporty's E6B app on ipad for calculating TAS and top of descent (which WingX does automatically... hello Tyson are you listening? :D)

Scopolamine for my wife - eliminates motion sickness completely for her.

iPads for the kids, neck pillows for all but the PIC.

Soft-sided cooler with snacks and drinks.

Thin fleece stadium blankets for kids or wife.
 
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one of the greatest inventions that I've found are Overhead Projector Pens ==>
They are dark, don't smudge unless you need them to (spit, water, or alcohol does an immediate and full erasure) and is convenient for writing on the windows while your lap is busy with other gadgets and toys

And, I fully concur with Rosen Visors!
 
Movie85 said:
@Zeldman Thanks for the welcome! Why are you using a blue flashlight?
Click to expand...

Protects your night vision.

Red light will also protect your night vision, but a lot of pilots with military/government backgrounds use blue or green lights because red light is not compatible with Night Vision Devices.

I use green lights myself.
 
I carry my tablet and handheld to the plane each flight. I use a metal kneeboard. I laminated a 5x8 index card which I take notes on using a grease pen. I have a second clipboard that I have a stack of kneeboard size airport data sheets courtesy of AOPA for the local and frequent airports I fly to.
 
This is realistically all I ever actually use aside from a headset. Got a bag of goodies including paper charts that I never get out in case this stuff fails but it never has.

May not even get this much out if it's a local flight in familiar territory.

For a cross country I make a cheat sheet in the notebook-just essential
Frequencies for the airport I'm departing from/going to and a quick sketch of the runway at an unfamiliar field with a reminder arrow for the direction I'm coming from. Fore flight and the gns430 in my panel will both get me the same data but it's handy to just have it jotted down.

I used to write down squawk codes and frequencies I got while doing flight following but I'm now it the point where it's just as fast/easy to plug it into the radio/transponder as I'm acknowdging the call.
 

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Clark1961 said:
Do not ask 6PC about the things he uses in his cockpit...
Click to expand...

You should see the quantity and variety of things in the baggage compartment. I swear I saw something inflatable, wooly, and with fishnet stockings one time....
 
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I forgot one important item...

Petzl Tactikka LED headlamp with flip-down red filter. I carry two. They weigh nothing, last forever on 3 AAAs, have 3 intensity settings plus flash, and I use them for lots of things, not just night flying. Even during the day I find I need light for, say, checking hydraulic fluid in the reservoir under the panel (dark), looking under the belly at landing gear, looking in the nose and up under the cowl, etc.

For those who don't want red light, they have an RGB version too that lets you use whatever color you want but I've never tried it.
 
Like many new pilots... I was gadget heavy.....

Now a big mess of hours later...

Headset
Kneeboard (small clipboard with elastic strap, small clip board)
Timer (small, kitchen, $10, grocery store, clipped to kneeboard
Pens
Flashlights (3 or 4. One on lanyard that I wear when night flying)
Batteries
iPad (my EFB )
post-its
instrument covers (for instrument flight training)
checklists (rolled my own based on PoH and equipment manuals)

One item someone suggested to have when doing longer cross countries: A go bag with change of clothing, toilet kit, and meds. This way if I get stuck away from home I got what I need.
 
I still use a kneeboard, paper and pen... I just can't get used to writing with my finger on the Ipad... I also have problems reading it once I do.
 
I fabricated a piece of 2" x 8" aluminum and bent a right angle into it. That is velcro'd to the "A pillar" right in front of me, above and to the left of the yoke. Velcro'd to the pillar, tablet velcro'd to that. Should take a photo; works great, won't fly w/o one.

Up front, in yo' face EFB. Just be careful to mount it high enough that full back yoke doesn't hit it. Ask me how I know.

XGPS170 for ADS-B.
10,000mah USB battery charger for said tablet/GPS receiver
Backup Android recording My Tracks.
Two digital wristwatches, minus straps, velcroed to panel.
One reads local time, other is an engine timer
Pens and pencils velcrod to the glare shield.
Kneepad. I've been experimenting with one on each thigh.
I normally fly with a baseball hat on. One of those red LED cap lights works great for night flying.
 
Piece of string. Goes around the neck and pen is attached to the end. I have dropped my last #%&(%@* pen
 
12volt usb charger with cords for phone iPad and stratus. Knee board, which I don't use much. Ipad with fore flight. Several pens in holder and couple small flashlights and a oximeter which I don't often use. Bottle or two of water. Most flights are 1000 miles or so though..
 
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