Tools to carry in plane

supertrooper2002

Pre-Flight
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Aug 30, 2023
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supertrooper2002
New owner looking for suggestions on what to carry in a plane for on the road maintenance. Current list is:
- Oil
- Funnel
- Nitrile gloves
- Paper towels
- Prist / windscreen cleaner
- Spare spark plugs
- Ratchet w/ spark plug attachment
- Fuel stick
- fuel quality checker (water)

Any other suggestions?
 
Adjustable wrench for the spark plug wires, and misc. other random nuts/bolts. Fits metric and inch!
 
The list depends entirely on the terrain below the planned route. The more remote the terrain, the larger the packing list. One list may be nothing more than a credit card and a cell phone. Another list may be a full-on survival kit and enough tools and parts to perform some relatively in-depth maintenance.
 
Second the idea that it should be location dependent, and to include an LED flashlight that runs on AA batteries.
Maybe a tire pressure gauge.
Most places you won't need them, but I always carry chocks. If it's in a windy area, people carry rope.
A knife if you don't already carry one.
Some kind of thing to put the stuff in so it doesn't fly around in the cargo compartment.
 
All of the above are good. I'd also include some hand lotion. Keeps the grease/oil from getting sucked up by dry skin and having oil stained hands for a few days.
 
Pilot.

Oh wait, not that kind of a tool. :rofl:

If 12V plane, bring a lithium jumpstarter pack, especially on longer trips to remote airports. Doubles as a phone charging pack. If 24V, do some research and see if you can find one.
Small handheld radio, with a cable that allows it to operate/charge from the jumpstarter.

If operating in a remote area, bring clothing/24h survival gear appropriate for the conditions.

On the topic of survival, and foods to bring, here's some useful info: metabolism produces about 110 grams of water per 100 grams of fat, 42 grams of water per 100 g of protein, and 60 grams of water per 100 g of carbohydrate. Protein metabolism also generates a lot of urea, requiring even more water to flush it out.
In plain words, don't rely on high protein foods for survival purposes, they'll dehydrate you very quickly if water is scarce. Fat is the best, but most fats don't store well for long duration. Sugar is a great survival food with a very long shelf life, so if you're going to rely on one survival item, bring half a pound or more of cubed sugar with you.
Slightly less on the longevity scale, but probably the best survival food overall when water is an issue, is chocolate. A good mix of fats and sugar with minimal protein content, it will produce about 50-60% of its weight in metabolic water. Best form of survival chocolate? M&Ms, or similar sugar-coated pieces. The sugar coating keeps the pieces intact regardless of how hot it is outside.
 
Tube and tools required to change it. Duck tape.
 
Calamine lotion (modern version)
Fire starter
Machete
Walking stick
Satellite phone or locator
Inflatable doll oh wait wrong forum

Actually I think if you search poa you will see this exact thread except with many more answers
 
Meow what kind plane are we talking here? The answers will vary wildly between a C150 and a Citation X.
 
If high wing, a folding plastic step stool sufficient to reach the fuel caps. Do not bury it under luggage and Oshkosh camping gear. If it is too hard to get to, you might forgo using it when you should, and wind up in a farmers field. Ask me how I know.
 
- One forty-five caliber automatic
- Two boxes of ammunition
- Four days' concentrated emergency rations
- One drug issue containing antibiotics, morphine,
vitamin pills, pep pills, sleeping pills, tranquilizer pills
- One miniature combination Russian phrase book and Bible
- One hundred dollars in rubles
- One hundred dollars in gold
- Nine packs of chewing gum
- One issue of prophylactics
- Three lipsticks
- Three pair of nylon stockings.
 
Dog!
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I don't carry gloves, but I do carry a package of gojo wipes. I'm a grease magnet and if there is some anywhere, I'll end up putting my hand in it.

Otherwise I have a small toolkit, a spare plug/gasket, a little hank of safety wire, and (of all things) a spare rudder pedal.
 
Bojack. Does cost you about ten pounds.
Spare tube
Tube Talc
 
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Basic tool set - fits in a small mechanics bag (barely) or a small WorkPro bag (better). There's other stuff, but you can do a lot with this kit. I'm guessing 15#, keep one in the plane at all times. It's been expanded since (because switched to WorkPro, so had more room), but not a terrible start.

In plane tend to keep extra alternator belt, a few plugs in sealed pouches (aka new), small container of hydraulic fluid, an extra injector of the same type on the engine (N/A if carbureted), spool of safety wire, and plane specific things like for one of them, a 12" 3/8" extension.
 

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BTW, in order to work on your plane legally, an A&P is required to have the airplane’s maintenance documents. Any A&P is likely to have the documents for common planes like a Cherokee or a 172, but maybe not if you fly something less common. I have my plane’s maintenance manual, IPC, etc. on a USB memory stick in my tool bag so I can provide it to a mechanic if necessary.
 
BTW, in order to work on your plane legally, an A&P is required to have the airplane’s maintenance documents. Any A&P is likely to have the documents for common planes like a Cherokee or a 172, but maybe not if you fly something less common. I have my plane’s maintenance manual, IPC, etc. on a USB memory stick in my tool bag so I can provide it to a mechanic if necessary.
Keep all documents for the aircraft, including 337s, AMMs, parts manuals, etc. in the cloud. Each 337 is in its own folder with the permission to use letter, the filed 337 itself, installation manual, user (pilot) manual, and instructions for continued airworthiness. That way the entire history of the aircraft can be viewed at any time. Of course logbooks themselves, AD listings as well as W&B are also there. While this took some time to assemble and scan/download, it has proven very helpful.
 
I don't carry gloves, but I do carry a package of gojo wipes. I'm a grease magnet and if there is some anywhere, I'll end up putting my hand in it.

I find baby wipes to do the trick. The oils in them do a nice job of cutting grease and they are more gentle on hands. They also work good for getting finger prints off of white paint. The gentle chemicals are also leather, vinyl, and plastic safe, and good for doggie slobber…
 
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