What's in your Pilot bag?

Discussion in 'Flight Following' started by easik, Jun 14, 2018.

Tags:
  1. easik

    easik Pre-takeoff checklist

    Joined:
    Jun 24, 2017
    Messages:
    233

    Display name:
    easik
    In other words; what aviation gear do you typically carry with you. I'm curious to know what everyone else carry with them on a normal flight. As a VFR pilot, what I generally have is my headset, logbook, charts/notepad/calculator and a pencil, may be some camera gear.

    What's in your bag? VFR or IFR
     
  2. mscard88

    mscard88 Touchdown! Greaser!

    Joined:
    Oct 1, 2015
    Messages:
    23,217
    Location:
    Alabama

    Display name:
    Mark
    IMG_3739.GIF

    But just when I'm instructing...
     
  3. RDUPilot

    RDUPilot Line Up and Wait

    Joined:
    Feb 5, 2016
    Messages:
    722
    Location:
    Morrisville, NC

    Display name:
    Rough River-MVP '22
    Hmmmm, let me see....

    • Newly purchased Lightspeed Zulu 3 [still waiting to use]
    • ipad w/ Foreflight
    • ipad w/ MiraApp [checklist] @midlifeflyer sold me on it
    • backup IFR charts
    • back AF/D errr Chart Supplement
    • batteries
    • bottle water
    • Knock off GoPro's
    • Flashlight
    • gloves
    • headache medicine [FAA approved]
    I think that about does it...
     
  4. Stickman

    Stickman Pre-takeoff checklist

    Joined:
    Mar 10, 2018
    Messages:
    214
    Location:
    0AK1 Wasilla, AK

    Display name:
    Stickman
    Headset, flashlight, company phone and a stapler.
     
  5. MauleSkinner

    MauleSkinner Touchdown! Greaser!

    Joined:
    Oct 25, 2005
    Messages:
    14,152
    Location:
    Wichita, KS

    Display name:
    MauleSkinner
    I use the CR5 prayer wheel.
     
    mscard88 likes this.
  6. Anymouse

    Anymouse En-Route

    Joined:
    Jul 30, 2007
    Messages:
    3,164
    Location:
    Clinton, AR (Sometimes)

    Display name:
    Total Stud Bush Pilot
    Headset, company IFG, and a gun (required).
     
  7. Stewartb

    Stewartb Final Approach

    Joined:
    Nov 21, 2014
    Messages:
    7,991
    Location:
    Wasilla, AK

    Display name:
    stewartb
    Never had a need for a flight bag. I do carry my helmet in and out of the plane but only in the Cub.
     
  8. jordane93

    jordane93 Touchdown! Greaser!

    Joined:
    Sep 9, 2013
    Messages:
    10,541
    Location:
    Long Island, NY

    Display name:
    Jordan
    Headset, pen, paper.
     
  9. Ted

    Ted The pilot formerly known as Twin Engine Ted

    Joined:
    Oct 9, 2007
    Messages:
    29,485

    Display name:
    iFlyNothing
    iPad and headset is all I carry.

    Curious, do they specify the required gun or do you get to pick?
     
  10. Anymouse

    Anymouse En-Route

    Joined:
    Jul 30, 2007
    Messages:
    3,164
    Location:
    Clinton, AR (Sometimes)

    Display name:
    Total Stud Bush Pilot
    Well, there's a rack full of guns and we check one out prior to the flight, then check it back in after the flight. But they're all the same make and model. We have long rifles as well but they stay on the plane.
     
    Ted likes this.
  11. Half Fast

    Half Fast Touchdown! Greaser!

    Joined:
    May 7, 2016
    Messages:
    11,548
    Location:
    Central Florida

    Display name:
    Half Fast
    Do you really expect me to answer that on a public web forum accessible by the DEA, the IRS, the FAA, and my wife?
     
  12. easik

    easik Pre-takeoff checklist

    Joined:
    Jun 24, 2017
    Messages:
    233

    Display name:
    easik
    Lmao... well let's keep it legal. You may proceed with caution Sir :D
     
  13. Ted

    Ted The pilot formerly known as Twin Engine Ted

    Joined:
    Oct 9, 2007
    Messages:
    29,485

    Display name:
    iFlyNothing
    Interesting info, thanks.
     
  14. Half Fast

    Half Fast Touchdown! Greaser!

    Joined:
    May 7, 2016
    Messages:
    11,548
    Location:
    Central Florida

    Display name:
    Half Fast

    A pencil.
     
  15. Zeldman

    Zeldman Touchdown! Greaser!

    Joined:
    Jun 13, 2014
    Messages:
    16,170
    Location:
    high desert NM

    Display name:
    Billy
    Student pilot on left, instructor on right.....
    [​IMG]


    My flight bag....

    [​IMG]
     
    easik and mscard88 like this.
  16. Anymouse

    Anymouse En-Route

    Joined:
    Jul 30, 2007
    Messages:
    3,164
    Location:
    Clinton, AR (Sometimes)

    Display name:
    Total Stud Bush Pilot
    Yep! The size of my flight bag, and the contents, have both gotten smaller as my flight time has grown.
     
    ChrisK and Zeldman like this.
  17. 455 Bravo Uniform

    455 Bravo Uniform En-Route

    Joined:
    Aug 18, 2015
    Messages:
    4,882
    Location:
    KLAF

    Display name:
    455 Bravo Uniform
    Logbook stays home after I got my license, unless I fly with a CFI.

    Highlighter, chart and ruler for planning and backup.

    iPad WiFi only for charts and info, flight dedicated non-service iPhone for GPS.

    Knee/clip board, pens, and paper.

    2 granola bars, water.

    Some weather planning forms, and my spare checklist.

    Spare key. Thumb drive with maintenance and parts manuals.

    Ziplock with change and small bills for tips and snacks.
     
    mcdewey likes this.
  18. NoHeat

    NoHeat En-Route

    Joined:
    Jul 27, 2009
    Messages:
    4,887
    Location:
    Iowa City, IA

    Display name:
    17
    I thingies: Ipad, mini-ipad for backup, kneepad for mounting the ipad, USB cables for charging ipads.

    USB drives: subscription data for avionics, airplane logbooks.

    Flashlights.

    Printouts of the approach plates for my destination.
     
  19. midlifeflyer

    midlifeflyer Touchdown! Greaser!

    Joined:
    May 25, 2006
    Messages:
    15,681
    Location:
    Chapel Hill NC

    Display name:
    Mark
    I guess backhanded compliments are still compliments, huh? :D Did you buy a subscription or are you using the freebie?

    [For those who don't know, my comment about MiraCheck has consistently been on the order of, "I don't like electronic checklists, but MiraCheck is the best I've seen."]
     
  20. SkyDog58

    SkyDog58 Ejection Handle Pulled

    Joined:
    Jun 11, 2015
    Messages:
    14,601
    Location:
    My own special place.

    Display name:
    Canis Non Grata
    I knew it!!

    upload_2018-6-14_14-38-8.jpeg
     
    Ted likes this.
  21. Eric Gleason

    Eric Gleason Pre-takeoff checklist

    Joined:
    Sep 6, 2016
    Messages:
    489
    Location:
    Albany, NY

    Display name:
    Eric Gleason
    I fly club planes and have been caught a couple of times without things I really needed, so my bag is more full than some of yours. I'm daydreaming of the day when I own my own plane and can just leave all my crap in it!

    Headset
    iPad, charging cable, RAM mount
    Small clipboard
    Checklists
    Couple of different small flashlights
    Spare batteries
    Scout ADS-B
    Pens & pencils
    Foggles (just because the bag has plenty of room and I'll lose them in the house)
    1 oz sunscreen
    1 oz bug repellent

    Until I got the RAM mount for the iPad I was happy with a little headset bag. Now I have a medium/big bag, which is roomy enough to fit headsets for my kid and fiancée when they're coming with me. I could probably a change of clothes and a toothbrush in there if I were going on an overnight trip by myself.



    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
     
  22. bflynn

    bflynn Final Approach

    Joined:
    Apr 24, 2012
    Messages:
    9,176
    Location:
    KTTA

    Display name:
    Brian Flynn
    Well, let's see

    Headset
    ipad
    stratux, battery, cables
    knee board, paper pad, pen.
    The log sheet from my last CAP flight.
    spare glasses
    old paper chart from like 3 cycles ago that I keep telling myself to throw out. I'll do it before the next flight
    3 crumbled up hangar steak wrappers
    pack of 8 AA batteries...why do I have these, I don't even haven anything that runs on AA batteries anymore
    3 more pens. I'm paranoid about losing them.
    2 flashlights...oh, wait, these run on batteries. Nevermind.
    My son's child sized Sigtronics headset. I think this can be expanded, need to look at that.
    broken plastic plotter
    E6B, but I don't know why

    I sometimes also carry my day pack which contains generic first aid and survival gear.
     
  23. GMascelli

    GMascelli En-Route

    Joined:
    Jul 27, 2005
    Messages:
    3,389
    Location:
    Ocean City, MD

    Display name:
    GaryM
    iPad mini and an iPad for back up. Since I video I carry a small headset bag with cameras, charging cables, and spare batteries. Everything else stays in the plane.
     
  24. Zeldman

    Zeldman Touchdown! Greaser!

    Joined:
    Jun 13, 2014
    Messages:
    16,170
    Location:
    high desert NM

    Display name:
    Billy
    Of course we can't forget the original contents of a flight bag.....courtesy of Major Kong....

    - 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 Rooshian 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.
     
    Bobanna likes this.
  25. luvflyin

    luvflyin Touchdown! Greaser!

    Joined:
    May 8, 2015
    Messages:
    14,981
    Location:
    Santa Barbara, CA

    Display name:
    Luvflyin
    Stapler ???? To what, staple the FO's lips shut?
     
  26. luvflyin

    luvflyin Touchdown! Greaser!

    Joined:
    May 8, 2015
    Messages:
    14,981
    Location:
    Santa Barbara, CA

    Display name:
    Luvflyin
    This needs audio/visual

     
    Ted and Zeldman like this.
  27. donjohnston

    donjohnston Pattern Altitude

    Joined:
    Aug 14, 2013
    Messages:
    2,085
    Location:
    Panama City, FL

    Display name:
    Don
    What is this "bag" you speak of? :D
     
  28. Stickman

    Stickman Pre-takeoff checklist

    Joined:
    Mar 10, 2018
    Messages:
    214
    Location:
    0AK1 Wasilla, AK

    Display name:
    Stickman
    They always staple the whole package (45-50 pages) in one big wad. To make it usable you need to redo everything.
     
  29. SkyDog58

    SkyDog58 Ejection Handle Pulled

    Joined:
    Jun 11, 2015
    Messages:
    14,601
    Location:
    My own special place.

    Display name:
    Canis Non Grata
    Headed to Vegas?
     
  30. benyflyguy

    benyflyguy En-Route PoA Supporter

    Joined:
    Jan 1, 2018
    Messages:
    3,684
    Location:
    NEPA

    Display name:
    benyflyguy
    I see a lot of double iPad setups. I use my iPad for foreflight. But find it has potential for a lot of distraction but a lifesaver when ifr cleared to a different fix in the air then you filed for. So nice to look up route. I don’t think I’d havinf a backup for that as I see it as pretty full proof.
    For the double set ups out there are you guys using it more for constant navigation functions??
     
  31. chemgeek

    chemgeek En-Route

    Joined:
    Dec 5, 2009
    Messages:
    2,768

    Display name:
    chemgeek
    Flashlight (for night preflight)
    Headlamp (useful for night flight)
    Portable radio (nice for ATIS and clearance)
    Pencils
    Portable GPS with XM WX capability
    Spare batteries for headset and radio
    GPS and AP manuals (required by STC)
    Tablet with EFB maps and plates
    POH
    Performance charts and flight planning forms
    Printed approach charts of destination and home if applicable. I still prefer these if available to reading the tablet as I can clamp to the yoke easily.

    Headsets, clipboard, CO detector, fuel tester, whiz wheel, XM WX puck, stay in plane. I carry my phone with EFB software as another map backup.

    I could leave much of this in the plane, but like to have some at home for reference or maintenance.
     
  32. Kritchlow

    Kritchlow Final Approach PoA Supporter

    Joined:
    Dec 2, 2014
    Messages:
    7,496

    Display name:
    Kritchlow
    My wife
     
  33. 455 Bravo Uniform

    455 Bravo Uniform En-Route

    Joined:
    Aug 18, 2015
    Messages:
    4,882
    Location:
    KLAF

    Display name:
    455 Bravo Uniform
    Big iPhone on the yoke for GPS nav. No WX or traffic.

    IPad on my lap (loose) as a chart, A/FD, taxi diagrams, etc. No GPS or anything live.
     
  34. RDUPilot

    RDUPilot Line Up and Wait

    Joined:
    Feb 5, 2016
    Messages:
    722
    Location:
    Morrisville, NC

    Display name:
    Rough River-MVP '22
    I did buy the subscription... Its a very cool app, with the new headset I am looking forward in using the USB pairing so i can talk back to it while it reads my checklist. :D
    #technology
     
  35. James331

    James331 Ejection Handle Pulled

    Joined:
    Apr 18, 2014
    Messages:
    20,309

    Display name:
    James331
    Depends on what's in the plane, but for me headset and iPad, or if it's just local just my headset, no bag.
     
  36. NoHeat

    NoHeat En-Route

    Joined:
    Jul 27, 2009
    Messages:
    4,887
    Location:
    Iowa City, IA

    Display name:
    17
    My ipad overheats quite often, in the sun. I use it while in cruise (navigation, weather, traffic) and for approach plates. So I need a backup.

    The overheating usually happens in cruise, but recently I was doing an IPC, and as I began an approach the ipad overheated.
     
  37. Topper

    Topper Pre-takeoff checklist

    Joined:
    Nov 18, 2012
    Messages:
    416
    Location:
    Benton

    Display name:
    Topper
    It depends, local flight for training, mx , proficiency, etc. = headset. few hundred miles clear and a million = headset, flashlight, multi tool and iPad to file/situational awareness. Long xc, weather, multiple day trip = full flight bag, stratus, chargers, backup ipad, pulse oximeter, flashlight, extra batteries, flashlight, multi tool, extra pens. Plus I keep database cards in my big bag.

    Jim
     
  38. BrianNC

    BrianNC En-Route

    Joined:
    Feb 2, 2009
    Messages:
    2,968
    Location:
    Atlanta

    Display name:
    BrianATL
    Headset, logbook, key to the hangar, pen, checkbook (since I'm training for commercial).
     
  39. Eric Gleason

    Eric Gleason Pre-takeoff checklist

    Joined:
    Sep 6, 2016
    Messages:
    489
    Location:
    Albany, NY

    Display name:
    Eric Gleason
    I built a computer cooling fan into my RAM mount to help with this. A sun shade also helps a lot. I'm too cheap to pay for the xnaut cooling mount.


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
     
  40. ETres

    ETres Line Up and Wait

    Joined:
    Oct 7, 2012
    Messages:
    703

    Display name:
    ETres
    Since I'm a pilot, it's a big bag that contains both my left and right testicles.
     
    Eric Gleason likes this.