FlyCRJ.com

Press play to begin streaming the audio or right click the text link and choose “Save Target As…” or “Save Link…”

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

Download the MP3 [23 mins.]

Now there are a lot of products out there that a pilot can have but there are only a few that you MUST have. Now granted, some of these things you might not need to have right away but you will down the road. Some of the products I will mention will make your life easier from the start and some, well, just like an insurance policy, you may not need it right away, but you will be glad you have them if the time ever arises that you do. So look over the list and see what makes sense to you now and what you can wait on, but don’t wait too long…

So, is it your first time to take the pilot’s seat and fly your own plane? If so, make sure that you buy the following supplies make your flying for efficient and to ensure your safety during the flight.

About Bags

There are several types of bags that you may need depending on the type of flying you are doing. A student pilot obviously doesn’t need the same type of bags as an airline pilot, but read through the list and see what I mean:

Aviation Headset Bag

A headset bag is a must to protect your headset from damage when not in use. Recently I’ve noticed that if you buy a new headset, the company will include the headset bag with the purchase. That’s cool! But if you already have a headset, then consider getting a headset bag.

As you all know if you have been following this blog for any amount of time, I wore the same David Clark Headset from Private Pilot to the right seat on the EMB-120 Brasilia at ExpressJet . It served its purpose and lasted a long, long time but it lasted so long because I took care of it and kept it safe when I wasn’t wearing it. Then, when I was hired by SkyWest, I bought a refurbished Sennheiser headset as gift to myself and that was six years ago. I still have the Sennheiser HMEC-25-KA Headset and it works great and I attribute that partly to the fact that I protect it in a headset bag when I’m not wearing it.

Aviation Flight Case

There are three types of flight cases that I’m going to recommend. One for student pilots, one for private pilots and beyond, and one for professional pilots.

If you are a Student Pilot, just use a gym bag or backpack for now. There is no reason to buy a flashy flight bag at this point in your career until you know that you are going to stay with it.

When you become a Private Pilot, now you are going to have to invest some money and get a compartmentalized bag to carry your equipment around in. The bag should be easy to access because you are going to want to get to charts, maps, manuals, kneeboards, etc., out pretty easily. In the front seat of any airplane, you don’t have much room so rummaging around for your flight flash light shouldn’t be a major task. Look for dual-styled handles (shoulder and hand straps), the right size, and made of durable weatherproof material. Think of it this way, a carpenter has all his tools in one location and within easy reach. Your flight bag shouldn’t be any different.

Anyway here a few bags that will give you a good idea what you need:

• Noral Student Flight Bag – Plenty of room for all that student pilot needs to carry and more.
• Noral Private Pilot Bag – Same features as the Student Pilot Bag above but bit larger.
• Noral MACH 1 Flight Bag- Outstanding value in a new bag from Noral.

If you are a professional pilot, it is time to get rid of the Private Pilot bag and move on to a heavy duty flight case to keep important flight documents, charts, and maps safe in any situation. I see some professional pilots at my airline using “gym-like” looking bags on the flight line. Now personally I think this is a little unprofessional. Image is everything in the public when viewing a airline pilot. Regardless what you think, you have to look the part. Furthermore, on a more practical note, you need something that is going to carry all those approach plates you have to lug around.

Here are a few bags that I recommend for ease of use, well constructed, professional grade flight case made from a waterproof ballistic material, which means, “it’s going to last!”

• Aerocoast Pro I Flight Case
• Aerocoast Pro II Flight Case

Laptop Bag

If you’ve got a laptop with you, make sure you place it in an appropriate case that isn’t too bulky. It should have a shoulder strap and should hold your mouse and power cables.

• ProLite III Shoulder Case Black
• Black ICON100H4 Nylon Laptop Brief
• Edge Sleeve I Jet Black

Fuel Testers and Gauges

These are two of the most important pilot supplies you can purchase. Fuel testers and gauges let you know if there is something wrong with your fuel, i.e. sediment or water, and lets you know EXACTLY how much fuel you have in your tank. When shopping for fuel testers and gauges, it’s best to buy more than one just in case you misplace it, like leave it on the ramp or on the wing. I’ve never done that! Besides the usual tester and gauge, consider buying a fuel testing cup and one with a screwdriver as well so you can easily unscrew the lock for testing.

• Aircraft Fuel Tester – Fits all quick-drain valves and has an adapter for recessed drains. This is my favorite!
• FuelHawk Universal Fuel Gauge- FuelHawk Universal Fuel Gauge
• Aircraft Fuel Testing Cup – Clear cup with a reinforced steel pin that works with most aircraft.
• GATS Fuel Jar Strainer- This fuel tester allows you to put your preflight fuel samples back into your airplane instead of pouring it out on the ground without wasting it or polluting the ground. Recommended!

Aviation Flash Lights

When I was an instructor, during a night flight, I would turn off all the inside lights and tell my student to fly to the nearest airport and land. Hopefully they would have had their flash light out already. If my student wasn’t carry a working flash light, they most certainly would after that lesson. If they did have a working flashlight, I would say, “Your flash light batteries just ran out, where are your spares?” If they said, “in their bag,” I would ask them to get them out. Can you see where I’m going with this? If my student had an easy to access flight bag, they could get their flash light and batteries without any problem at all. If their flash light was at the bottom of the bag, well, trying to fly the airplane…at night…maybe IMC…AND get their flash light out was real work. 

When shopping for flash lights, always look for dual purpose items that give you light such as 2-in-1 flashlight pens. If you buy an actual flash light, get one with interchangeable “white and green” or “white and red” lens which helps during different phases of flight. The green or red lense doesn’t affect your night vision and having both allows you to distinguish between different symbols on a chart. Buy a flashlight set that’s specifically made for pilots as well. Don’t forget the spare batteries. And don’t forget to have a few light sticks as well!

• Coast TAC Torch 4 Color LED Recon Light – Four color high-intensity LED light. Fantastic flashlight for pilots in a compact, lightweight case.
• Smith & Wesson Galaxy 13 LED Flashlight – Dual color (Red and White) High Powered 13 LED Flashlight. One of the most perfect lights for aviation!
• MAGLITE 3-Cell D Flashlight- Preferred by pilot’s around the world. A great pre and post flight flashlight.

Pilot Kneeboards

When shopping for kneeboards, you’ll usually need – and have space for – only one, so make sure you choose wisely. A good kneeboard should contain information regarding all 24-hour time zones, flight plan sequences, tower light signals, and other important flight information. Make sure it’s the appropriate size (you don’t want it to extend over to your passengers seat or get in the way of any controls), will fit snugly in your cockpit and is made from durable material. I have found over the years that a firm kneeboard works better for me than a floppy one. The floppy one was just to hard to get control of and to write on. The firm kneeboard was also more maneuverable with one hand and easier to control.

• Hendricks 9-G Plus High Performance Kneeboard – Originally designed for high performance Fighter and Attack aircraft! OK…this one totally rocks!
• Ultimate Kneeboard Loose Ring- The Ultimate Kneeboard helps you stay organized in the cockpit and its small size (8″x12″) does not interfere with flight controls.
• Jeppesen IFR Clipboard with Elastic Leg Strap- A great basic kneeboard for IFR pilots.

Flight Plotters

Buy a couple of these in case one breaks. They are not that expensive. You may also want to buy a large flight plotter and a smaller plotter too. To ensure that you’ve accurately mapped out your flight and that you can use it for all types of measurements. A foldable flight plotter or micro plotter works well if you’re lacking in space. Once you get it, make sure you know how to use it, because not all flight plotters are made equal and you don’t want to be learning it while you’re flying.

• Ultimate Rotating Plotter – Rotating azimuth eases flight planning
• Instrument Plotter – 12 scales to accommodate all instrument charts
• Ultimate Micro Plotter – Great for flight bag, shirt pocket or the airplane

Safety Supplies

Lastly, your flight bag should always include things you can use to give you additional safety or protection like a carbon monoxide detector, life vest if flying over extended bodies of water, and a medical kit. If you are flying in remote areas, consider a Personal Locator, a portable GPS system, a portable VHF transceiver radio, and some food and water.

• ACR AeroFix 406MHz Personal Locator Beacon (PLB) w/GPS Interface (2799.2)- If you are flying over remote areas and go down, PLBsare Emergency Life Saving devices and will save your life!
• Garmin GPSMAP 496 (Americas) – This “know-it-all” mini-MFD (Multi-Function Display) puts more power and information at your fingertips than any other portable handheld in the history of aviation.
• Icom IC-A24 NAV-COM Transceiver- Features water resistant construction, long life battery, and Icom’s Flip-Flop Plus frequency scrolling make this transceiver a winner!

So there you have it. Did I buy all of this while I was a pilot. NO! But I did buy most of it. Decide what is important to you and what you will need. Consider making a checklist, leave it in you bag and before you go fly, check your supplies and restock as needed.

To Your Flying Success…

Jeffrey

P.S. Visit MyPilotStore for more ideas on things that will make your flying experience safer…

Related posts you might be interested in:

• Sennheiser HMEC-25-KA Headset Review: What’s So Great About Them?
• My Headset Review

Jeffrey is a captain at a regional airline and flies the CRJ200, CRJ700, and the CRJ900. He has over 4000 hrs of flying experience in many different airplanes and is a Gold Seal flight instructor to his credit. He has recently written “The CRJ200 Quicknote Study Guide” that simplifies the systems of the CRJ200 into a downloadable eBook. Click here to get your copy today!