Ever forgot the keys...

J

Jthamilton

Line Up and Wait
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May 31, 2012
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Steamboat Springs, CO
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Okie182
So I set out this morning to drive the 42 miles to small town where I keep my plane.

Got the 11 year old up at 630 to teach him sleeping all day doesn't get you anywhere. Of course I had it pulled out ready to go by the family that runs our airport. Upon checking my front baggage compartment I knew I had screwed up.

What a way to start my Saturday!!!!!
 
If it's a Cessna, just borrow a couple keys, one of them will work. :D
 
Yup. 30min drive for me, which means an hour round trip. And I have two things I can forget... keys and the RFID badge that opens the gate. Have forgotten both on different occasions. Now I have a real, printed, "BEFORE LEAVING HOUSE" checklist in the flight bag.

If there's any good news here, you won't forget them again for a long while. :)
 
The hangar key is on my car key ring. The airplane keys are clipped to my flight bag. Pretty much impossible to forget them at home.
 
I did that ONCE.

Now there's a set of plane/hangar keys in the console of all four vehicles along with the set that's on the clip in my flight bag.

There's a set of keys to everything important in the console of all four vehicles.
 
I really, really like the fact that our RV has a push button starter -- no key to forget!

Of course, that doesn't help me get in the luggage compartments, or the hangar. Luckily, I live just 4 minutes from the airport.
 
I keep spare keys in the hangar. For the CJR hangar, I've got an old style real estate lock box hanging on the conduit at the end of the hangar row with a spare hangar key. For the NC hangar, most of the doors have combo locks on them anyhow.
 
I keep the keys in the planes, but I have a keys on my truck key ring and so does my son. He has the only hangar key, but they have a spare at the FBO. :D I forgot the keys in the nose baggage lock on the 414 once, only once, but I had to try 5 different keys from the FBO when I landed to get the luggage out! :mad2:
timwinters said:
I did that ONCE.

Now there's a set of plane/hangar keys in the console of all four vehicles along with the set that's on the clip in my flight bag.

There's a set of keys to everything important in the console of all four vehicles.
Click to expand...
 
Haven't done that yet, but I can't count the number of times I got in the plane, headset on, doors closed and locked, seatbelt on, ready to start - and the keys are still in my pants pocket....
 
I actually ALMOST always leave in door while in the hangar. However when I returned from Moab 2 weeks ago I locked it up because I wasn't sure how long if would be until the family that hangars it for me would be before putting it up. Make matters worse I drove my wife's old landcruiser that trip instead of my truck.

The key is for the doors. The toga doesn't require a key to start. I called the wife on the way home asking where by flight bag was. I always keep fuel key and any aircraft keys attached to it, however I just changed up my pattern the last month and it bit me in the butt!
 
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airguy said:
Haven't done that yet, but I can't count the number of times I got in the plane, headset on, doors closed and locked, seatbelt on, ready to start - and the keys are still in my pants pocket....
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Yeah, that's me.

Regarding spare keys, I keep a spare key taped to the backside of an inspection plate. If I need to get access to the plane, it's just a matter of finding a Phillips screwdriver.
 
Brad Z said:
Yeah, that's me.

Regarding spare keys, I keep a spare key taped to the backside of an inspection plate. If I need to get access to the plane, it's just a matter of finding a Phillips screwdriver.
Click to expand...

Logbook entry showing the W&B change? :D
 
I kept a key safety wired a key to the engine mount just inside the oil access door in my Cessna. I never needed the key, but it was there. Now in my Six I keep a set of keys safety wired to the engine mount near the belly of the plane within easy reach. Haven't needed that yet either.
 
Jay Honeck said:
I really, really like the fact that our RV has a push button starter -- no key to forget!

Of course, that doesn't help me get in the luggage compartments, or the hangar. Luckily, I live just 4 minutes from the airport.
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I am with Jay......

My experimental has a push button to light it off.... It does take a key to get into it though..... Spare key is hidden in the hangar... Somewhere.. it has been so long I forgot where I hid it...:goofy::goofy:....:redface:

Hangar is a combo lock
 
We had a student a few months ago lose the aircraft keys while they were out at dinner. Someone had to fly down and give them the spare set.
 
I hang my plane keys up in the springs under the pilot's seat when in the hangar. My A&P knows this.
 
Keep a key in the car,since I have to drive to the plane. Also keep a spare ignition key in the aircraft. On most airplanes almost any key will work the door locks.
 
My claim to fame was locking myself out of two perfectly good trucks and having to hoof it two miles home to get a spare key. Dang, did I feel dumb. Wife got a good chuckle.
 
Norman said:
My claim to fame was locking myself out of two perfectly good trucks and having to hoof it two miles home to get a spare key. Dang, did I feel dumb. Wife got a good chuckle.
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Thanks Norm, I feel better! If I forget the keys again tomorrow there is no way I'm going to post it!:no:
 
I once lost the keys to a Debonair hundreds of miles from home. Local locksmith didn't want to touch it because it was an airplane. Called the mag switch manufacturer who told me there are hundreds of different keys. I ended up just overnighting a new mag switch and swapped them out.
 
jesse said:
I once lost the keys to a Debonair hundreds of miles from home. Local locksmith didn't want to touch it because it was an airplane. Called the mag switch manufacturer who told me there are hundreds of different keys. I ended up just overnighting a new mag switch and swapped them out.
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You had a Deb with a keyed mag switch?

Every Beech plane I've ever flown only had locks on the doors. No key needed to start.
 
Fearless Tower said:
You had a Deb with a keyed mag switch?

Every Beech plane I've ever flown only had locks on the doors. No key needed to start.
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The majority of debs or bonanzas I've flown have a keyed mag switch. Not sure if the change happened when piano keys when away or..
 
airguy said:
Haven't done that yet, but I can't count the number of times I got in the plane, headset on, doors closed and locked, seatbelt on, ready to start - and the keys are still in my pants pocket....
Click to expand...

I think I do that more often than not :mad2:
 
jesse said:
The majority of debs or bonanzas I've flown have a keyed mag switch. Not sure if the change happened when piano keys when away or..
Click to expand...

Interesting. I guess I've only flown one Bo and it had a mag switch just like all of the Travel Airs, Duchesses and Barons I've flown. I assumed it was a standard Beech thing.
 
N747JB said:
If it's a Cessna, just borrow a couple keys, one of them will work. :D
Click to expand...

That's not just a Cessna thing. I have one key on my key ring that will unlock and start all but one airplane at the airport I'm based at. It was originally a key for my parent's old camper.

I just used it today to start a Cherokee that I was working on. The owner always takes the keys home...
 
I have a key ring like this.

pakr2.jpg


I can pop off the plane key so my whole mess of keys aren't dangling in flight.
 
mondtster said:
That's not just a Cessna thing. I have one key on my key ring that will unlock and start all but one airplane at the airport I'm based at. It was originally a key for my parent's old camper.



I just used it today to start a Cherokee that I was working on. The owner always takes the keys home...
Click to expand...


Probably a CH751. Will start or unlock all sorts of things including old Yellow Cabs. Used to be that with a CH751 and two particular GE and Motorola cabinet keys (and a second GE key if it was a Federal installation) one could open up 90% of the gear at any radio site.

Not as common once copper skyrocketed and thieves started stealing grounding systems.

But big bolt cutters and a sawsall will still open just about anything, if noise isn't a problem. ;)
 
N747JB said:
I keep the keys in the planes, but I have a keys on my truck key ring and so does my son. He has the only hangar key, but they have a spare at the FBO. :D I forgot the keys in the nose baggage lock on the 414 once, only once, but I had to try 5 different keys from the FBO when I landed to get the luggage out! :mad2:
Click to expand...

I wish I could find the guys website with all his stories, but there was a (now retired) pilot of a 414 for a business and he had one hell of a story where the first big trip for his boss was to take him and his family to Aspen for some skiing.

He got there and forgot the keys to the luggage compartment in the 414... with the bosses skis in it. He flew all the way back alone to get the damn keys and delivered them to the boss. What a great start.

Anyways, I'm quite sure most typical GA airplane on my field have the keys hidden in them somewhere.
 
Here is my solution to the key problem:

1) Keys (and spare set) in the flight bag
2) Neck lanyard for the primary set - keys go around neck to avoid the "strapped in and keys left in pocket thing"
3) JPI USB drive on neck lanyard using a small carbinder so that I can download the current data without trying to remember where I left the drive.
4) A small flashlight so that I can do my checklists in the dark.
5) a second lanyard with the oximeter if I plan on going on O2.

2a5e4e7u.jpg
 
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