Flight Bag Pireps

I have one of the Sporty's bags that SWMBO gave me when I was doing my Sport Pilot training. It works pretty well and has held up just fine. Plenty of room for a headset, iPad, Stratux, cables, batteries, kneeboard, etc. It got lots of use while I was training and renting, but now that I have my own plane I don't have much need for the bag. It will still come in handy when I go flying with someone else, but otherwise all my stuff stays in my plane.

I can recommend the Sporty's bags, though. Well made, good features. Certainly worth receiving one as a gift. ;)

A while back I picked up an old leather "box" style pilot's case from an antique shop. It stays at home but makes a nice place to keep my maintenance and medical records. I believe the shop had acquired it in an estate sale, and it just seemed appropriate to me that the case should continue serving an aviation purpose.
 
A nice trick for my flight bag and head set bag. Because almost all bags are black and easy to mix up, I put square of orange duct tape on the side. No more reaching into someone else’s bag.
 
I showed up at the Instrument Examiner's Course with three Walmart bags tied inside each other and it drove everyone crazy.

I never replaced them and they got rattier and dirtier as the class wore on. I had left my cool pubs bag at home and had to improvise. It was fun to see everyone flip out, despite the fact that they worked well and held up for weeks. :p
 
asicer said:
Sounds like a CFI with whom I once chatted. He said that in the event of a forced landing, you'll wish you had the backpack rather than a flight bag. However, I didn't think to ask whether he was speaking from experience.
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Only if it has the right stuff in it!
 
Rcmutz said:
Only if it has the right stuff in it!
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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.
 
Half Fast said:
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.
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Ready to shoot to kill or bribe, depending on where you go down.
 
Rcmutz said:
I purchased one of these years ago. Haven’t used it much for flying as it is a little to big. Did use for some overseas travel as a carryon.

https://www.sportys.com/flight-gear-cross-country-backpack.html

Will probably buy myself one of these. Like that it sits upright and zippers at the top. Easy to get to things. And will sit nicely on the passenger seat when I am flying solo, which is most of the time.

https://www.sportys.com/flight-gear-ipad-baga.html
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That iPad bag is the latest version of the one SWMBO gave me. It’s a decent bag.
 
Half Fast said:
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.
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I’d rather have a full tank of gas, a half pack of cigarettes, and be wearing sunglasses in the dark. :)
 
I started out with the Flight Gear HP Approach bag, and it was a good bag that I still use sometimes, but I've made the conversion to the Brightline B7 Flex with backpack straps and J-hook compatible handle. Makes it great for traveling and holds about anything I could need for a regular flight.
 
I've got (and use) a Sporty's bag that I've had for a bit over 20 years. Works fine for me.

Good suggestion about using a range bag. I'd need a second one as my range bag is full of range stuff. Being an NRA RSO tends to do that. :)

However, the Sporty's bag seems to be holding up well enough. It should last the rest of my flying days.
 
My free AOPA headset bag has been great for a long time but it’s just a tiny bit too shallow. The hand-held pocket on the side is perfect, the pen/pencil/flashlight/fuel tester pockets on the opposite side are perfect. The headset storage is perfect. But the backside compartment is just a little too small to zip closed when I try to fit both a kneeboard and tablet at the same time. I also stuff in some mechanics gloves I use for preflight. With all that I can’t quite get the zipper to close - almost a perfect score.
 
farangutan said:
Y'all gonna laugh but I sometimes use a big fanny pack that can fit a mini survival kit, water bottle, iPad and other stuff on long trips.
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hey don’t laugh, Another Fanny-pack user here!
It’s the only way to carry what you need when in a tight cockpit. Such as a narrow Tandem seat, or single-seat glider.

especially my single-seat glider , space is tight and there’s no pockets to stash stuff. but need place to put water and snacks, the Fanny-pack is great for this.
 
eman1200 said:
$20 backpack. I stopped looking for a "flight bag" after my gung-ho primary training days.
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There’s a guy around here who has a rolling suitcase that he takes to fly his Skylane. You’d think he’s an airline pilot pulling a weeks worth of his closet with him. I’m like seriously? You really need that much chet to go flying?
 
RyanB said:
There’s a guy around here who has a rolling suitcase that he takes to fly his Skylane. You’d think he’s an airline pilot pulling a weeks worth of his closet with him. I’m like seriously? You really need that much chet to go flying?
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It probably has 80lbs of weights and 10qts of oil. Solves heavy nose during landing and the fact at least one cylinder is always burning oil. Leaves enough room all his STC's and snicker bar.
 
eman1200 said:
$20 backpack. I stopped looking for a "flight bag" after my gung-ho primary training days.
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I'm the same though I recently upgraded to a photo backpack because it has a separate compartment that opens at the top. That's where the camera is supposed to go. it is where I put my headset and my panel lighting kit (headlight). Plenty of room for everything but still more $$ than I was planning on spending.
 
When I was tied down outside I used my flight bag a lot, but since I've been in a hangar is just sits. Don't really need one of those things if you've a hangar.
 
Half Fast said:
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.
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Shoot, a fella' could have a pretty good weekend in Vegas with all that stuff.
 
I've been using my free AOPA headset bag for a few years. Getting long in the tooth and I need something larger, but only a little larger in form. Two instructors at my flight school have this (link) and love it. After looking at theirs, I decided it was a great compromise in size and functionality (despite the price being a little high). It's on its way and I'm gonna try to sell my Brightline on eBay.
https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B0936ZZFBX?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details
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Lon Stratton said:
When this happened to mine a while ago, I found there were hundreds if not thousands of styles of replacement zipper pulls. I considered my bag a "custom" bag after finding several different colors and styles that I liked.

I agree that it's the best bag I've owned.
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I'm cheap.
Large, paperclips.
Then I dab them with "Dip and Grip".
The paperclips are stronger than the original zipper pulls, and the coating makes them comfortable to use.
 
I’m cheap as well. Still using the Gleim bag I got years ago with my ppl written prep material.
 
My old one from my ppl training days wore out so I started looking for a replacement.
About 40 seconds of research told me nope not paying that much for a basic backpack that someone decided to market to pilots.
Grabbed an old camelback daypack out of my closet and it's been working just fine.

It's all gimmicky overpriced junk IMO.
 
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Just find a bag that fits all your stuff and go with it. I found the one I use on a police supply website and has all the pockets and compartments I need. If it is advertised for "aviation" or has a set of wings embroidered on it, you're paying too much and you're not impressing anyone.

I'm starting to not wear all those pilot related tee shirts I bought right after I got my cert. At that point, I thought it was cool to advertise that I was a pilot, now..not so much.
 
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WDD said:
I’m cheap as well. Still using the Gleim bag I got years ago with my ppl written prep material.
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I got a nice black nylon one from Gleim. I recently put all my receipts and instructions in it that are part of my logs. I have too many to fit in a regular brief case and it was too many for a flight bag that I had them in. The Glein case has a open top which makes getting paper work in and out easier.
 
Gary Ward said:
I got a nice black nylon one from Gleim.
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That's the one. I had to replace the zippers, but it cost all of $20 to put in some industrial twin zippers on the top. It's simple - large compartment to shove in your tablet, ADSB receiver, Ram mount, power cords, note book, night equipment, and other what not. Has a few extra extra pockets and compartments to hold your foggles.

I swear, the more money they want you to spend on some of the flight bags the less capacity they seem to have.
 
WDD said:
That's the one. I had to replace the zippers, but it cost all of $20 to put in some industrial twin zippers on the top. It's simple - large compartment to shove in your tablet, ADSB receiver, Ram mount, power cords, note book, night equipment, and other what not. Has a few extra extra pockets and compartments to hold your foggles.

I swear, the more money they want you to spend on some of the flight bags the less capacity they seem to have.
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I won this Lightspeed case from the flight school I went to. I have never used it in the plane as a flight bag, for the last couple 3 years I used for my paperwork for my logs. It got too full and I switched to the gleim bag. I have kept it in that black bag that came with it to keep it clean. Just like your wife's purses!! lol
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In the plane I keep my original flight bag from 2014, it is smaller and sit's on the co pilots floor unless someone fly's with me then it goes in back. I leave it in the plane in the hangar permanently. No picture of it and don't know what the brand is other than it came from Sportys and is holding up fine. I don't think Sportys sells it any more?
IMO flight bags have some nice custom pockets just for us pilots so I like using a real flight bag even though mine is 8 years old now. It was made to hold a I pad etc.
 
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Timbeck2 said:
I'm starting to not wear all those pilot related tee shirts I bought right after I got my cert. At that point, I thought it was cool to advertise that I was a pilot, now..not so much.
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I bought a hat that says "PILOT" on it, with a Honda logo. (Apparently it's a model of SUV.) I felt a little ostentatious about wearing it at first, but I've decided I don't care, and I like the hat.
 
Timbeck2 said:
I'm starting to not wear all those pilot related tee shirts I bought right after I got my cert. At that point, I thought it was cool to advertise that I was a pilot, now..not so much.
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My wife bought me many pilot tee shirts for my birthday and xmas presents. I love her for that. I quit wearing them around my 40 year pilot captain friend….
 
Timbeck2 said:
Just find a bag that fits all your stuff and go with it
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That's really the bottom line issue for everyone. "All your stuff" isn't uniform. At its simplest, the "stuff" carried by a pilot who flies a variety of shared airplanes is very different than the stuff carried a solo owner. Then of course there's the corollary to Parkinson's Law that your stuff expands to fit the available space. Bigger bag = more junk.

I've gone through simple briefcases and backpacks through super-organized Brightline to find the right compromise for me.The smallsh AOPA bag I've been using worked pretty well once I divided my stuff into two piles. Stuff I need every flight (for the flight bag) and things dependent on what I am flying (box in the trunk). Let the bag fit the stuff instead of vice versa.
 
midlifeflyer said:
That's really the bottom line issue for everyone. "All your stuff" isn't uniform. At its simplest, the "stuff" carried by a pilot who flies a variety of shared airplanes is very different than the stuff carried a solo owner. Then of course there's the corollary to Parkinson's Law that your stuff expands to fit the available space. Bigger bag = more junk.

I've gone through simple briefcases and backpacks through super-organized Brightline to find the right compromise for me.The smallsh AOPA bag I've been using worked pretty well once I divided my stuff into two piles. Stuff I need every flight (for the flight bag) and things dependent on what I am flying (box in the trunk). Let the bag fit the stuff instead of vice versa.
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Exactly...I sorted out the stuff that does not need to be in my bag to mainly make it lighter and so I can find stuff in it easier. Flight bag is handy for a lot of things, I don't know where I would put that stuff without a flight bag.
 
midlifeflyer said:
I've been using my free AOPA headset bag for a few years. Getting long in the tooth and I need something larger, but only a little larger in form. Two instructors at my flight school have this (link) and love it. After looking at theirs, I decided it was a great compromise in size and functionality (despite the price being a little high). It's on its way and I'm gonna try to sell my Brightline on eBay.
https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B0936ZZFBX?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details
View attachment 108908
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Follow-up. I returned it. Nice bag but other than my headset, It didn't give me enough extra value compared with the AOPA freebie to justify the cost.
 
I have had this since 1996, holds a ton of stuff, 2 headset pockets etc.

Can’t go wrong for $30

Used nearly weekly and still going strong

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I like the standard "pilot case" type bags like the black one there. I usually just buy them used from the big auction site.

I've got a Noral/Sportys/cencal "medium" bag in burgundy that I'm using now. It's about 12" high by 8" wide by about 18" long. It holds a headset and all the usual stuff, headset, radio, pens, pencils, barf bags, etm.

I used to use a normal backpack back when I was flying more, but it falls over and spills everywhere when the kids kick it in the back seat.

--Matt
 
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