Flight Bag Recommendations?

So its sounds like we're all in agreement then :)
 
This thread has made me realize I am either woefully unprepared or some of you are overly prepared for flight! Ipad, sunglasses, and headset is all I usually have.
 
This thread reminds me.
I finally ran out of Zulu pads for my knee board, and the Velcro on the knee board itself has basically died. So I "need" a new solution.
What are you using to write out IR clearances, wind, notes.... The Zulu was great that it had predefined spots for CRAFT, and was just a little larger than a 5x7 card.

Tim
 
Grum.Man said:
This thread has made me realize I am either woefully unprepared or some of you are overly prepared for flight! Ipad, sunglasses, and headset is all I usually have.
Click to expand...

Well, I'm still clinging to the "old days", having just re-joined aviation in the Age of the iPad and not being fully convinced that that little magic box is going to be there for me every step of the way. So the paper charts are super redundant - panel mount GPS, iPad and iPhone all would have to puke before I'd really *need* the paper. But I'm also of a Certain Age where I value the ability to look at a single big map that can give me immediate information versus a relatively tiny screen that only shows me a small portion of the big map. Most of the other stuff I think I need pretty regularly, save for the flashlight and headlamp which I'll need only for night flight.

tspear said:
This thread reminds me.
I finally ran out of Zulu pads for my knee board, and the Velcro on the knee board itself has basically died. So I "need" a new solution.
What are you using to write out IR clearances, wind, notes.... The Zulu was great that it had predefined spots for CRAFT, and was just a little larger than a 5x7 card.
Click to expand...

I've been trying to use the "Scratchpad" feature in ForeFlight for ATIS notes but find that I need a stylus of some sort - otherwise I can't write legibly and can't keep up. And it's difficult to write on the (yoke mounted) iPad in turbulence. So for now it's back to plain old paper.
 
Grum.Man said:
This thread has made me realize I am either woefully unprepared or some of you are overly prepared for flight! Ipad, sunglasses, and headset is all I usually have.
Click to expand...

I think a lot of it stems from whether or not you're an owner or a renter (also what type of flying you're doing). If you're an owner, most of that stuff stays in the aircraft or the hangar (headsets, knee board, cords, spare batteries, fuel sump jars, etc). As a renter, I have to drag a headset (or two), kneeboard, a few checklists for different aircraft, flashlight, GATS jar, A/FD (or EFB), multitool, a paper towel or two for spills/oil, pens, paper, handheld radio, etc. That said, I bought the Sporty's VFR bag when I started training, and it works pretty well. I like the Brightline bags, but I don't see any real reason to pony up the cash for it. If I owned my own aircraft, it'd be a lot easier to leave a bunch of it in the baggage compartment or map pockets versus slogging it across the ramp.

If you're just doing a quick burger run in severe clear conditions, sure, grab the EFB and a headset and jump in. If you're going on a 300 mile night XC in instrument conditions, maybe you want a few more items in your bag for backup/peace of mind.
 
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Mr.T said:
I've been trying to use the "Scratchpad" feature in ForeFlight for ATIS notes but find that I need a stylus of some sort - otherwise I can't write legibly and can't keep up. And it's difficult to write on the (yoke mounted) iPad in turbulence. So for now it's back to plain old paper.
Click to expand...

Which is why I have a stylus. I'm too cheap to pay Apple for their super expensive one...this works great: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008UGQ064/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1
 
tspear said:
This thread reminds me.
I finally ran out of Zulu pads for my knee board, and the Velcro on the knee board itself has basically died. So I "need" a new solution.
What are you using to write out IR clearances, wind, notes.... The Zulu was great that it had predefined spots for CRAFT, and was just a little larger than a 5x7 card.

Tim
Click to expand...

I use a metal lap desk, basically a clipboard with a small compartment underneath. I can stuff papers and pencils inside, and clip checklists and flight plan or notes on top. In the past I have also used a plain clipboard with two strips of felt attached to the bottom to make it nonslip. I can give either to my copilot or passenger to keep them occupied and engaged in the flight as needed.
 
tspear said:
This thread reminds me.
I finally ran out of Zulu pads for my knee board, and the Velcro on the knee board itself has basically died. So I "need" a new solution.
What are you using to write out IR clearances, wind, notes.... The Zulu was great that it had predefined spots for CRAFT, and was just a little larger than a 5x7 card.

Tim
Click to expand...

Just get a small legal pad, attach to front of iPad mini cover.

I don’t get the strapping things onto your body though? I have a canvas iPad case and it’s never flown off my lap off a seat or out of a seat pocket, no cruising in the FLs, or down in the backcountry.

For me it’s my headset and iPad/notepad, if it’s just a local VFR flight I’ll just bring my hesdset and that’s it.

Only time I’ll grab my flight bag is if I’m doing something stupid, like ferrying a plane that I’m not sure of radio wise or something, think I have a nav/com radio, water bottle, pen and thick drafting pencil, radio to headset adapter, chargers, extra batteries, deck of cards, cool ruler, art gum eraser, sure fire flash light, head lamp, quick clot gauze (...probably expired now), Leatherman, cash, checkbook, think that’s about it, I’ll also tosss jerky and a pistol in it some times, I MAYBE pull that bag out once a year, maybe
 
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Mr.T said:
I've been trying to use the "Scratchpad" feature in ForeFlight for ATIS notes but find that I need a stylus of some sort - otherwise I can't write legibly and can't keep up. And it's difficult to write on the (yoke mounted) iPad in turbulence. So for now it's back to plain old paper.
Click to expand...

I have tried tablet scratch pads and keyboards. I had lots of problems with it. Tablet is not handy to leave on my knee from a space perspective, you cannot rest your hand on the screen and write quickly/effectively, keyboard basically useless typing one handed while flying with the other, if separate fields on the scratch pad for CRAFT, hard to jump between them.... Basically I tried for a while and said this sucks.

James331 said:
Just get a small legal pad, attach to front of iPad mini cover.

I don’t get the strapping things onto your body though? I have a canvas iPad case and it’s never flown off my lap off a seat or out of a seat pocket, no cruising in the FLs, or down in the backcountry.
Click to expand...

<rant>
Shot me before I ever by another Apple product again. After using Apple products since they switched to Intel, I stopped buying their crap a few years ago. They really treat the users like they are idiots and I am tired of being insulted by the technology I use, or by other developers who think they are the only ones who know how people should work.
</rant>

As for the strap aspect, it means I do not have to use two hands to write on it. The knee pad is stable, small, and out of the way.

Tim
 
I’ve always had good luck single handed single pilot without straps.

And same here with apple, I do like the fit and finish, it from making the batteries a pain to change to slowing down phones to force people to buy, apple bugs me sometimes, that said foreflight is a bit of a game changer and the androids just feel cheap when I hold them, so atlesst for tablets and phones I do the apple thing.
 
@James331

Buy a good android that costs as much as the Apple products and you will find the fit/finish matches or exceeds Apple. And some you can even change the battery. :D
I never did like ForeFlight (mostly because I dislike the iOS interface), I have been using Garmin Pilot for a few years. But to be honest, I really do not use it for the full capability. I have been flying with a glass cockpit for so long and dual GNS units that I just do not make use of the tablet smartphone when i fly.

Tim
 
tspear said:
@James331

Buy a good android that costs as much as the Apple products and you will find the fit/finish matches or exceeds Apple. And some you can even change the battery. :D
I never did like ForeFlight (mostly because I dislike the iOS interface), I have been using Garmin Pilot for a few years. But to be honest, I really do not use it for the full capability. I have been flying with a glass cockpit for so long and dual GNS units that I just do not make use of the tablet smartphone when i fly.

Tim
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Fair enough, to each their own
 
I use a 15-20 year old Jansport backpack. Works great.

LAPG makes good stuff though. If you go with their bag, you won't be disappointed. Might be a little sad about having a big bag instead of a more manageable backpack though. :D

Sent from my SM-G935T using Tapatalk
 
I don’t get the idea of paying triple or more for an “aviation” bag, but that’s just me. I keep my stuff in a small sport duffle with end and side pockets. That is easily enough to carry two headsets, iPad, GPS, kneepad, water, ziplock bags with fuel sump and paper towels, headlamp and snacks. And it stays organized. Maybe $15 tops?
 
woodchucker said:
I don’t get the idea of paying triple or more for an “aviation” bag, but that’s just me. I keep my stuff in a small sport duffle with end and side pockets. That is easily enough to carry two headsets, iPad, GPS, kneepad, water, ziplock bags with fuel sump and paper towels, headlamp and snacks. And it stays organized. Maybe $15 tops?
Click to expand...

When these threads come up, I think we have to assume the OP isn't really interested in just using a backpack or whatever. I don't like paying extra for a task-specific bag either, but I found that aviation bags are priced similarly to bags purpose-made for nearly any other industry. The police-style tactical bags had a lot of pockets and features that I don't have much use for, and are missing organizational tools that I do.

For my birthday this year, my fiancee bought the Lightspeed Gann bag. It's indulgent, but I rarely indulge in things like this. It's also *super* nice, and the same price you'd pay for any leather bag of the same size and quality.
 
No matter how uncool my nephew says cargo shorts are, they are my flight bag.
 
I'm a minimalist, so I've got a fairly small bag that's worked well for twentysome years and holds everything I need. And w/o needing to dig for anything. It's a vertical bag and the large compartment is solely for headsets and backup handheld GPS. The back pocket holds the afd, paper sectionals and knee board. The front pocket holds current papers I need for that flight as well as 2 pens, a pencil and a wallet. The side pocket holds the handheld nav/com. I'd guess it weighs maybe 5-6 lbs fully loaded with headsets.

I wish I had it here at work so I could post a picture because it's the perfect bag for a weekend private pilot like me. Handles on top as well as removable straps to wear like a backpack if you want.

What makes it the perfect flight bag is that it was a freebie I picked up at a software conference.
 
Eric Gleason said:
When these threads come up, I think we have to assume the OP isn't really interested in just using a backpack or whatever. I don't like paying extra for a task-specific bag either, but I found that aviation bags are priced similarly to bags purpose-made for nearly any other industry. The police-style tactical bags had a lot of pockets and features that I don't have much use for, and are missing organizational tools that I do.

For my birthday this year, my fiancee bought the Lightspeed Gann bag. It's indulgent, but I rarely indulge in things like this. It's also *super* nice, and the same price you'd pay for any leather bag of the same size and quality.
Click to expand...

Flight bags.....

For pilots who look at other pilots on the ramp and ask themselves," Is he looking at me or my bad ass flight bag? Meh, doesn't matter. I'm coooool!"
 
tspear said:
This thread reminds me.
I finally ran out of Zulu pads for my knee board, and the Velcro on the knee board itself has basically died. So I "need" a new solution.
What are you using to write out IR clearances, wind, notes.... The Zulu was great that it had predefined spots for CRAFT, and was just a little larger than a 5x7 card.

Tim
Click to expand...
Get a standard office clipboard and 5x7 pad from Staples. Glue a couple of strips of rubber from and old mouse pad on the bottom of the clipboard to keep it from slipping. Keep the clipboard on you lap horizontally and clip the pad under the clip. Write CRAFT on the pad. Leave some room for other notes. I always use a decent mechanical pencil instead of a pen in the plane. No sharpening, dried out ink, leaks, etc. It's always good to go.
 
Mr.T said:
I'm looking for a new flight bag - currently using the Sporty's iPad bag but find it not really big enough. I need to carry 2 headsets, a 9.7" iPad, handheld radio and various cables, backup batteries. etc. - plus maybe a paper chart or two (call me old fashioned).

I've looked at the Sporty's "Captain's Bag" but not sure I'm impressed with it.

What else should I consider?
Click to expand...

I spent the money and got the one AOPA sells. The brand is escaping me right now( think it’s flyboys) and it’s a great bag. Has so many compartments and is very well designed. I figure it’s something I’ll probably have forever so why not make it a real quality purchase.
 
I had a Tom Bihn "Copilot" bag as a minimalize briefcase. Now it's my flight bag, and my minimalize briefcase is just an iPad Pro and a yellow legal pad. The bag carries my Clarity Aloft headset (but would haul a Bose A20 if I wanted), Bluelink, Stratux, flashlight, necessary cords, extra earbuds for my Clarity Aloft, extra AA batteries for my flashlight, logbook, steno pad, spare pen, sunglasses, foggles, emesis bags, cell phone wall-plug charger, and iPad Mini, with space to spare. I have my expired paper charts in an AOPA headset bag that lives in the plane. I don't carry a handheld radio except when flying the Cub, but I don't carry my flight bag in the Cub. But I could put the handheld radio into the Copilot bag, as I did recently when I had to use it to fly a plane with a broken radio into a Class D airport for repairs.

I also got a duffel bag from Tom Bihn that is now discontinued, but qualifies as a "personal item" on the airlines and works great as a weekend bag or, its main purpose for me, to have a weekend's worth of clothes and toiletries in the plane on those short cross-country flights that always seem to turn into weather diversions. :)

If you're going to spend some real money on a bag, my vote is to spend the dollars toward quality rather than toward the "flight bag" moniker. Fun fact about Tom Bihn: He got sick of reading "Made in China" written in English on everything, so his bags have a tag that says "Made in America"...written in Chinese.
 
I just bought a Luggageworks Aurora Cooler/combo. I’m not sure it’s exactly what I want but it’s worth a try.
 
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