Flying without a kneeboard?

Timbeck2 said:
I cut 3" off my kneeboard with my band saw and filed the edges smooth.
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Me too. Cut an ASA board down to about 2/3rds width so it accommodates a small Post-It style notepad. Added a spring widget on the left to hold a mechanical pencil.
 
SoCal RV Flyer said:
Me too. Cut an ASA board down to about 2/3rds width so it accommodates a small Post-It style notepad. Added a spring widget on the left to hold a mechanical pencil.
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This is a good idea but I don't have the tools needed to cut mine so it will have to do for now
 
Well I see some things here haven't changed. :rofl:

beating a ded horse gif.gif

And over a friggin' kneeboard!
 
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The 9G (smallest one) is awesome. My wife had several from her flying days. All, way too big. My good friend (FANG pilot) also wanted me to use his military stuff...once again way too big. The large ones would hit the yoke when I pulled back and turned right. The 9G wraps around the leg nicely and pencils stay in the right side pocket tight. Note: use longer pencils with this clipboard. I never thought I would use the clear plastic strap but the first time at altitude and the vents blowing the tablet paper was flapping and I was like...duh they thought it this. And you can remove its internal clipboard and just put the small tablet inside and then it really conforms to the leg. We put a card with all the local airport frequencies, VORS and emergency procedures under the clear insert.

One funny note. There was a day when a Army Chinook had landed just beyond the hangar. I went over to say Hi, they invited me in for a tour. I noticed in the cockpit that both pilots had this exact same small 9G. I thought for sure that they would still be using that big military plastic one with the spring to hold the pencils.
 
I find that a simple pad of paper works fine for me.

IMG_0007.jpg
 
None needed. I have seen the writing on the wall.

images
 
Witnessed an RF-4C Phantom crash in Germany because the back seater's (WSO) knee board failed because a clamp or something broke off of the kneeboard, fell and jammed the stick. Pilot and WSO punched out and I watched it glide to the ground. Ever see an F-4 glide? Well they don't.
 
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mscard88 said:
Well I see some things here haven't changed. :rofl:

View attachment 55294

And over a friggin' kneeboard!
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We haven't even got to the Walmart vs. Staples debate yet. Having said that, it's been useful to see how many others (like me) have ditched the knee board in favor of a perfectly functional, non-pilot solution.
 
Walmart vs Staples?

I'll start!

Better selection at Staples of clip boards and not as many strange, uh, people, yeah, people, walking around in there. :yesnod:
 
Sinistar said:
The 9G (smallest one) is awesome. My wife had several from her flying days. All, way too big. My good friend (FANG pilot) also wanted me to use his military stuff...once again way too big. The large ones would hit the yoke when I pulled back and turned right. The 9G wraps around the leg nicely and pencils stay in the right side pocket tight. Note: use longer pencils with this clipboard. I never thought I would use the clear plastic strap but the first time at altitude and the vents blowing the tablet paper was flapping and I was like...duh they thought it this. And you can remove its internal clipboard and just put the small tablet inside and then it really conforms to the leg. We put a card with all the local airport frequencies, VORS and emergency procedures under the clear insert.

One funny note. There was a day when a Army Chinook had landed just beyond the hangar. I went over to say Hi, they invited me in for a tour. I noticed in the cockpit that both pilots had this exact same small 9G. I thought for sure that they would still be using that big military plastic one with the spring to hold the pencils.
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Not sure how old your friend is, but the 9G has been the standard Navy issued kneeboard for quite some time. Same is probably true of the Army. Never seen any big plastic ones.

mscard88 said:
Witnessed an RF-4C Phantom crash in Germany because the back seater's (WSO) knee board failed because a clamp or something broke off of the kneeboard, fell and jammed the stick. Pilot and WSO punched out and watched it glide to the ground. Ever see an F-4 glide? Well they don't.
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Yet another reason not to have a WSO. And if by some stroke of misfortune you do have one, certainly a good reason not to have controls in the back. Navy F-4's had no controls in the trunk.
 
HornetDriver said:
Yet another reason not to have a WSO. And if by some stroke of misfortune you do have one, certainly a good reason not to have controls in the back. Navy F-4's had no controls in the trunk.
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F-15 guy at Eglin told me that WSO was his IP. AF after that incident banned knee boards according to him. The WSO was a good guy and obviously got his wings later on. He was my football coach at Zweibrucken AB in 1971 where this accident occurred. Eagle pilot asked me if knew he was dead. Of course I didn't. Eagle pilot said he was flying an A10 and went into the dirt. RIP Benny Watkins.
 
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HornetDriver said:
Not sure how old your friend is, but the 9G has been the standard Navy issued kneeboard for quite some time. Same is probably true of the Army. Never seen any big plastic ones.



Yet another reason not to have a WSO. And if by some stroke of misfortune you do have one, certainly a good reason not to have controls in the back. Navy F-4's had no controls in the trunk.
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I think they're getting 9Gs in the Army now. I don't know if anyone who kept their plastic / metal issued one after flight school anyway.

http://www.helicoptersonly.com/contents/en-us/p1605.html
 
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Fearless Tower said:
When I used to use an actual kneeboard, this was my preferred one. They make an IFR and VFR versions. Less than $20 on Amazon and thin enough that it won't interfere with the yoke.
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Agree. That's the one I have and use still. Even with FF it's nice to have a pen and paper always handy there. I know some pilots who fly with much larger and more elaborate kneeboards but given how cramped most GA cockpits already are I appreciate the smallness of the one you posted up
 
HornetDriver said:
Not sure how old your friend is, but the 9G has been the standard Navy issued kneeboard for quite some time. Same is probably true of the Army. Never seen any big plastic ones.
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He was ANG in Vietnam and i think some time in first Gulf War. Obviously lots has changed since then. I appreciated his offer and he still gives me so much information while I'm doing my PPL, especially regarding our 182 and aerodynamics....areas I'll take all the help I can get!
 
I saw one Captain at the airline who did that with a grease pencil. He'd write the ATIS and clearance on the side window. Then erase after arriving at the destination. IMO a lot easier just to write it down.

edit: this was before ACARS
 
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I'm still using the one I got ten years ago with my King training kit. I laminated a 5x8 card and use a grease pencil to take down notes. I start with the details of my destination on the bottom (airport, r/w's, pattern alt, CTAF and AWOS freqs) then I copy the ATIS for my airport at the top and my clearance goes in the middle. I note take off time in the upper left and keep a running list of ATC freqs along one side.
 
A little late to the discussion, but I usually don't fly with a kneeboard, unless I'm in busier airspace. The places I typically fly are pretty low volume, but a simple 6x4 pad of paper works just as good as anything.
 
mscard88 said:
F-15 guy at Eglin told me that WSO was his IP. AF after that incident banned knee boards according to him. The WSO was a good guy and obviously got his wings later on. He was my football coach at Zweibrucken AB in 1971. Eagle pilot asked me if knew he was dead. Of course I didn't. Eagle pilot said he was flying an A10 and went into the dirt. RIP Benny Watkins.
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That's a shame. RIP. Obviously he was a good dude and good at his job or they wouldn't have transitioned him to pilot. Back then though, depending on the mission, there was an actual need for WSO's. And for a while the Air Force was actually putting another pilot in the back seat of F-4's.
 
I haven't flown with a kneeboard since my private pilot days. I carry a small notebook for writing clearances on. Any charts or plates go in the right seat if I'm alone or are held by the right seat passenger if I'm not. Same with the iPad.
 
When I was training ifr I bought a used one; seller made me feel like I was getting my training wheels. I can't say there is no truth to that as here we are years later & I have no idea where it is. They were really useful at the time (although I still remember by leg going numb from the elastic cord), however times change - mostly its all done in FF's scratch pad now; sometimes on a Jason's Deli box.
 
I wanted my 7 rings, but without all the bulk of massive IFR tri-folds, so I found Harper's "Ultimate" clipboard.
 
Funny, I just went back to a kneeboard a few months ago. I stopped using one when I started flying with a tablet 7 years ago. Tried multiple alternatives but ultimately decided that nothing was easier, more efficient, more stable, or more natural for me when needing to take a quick note in flight than writing with a pen or pencil on my leg without looking.

I'm using my basic ASA, which is probably 20 years old, but with a new strap. I wish Zuluworks still made the Mini-Z, or better yet, find a used one cheap, because I'd like something even smaller, although the standard steno pad size is fine and I really can't see spending much for what is essentially a $2 clipboard ($1 without the low profile clip) and a strap (yeah, the strap is optional but I like having it when things get bumpy).
 
HornetDriver said:
That's a shame. RIP. Obviously he was a good dude and good at his job or they wouldn't have transitioned him to pilot. Back then though, depending on the mission, there was an actual need for WSO's. And for a while the Air Force was actually putting another pilot in the back seat of F-4's.
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I was actually at football practice when he wasn't there because he was flying that afternoon. Everything stopped on the field as we all looked up at this F4 that seemed to be just hanging stationary around 800' or so off the departure end. Then we saw them punch out and the F4 tumble almost straight down. Crashed in a German graveyard and thankfully not the German school full of kids nearby.

Knew his wife. Nice lady. He was a good football coach, knew his stuff, and a hecka of a man. Proud to have known him and was bummed when that F15 SOF told me that in the tower that day.
 
EvilEagle said:
I have found that my iPad mini fits nicely on my old flyboys kneeboard.
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How do you actually attach the iPad to the rest of the kneeboard? In Cooter's post upthread, I can see some kind of plastic paws holding the tablet. But an old kneeboard hasn't got those. Do you simply slide the Mini under the translucent plastic band? If so, what do you do if you have to touch an object under it?
 
zaitcev said:
How do you actually attach the iPad to the rest of the kneeboard? In Cooter's post upthread, I can see some kind of plastic paws holding the tablet. But an old kneeboard hasn't got those. Do you simply slide the Mini under the translucent plastic band? If so, what do you do if you have to touch an object under it?
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Yes, I just slide it under the plastic strap. I only use it for that in the F-15, I have a RAM mount in my Bonanza that I much prefer over the strap/kneeboard combo. In the A-4 we had some kneeboards that were built for ipad mini's that you clip the mini in. Then you can use the ipad as a surface to write on if needed (after locking the screen of course). The A-4 kneeboards were slick, I forgot about them until writing this post.
 
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