Staying organized in the cockpit

[fiveoboy01]

Did my first cross country flight on Saturday. All went well, but I felt like I was shuffling too many papers around. I have a tri-fold kneeboard strapped to my left leg, the left panel of it just hangs off the side of my knee by the door. So I have the clipboard part of it on my left leg and the 3rd panel on my right leg.

Between the sectional, runway diagrams and navigation logs, things were a mess. Also the navlog was on a full size sheet of paper and due to its orientation, half the time there was no solid surface to write on, as the kneeboard only has one rigid panel to write on. The 152 is a bit cramped, so that doesn't always help matters.

What do you guys do to maybe keep a little more organized and have better access to charts and other papers without making a mess? I was thinking a larger knee "desk" of some sort(even a simple larger clipboard?) and maybe even a yoke clipboard. But I am open to suggestions. I just hate being disorganized and sloppy

 

[JasonM]

I feel your pain. I cant go any bigger as the yoke already snags my knee board occasionally. I also use a full size sheet for my log and planning info. I just center the area of the log that I write on with the hard surface. Guess we will just have to deal with this stuff until we the our PPL.

 

[John221us]

I use an iPad Mini with ForeFlight for charts and diagrams, I have a this kneeboard
http://www.forpilotsonly.com/iPad-mini-kneeboard.htm which allows me to clip some airport printouts on top, which I also use for notepaper and I have a Garmin 496 on the yoke.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

 

[LDJones]

When you're doing your solos, take advantage of the empty desk next to you where you instructor has been parking his butt. Then, once you are through your checkride, invest in a quality tablet computer and use the tools that you'll likely be flying with for the foreseeable future.

 

[midlifeflyer]

Between the sectional, runway diagrams and navigation logs, things were a mess. Also the navlog was on a full size sheet of paper and due to its orientation, half the time there was no solid surface to write on, as the kneeboard only has one rigid panel to write on. The 152 is a bit cramped, so that doesn't always help matters.

The first thing to realize is that training is an unrealistic environment. Your CFI may have asked you to put waypoints 5 or 10 NM apart. That's mostly because, on a short cross country flight of 50 NM or so, having a realistic number of waypoints in addition to the departure and destination airport (no more than 3 and that's pushing it) would not allow for you to show that you can do time/distance/fuel calculations.

That out of the way, think in terms of what you don't need all the time and put it aside.

• Navigation logs? do you really need them unless you are noting time time passing the waypoint? Put it aside until you need it and then take it out.
• Airport diagrams? If you've done both departure and destination, you can probably get rid of the departure one before takeoff. The destination one you probably don't need until the final pre-destination waypoint, so put that aside until you need it as well.
• Sectional? Well, at this stage, you will certainly want in available to track and know your position at all times, so it will be out and available. But it can do double duty for en route notes, etc, obviating the need for a notepad in addition to the sectional.

So where to put this stuff. In my pre-iPad days, I used a 8.5 X 5.5 looseleaf binder with similar-sized pockets and index dividers. All are easily available at any Staples or Office Depot. Even on a long cross country with multiple sectionals, what I didn't need now would be folded and placed in the pockets.

The dividers were used for phase of flight, even pre-flight to hold the weather briefing and a copy of the flight plan. What I needed now would be on my lap on the kneeboard. What I would need later would be in the pockets behind the applicable phase of flight dividers. What I no longer needed would be placed in its now-empty pocket.

I think the key for a lot of student pilots is the sense that they need everything for the whole flight in view right now. That's just not the case.

Even in a 152 there's enough room to put a half-sized looseleaf binder on the floor.

 

[fiveoboy01]

I have been using that empty seat as a desk on my solo flights. Makes organizing much easier.

I have an iPad mini with Foreflight. I'm excited to use it at some point but I haven't brought it up with my instructor as to whether or not if/when I'd be allowed to use it at any point in my training.

 

[fiveoboy01]

The first thing to realize is that training is an unrealistic environment. Your CFI may have asked you to put waypoints 5 or 10 NM apart. That's mostly because, on a short cross country flight of 50 NM or so, having a realistic number of waypoints in addition to the departure and destination airport (no more than 3 and that's pushing it) would not allow for you to show that you can do time/distance/fuel calculations.

Correct. I think I had 5 total waypoints, one every 10 miles or so. That said, my calculated time was perfect on the way, and off 2-3 minutes on the way back. Considering that flight planning is still new and gives me a headache, this I was happy with.

That out of the way, think in terms of what you don't need all the time and put it aside.

• Navigation logs? do you really need them unless you are noting time time passing the waypoint? Put it aside until you need it and then take it out.

Correct, I guess due to waypoints being so close, I felt I needed it out because I'd be pulling it out of a folder right after putting it away.

• Airport diagrams? If you've done both departure and destination, you can probably get rid of the departure one before takeoff. The destination one you probably don't need until the final pre-destination waypoint, so put that aside until you need it as well.

Yeah, I basically have a diagram of the home airport permanently inserted into the "clear page" of my kneeboard. After we landed in RFD and then took off, that diagram got folded up and stuffed in my bag behind the seats.

• Sectional? Well, at this stage, you will certainly want in available to track and know your position at all times, so it will be out and available. But it can do double duty for en route notes, etc, obviating the need for a notepad in addition to the sectional.

So where to put this stuff. In my pre-iPad days, I used a 8.5 X 5.5 looseleaf binder with similar-sized pockets and index dividers. All are easily available at any Staples or Office Depot. Even on a long cross country with multiple sectionals, what I didn't need now would be folded and placed in the pockets.

The dividers were used for phase of flight, even pre-flight to hold the weather briefing and a copy of the flight plan. What I needed now would be on my lap on the kneeboard. What I would need later would be in the pockets behind the applicable phase of flight dividers. What I no longer needed would be placed in its now-empty pocket.

I think the key for a lot of student pilots is the sense that they need everything for the whole flight in view right now. That's just not the case.

Even in a 152 there's enough room to put a half-sized looseleaf binder on the floor.

Thanks for that advice. I actually have one of those folders at home and I will label the tabs and give it a try. Thursday is another CC to Oshkosh.

 

[AggieMike88]

The ASA VFR Nav Logs are a good product. They have places for all the key information when doing the flight without iPad assistance, including drawing airport info, recording needed frequencies, Traffic Pattern Altitudes, and more.

Also check out AOPA's kneeboard sized airport information (example for KAFW: http://www.aopa.org/airports/kafw/kneeboard.pdf). This is a good example of what you need for your arrival, plus room to scribble extra notes during your preparation.

I'll print this out for my destination and alternates, then staple to my ASA Flight log. Folded in half, it easly fits the knee board and all the data I want is right there.

Another tip when you're using a paper sectional is to annotate the exsting information as much as you need. Use the small 1-inch square post-its next to your arrival airport to put items in plain language rather than chart speak. Use colored highlighters. Draw arrows at your visual waypoints with notes such as "look for RR Tracks that cross 6-lane highway" or "remember to switch tanks here".

One of the skills you're learning is CRM or Cockpit Resource Management. Leaving a key item behind is no good. But it's nearly as bad to bring too much and then make it difficult for you to find what you need amongst the clutter. So take today's lesson as a good indicator that you over did it, and some simplification can help.

Eventually, discuss using an iPad with your CFI. During training, learning the old school "no batteries required" methods is important so you get to know how the system works and you within the system. Later, moving to an electronic solution is a good step because it will reduce clutter and add functionality that is not easily done with pure paper.

Keep asking qestions, keep doing well on the training!!

 

[RJM62]

I routinely use a color copier (or a scanner and a color printer) to print up the portion(s) of the sectional that I actually need for a flight. This is a bit less cumbersome, and it also allows you to make whatever marks and notes you like on and just toss the copies in the trash when you're done with them.

The regs requires you to have the whole current sectional with you and in easy reach. But to my knowledge, nothing says that you need to have it unfolded and flapping all over the cockpit for the whole trip.

-Rich

 

[Shawn]

I too and a stickler for organization. During training here is what I came up with...On my clipboard I had all of my half sheet airport diagrams lined up in order. Then folded a sheet of paper in quarters and placed that over for scribbling. My sectional stayed folded open to the area I was in and tucked behind the clipboard. My Nav log stuck outta my side pocket so I could grab as needed...and I ALWAYS has two pens cuz I would inevitably drop one. System worked great for me and everything was within reach.

My instructor said that I could fly with Foreflight, but I declined to be sure that I knew how it was supposed to work without technology. He once told me "once you learn how to plan and plot a cross country for your check ride....in reality you will never do that again with Foreflight and GPS!"

...and he was right...since I now have Foreflight and GPS I haven't opened a paper sectional since I got my ticket (even though I do carry one for any area I am flying in as a backup)

 

[PilotAlan]

But I am open to suggestions. I just hate being disorganized and sloppy

A couple of things.

1 - Use half-sheet nav logs, if at all possible. Much easier to handle than full sheets. Full sheets are just too big.
Jump into Word and make a half sheet nav log, if needed, or the ASA nav logs.

2 - When using sectionals, I'll pre-fold them so that they are fan folded. Hard to describe, but I only need one "strip" of the sectional at a time (a "strip" being the existing folds).
Trying to fight with the sectional in the plane is a losing strategy. Unfold it and refold it as you need prior to getting in the plane.

3 - If you have to fold the sectional over (in half), throw a large binder clip on the fold. It will hold it in position, and keep if from trying to unfold all over the place.
You can also use the binder clip to hold the sectional to your kneeboard, if required.

4 - You can also use a binder clip to hold airport diagrams to the left part of the kneeboard (the one the hangs down by the door. Retrieve them when needed, the rest of the time they're out of the way.

Also,
One thing that drove me nuts was that I had to go heads-down to work on the kneeboard. I ended up getting a half-sheet legal pad (4.25 wide by 5.5 long), and using a binder clip to hold by nav log to it. Under the nav log is the pad for any notes that are needed.

Then my kneeboard went on my leg upside down (clip on the end closest to me).
The kneeboard clip was to hold the pad to my leg, and when I needed it, I'd pull it off and work on the pad up on the yoke (read freqs, headings, make notes, time calcs, etc).
That way, I could see what was going on around me, maneuver as needed, and stay straight and level. When done, the pad goes back to the kneeboard.

 

[hindsight2020]

I'll give the technique that we use in the T-6A. This is also the basic format of information arrangement we use in single pilot ops in fighter aircraft and tactical trainers, both which suffer from the same problem as the lowly C-150; a cramped cockpit.

-Go get a small flyboys legstrap kneeboard. It's much more compact than the civilian Jepp kneeboard. Print the airport diagrams for the selected fields on airnav in BOOKLET size. Not only are these diagrams useful for positional awareness on the field, they contain primary frequencies. The blank side of the page can be cut and used as the scratch pad to get all the required information you need to write down inflight. All these pages are clipped on top of each other on the clipboard face of the flyboys. You could pre-write the frequencies of the selected fields down on this piece of paper for easier reading, though that information is readily available in your sectional.

-Learn how to fold the sectional. This is a big one. You want that sucker in a square, in a manner than when you fold over it ends up crawling over to the next segment of your flight path. Learn how to re-fold the chart inflight. Just like a sidearm load/safe drill, you want to be precise and quick on the task, so it doesn't detract from your flight for an inordinate amount of time. Have the other sectional (if your flight path crosses sectionals) ready in the same format, sitting on the glareshield. Exchange sectionals from your lap to the glareshield when it becomes necesary. This avoids the general feeling of "clutter" in the cockpit. Also, this technique will also work perfectly in the IFR environment, where building your "nest" is critical and where you'll have approach plates to contend with, in addition to Low charts (unlikely you'll ever use a High chart in civilian training).

-Have the rest of your required documents (AF/D, IFR sup) bookmarked with an index card, otherwise stowed in your flight bag but accessible at an arm's reach. The most pressing one could alternatively be placed on the corner of the glareshield if you're so inclined.

That's it man. That's how we do it in Air Force jets with less desk space than a 150, so it should work for ya. The key is not just mere organization, is to actually be concise. That means half that crap you carry with ya, you don't need. It's always an interesting exercise before I take my students on cross-country, they have a bagful of approach plates, like we're gonna fly a worldwide HHD sortie. Then, like a scene from band of brothers, we proceed to shed their bag of half the crap they're awkwardly lugging around the squadron, while the enlisted baseops people shake their heads and smirk. More is less!

Good luck and safe flying!

 

[marcoseddi]

Used foreflight for all of my cross country but maybe not a great idea just because checkride and what not dont think they'll really allow that

 

[wabower]

I've flown all over the world with a $2 clipboard and two giant-size paper clips holding all the paperwork including flight plans (nav logs) that exceeded 20 pages.

You need two piles of paper arranged in the order of use and clipped together. One pile is "out and up" and includes the stuff you need for departure and first part of cruise. The other pile is "down and in" and includes the stuff to descend, arrive, approach and land. The charts may overlap some or all of these piles, which makes sorting even easier.

You don't need both piles on the clipboard at the same time. Put the nav-log or computer-generated flight plan on the clipboard and tape down the edges if necessary to keep it in place. It will always be in the same place where notations and entries are easy.

Our checklists were arranged in the same format as the other paperwork, so we knew in advance that when we moved the "down and in" pile to the clip-board the next step would be to tune and select the ATIS so we would hear it as soon as it was in range.

 

[ferrari-tech]

I'm learning in a 172 so not as cramped, but I understand your problem

As has been said its all about getting organized before you even get in the cockpit.

I use the ASA booklet size clip board with a leg strap, I pre-fold my charts so all I have to do is turn or flip to the next section and not have to open and close I all the time. It goes against a lot of the folds but can be done.

Airport diagrams and anything else I might need along the way, I put in order of use in the folded ASA nav log, and is all on the clip board on my leg, once its used, it either goes on the empty passenger seat on in the pocket.

Of course on both my short an long cross counties I spend hours getting all this ready, and organized, and then just put the route into the G1000 and hardly used any of it.....but at least it was tidy

 

[NineThreeKilo]

I've flown all over the world with a $2 clipboard and two giant-size paper clips holding all the paperwork including flight plans (nav logs) that exceeded 20 pages.

Yep

I have a small clipboard with scratch paper and a pen

I have my chart folded to the area I am at, or working, this is under my right leg or vertically in the side pocket

I have my plates for my flight (horizontal) and short checklist (vertical) in the side pocket, I keep my plates with tabs on them for quick reference.

I DO NOT have anything strapped to my legs, I DO NOT have laptops, ipads, small dogs, GPS, Radars, or mountains of paper in my lap or on my yoke

If you look in the cockpit you will see a 6inch clipboard on my lap, if I'm shooting a approach you'll also see one plate on my yoke clip. THATS IT

 

[NineThreeKilo]

He once told me "once you learn how to plan and plot a cross country for your check ride....in reality you will never do that again with Foreflight and GPS!"

...and he was right...since I now have Foreflight and GPS I haven't opened a paper sectional since I got my ticket (even though I do carry one for any area I am flying in as a backup)

Your instructor is an idiot.


I love to depend on consumer grade electronics for my survival

People who never use a real chart, just carry one because they feel "they should" tend to be unable to read the damn thing when their dodads go tits up, out of practice is the phrase that comes to mind.

 

[midlifeflyer]

Used foreflight for all of my cross country but maybe not a great idea just because checkride and what not dont think they'll really allow that

Why not. They should. If your instructor is fine with you using it in training, he or she will probably choose an examiner who feels the same way.

 

[midlifeflyer]

Correct. I think I had 5 total waypoints, one every 10 miles or so. That said, my calculated time was perfect on the way, and off 2-3 minutes on the way back. Considering that flight planning is still new and gives me a headache, this I was happy with.

and you should be. Remember, those times you entered we're based on wind forecasts. I'm sure you have plenty of experience with how accurate and exact weather forecasts are.

 

[jspilot]

As others have said use that seat next to you and get fore flight and an iPad mini. That's what I do and it is great for flight planning and has all the diagrams charts and airport info you could possibly want built in. As a mater of fact, even when I have a passenger in the right seat I ask them to hold on to things for me and when I need something I ask them to pass it to me. Everyone enjoys it actually and they feel more a part of the flight!

Only new piece of advice I have is try not strapping your kneeboard to your leg and use it like a clipboard. I discovered I like this better as it does not interfere with the controls as much and when I don't need to us it( like during cruise) it's not bothering me. I know that organization was a big deal for my DPE when I took my check ride and he focused on it throughout so try and figure out a system that works for you and stick with it! Enjoy the XC's.

 

[Geico266]

I've gone paperless in the cockpit. I use 3 GPS's with moving maps, weather, traffic, TFR's, ect. No more paper for me. I'm saving tress.

 

[jnmeade]

Learn how to fold a sectional so you have available the part you want. Lay it on the glare shield. Organize info in the order you need it and put a snap clip or rubber band on it.
Get riid of as much junk as you can. First, junk the kneeboard.
You can write anywhere on your maps and charts. They are a tool, not an heirloom. you don't need a ream of blank paper. Get a grease pencil and write on the side window if you run out of space.

 

[ClimbnSink]

All you need is a sectional. Transfer your nav log to the checkpoints next to the pencil line on the chart. That is how we did it in helicopters pre electronic everything, no room and no free hand. Study the airport diagrams before you go, runway orientation on the chart and asking for a progressive taxi if you need it take care of the rest. All that paper shuffling is unnecessary.

 

[LDJones]

Your instructor is an idiot.

I love to depend on consumer grade electronics for my survival

People who never use a real chart, just carry one because they feel "they should" tend to be unable to read the damn thing when their dodads go tits up, out of practice is the phrase that comes to mind.

Well, I hate to break it to you, but this is the direction we are headed. Printed charts will become harder and harder to come by as fewer places carry them.

On the up side, this is now the third year I've flown with my iPad and second with my Nexus. Neither have failed me in flight....ever....but I do still carry both with current subscriptions and multiple backup batteries.

Just finished a 15 hour trip in a Cherokee from MN to CA and used both the entire trip with nary a glitch.

People transitioned from sextants to radios and survived. I suspect we will survive this transition, too.

 

[fiveoboy01]

and you should be. Remember, those times you entered we're based on wind forecasts. I'm sure you have plenty of experience with how accurate and exact weather forecasts are.

Correct. And I accounted the time being off just due to the winds being a bit different, maybe having a slightly different power setting, etc... So it's good enough.

I appreciate all the suggestions. I think at some point I will be mostly paperless but for now I do want to learn the "traditional" way. I'm going to get a bit better organized for the next one:wink2:

 

[midlifeflyer]

Correct. And I accounted the time being off just due to the winds being a bit different, maybe having a slightly different power setting, etc... So it's good enough.

I appreciate all the suggestions. I think at some point I will be mostly paperless but for now I do want to learn the "traditional" way. I'm going to get a bit better organized for the next one:wink2:

Great!

I'd pretty much ignore the usual arguments back and forth every time there is a new technological breakthrough. I especially like LDJones' sextant comment. I always figured these discussions took place when NDB came out to replace 4-course radio range navigation - "real pilots don't use that newfangled stuff. They definitely took place when GPS came along.

In the case of the EFB, it's mostly about medium. While there are obvious enhancements an EFB brings, ultimately it's a chart presentation. Paper or tablet, the charts are the same and you still need to know how to use them properly.

 

[wabower]

In big GA airplanes the crews refer to long-range nav (GPS, etc) as "Blue" and short-range ground-based nav (VOR) as "Green". When flying in Blue mode we'
re required to be backed-up by Green mode, meaning that track and intercept radials of of applicable VORs will be monitored and updated as the flight progresses.

I've seldom heard this same simple methodology used in light GA, but encourage any X/C student or pilot to use it as a part of trip planning and navigation, since all the necessary information is on the sectional and the technique is fundamentally sound and should be second-nature to pilots.

 

[midlifeflyer]

Wayne, I like that. The use of navigational backups is a good idea. While not quite as formalized as what you are talking about, some instructors do teach, for example, that VFR pilotage should be backed up with taking VOR cross radials and IFR flights should have NAVs tuned to something, even if not using it for primary navigation.

 

[wabower]

We didn't use much pilotage at FL430 but the concept of redundancy isn't limited to any particular discipline. My observation of GA pilots who have access to the "magic of the magenta", whether panel-mount or hand-held, is that they will use it to the exclusion of other modes. I like GPS too, but know that it doesn't always work and like to have another to know where the hell I am or might want to go if/when TSHTF. Having it already dialed up and ready to use is even better.

[ QUOTE=midlifeflyer;1225573]Wayne, I like that. The use of navigational backups is a good idea. While not quite as formalized as what you are talking about, some instructors do teach, for example, that VFR pilotage should be backed up with taking VOR cross radials and IFR flights should have NAVs tuned to something, even if not using it for primary navigation.[/QUOTE]

 

[somorris]

I like GPS too, but know that it doesn't always work and like to have another to know where the hell I am or might want to go if/when TSHTF. Having it already dialed up and ready to use is even better.

Nothing like as experienced as Wayne, but this is my thinking as well. I like having a sectional handy for the big picture. I find it a little difficult to get that on a GPS screen, even a G1000. Could just be my limited mind .

 

[midlifeflyer]

We didn't use much pilotage at FL430 but the concept of redundancy isn't limited to any particular discipline. My observation of GA pilots who have access to the "magic of the magenta", whether panel-mount or hand-held, is that they will use it to the exclusion of other modes. I like GPS too, but know that it doesn't always work and like to have another to know where the hell I am or might want to go if/when TSHTF. Having it already dialed up and ready to use is even better.

Agree completely (used pilotage as an example because I don't think our student pilot OP is heading up to FL430 ).

I recently caught myself not using the VORs as backup when navigating IFR-GPS and am working on weaning myself off what I think is a bad habit.

 

[dans2992]

Anyone use their iPad to take notes as well? I've been debating this...

 

[fiveoboy01]

My personal opinion is that the scratchpad feature stinks. It's hard to write with a fingertip, and you take up room on the screen so fast that you run out. I prefer a small notepad for copying clearances or frequencies given by ATC.

 

[timwinters]

Well, admittedly, I didn't read every response in detail but here's my .02

Kneeboards are one of those things that everyone buys when they're learning to fly but seldom use after they develop a better system. They make great dust collectors or hand-me-downs to student pilots.

99.999% of my flights are solo so I too have the co-pilot seat available as my flight desk. And, if not, I use the backseat.

BFF (before ForeFlight), my system was similar to Wayne's, I used three standard 8.5" x 11" clip boards.

#1 held the airport directories (AOPA kneeboard format) and taxiway diagrams.

#2 held the sectional or IFR low chart(s) clipped to it, properly pre-folded, with the route plotted and highlighed.

If an actual IFR flight #3 held the approach plates for the departure airport (if departing in IFR conditions) destination and alternate(s).

Also #4 stayed in the flight bag and held my GPS update log (no longer required) and VOR check log.

 

[AggieMike88]

Well, admittedly, I didn't read every response in detail but here's my .02

Kneeboards are one of those things that everyone buys when they're learning to fly but seldom use after they develop a better system. They make great dust collectors or hand-me-downs to student pilots.

99.999% of my flights are solo so I too have the co-pilot seat available as my flight desk. And, if not, I use the backseat.

BFF (before ForeFlight), my system was similar to Wayne's, I used three standard 8.5" x 11" clip boards.

#1 held the airport directories (AOPA kneeboard format) and taxiway diagrams.

#2 held the sectional or IFR low chart(s) clipped to it, properly pre-folded, with the route plotted and highlighed.

If an actual IFR flight #3 held the approach plates for the departure airport (if departing in IFR conditions) destination and alternate(s).

Also #4 stayed in the flight bag and held my GPS update log (no longer required) and VOR check log.

I like this arrangement. It is too easy to try to stuff too much onto one board and wind up with a royal mess while flying. Simplifying down to the stuff you need for that segment of the flight will make it easier to find the needed info without scrambling for it and have it wind up all over the floor after a good shove by turbulence.

 

[AggieMike88]

Anyone use their iPad to take notes as well? I've been debating this...

My personal opinion is that the scratchpad feature stinks. It's hard to write with a fingertip, and you take up room on the screen so fast that you run out. I prefer a small notepad for copying clearances or frequencies given by ATC.

Mixed bag for me... But all of some really good pilots I've flown IFR with (Includes Dave S. and Wayne B.) use pen and paper. When ATC starts firing information at you, it's quicker to grab paper and pen, than hit the on button, then hunt for the correct app and buttons.

 

[wabower]

I think one of the single-most handy gadgets for cockpits are the little wire-spring pencil holders. Most of them hold three pencils/pens/markers and will fit almost anywhere. Under the glareshield, on an old ashtray or sunvisor, or wherever you want them. And dirt cheap.

 

[fiveoboy01]

I'm always dropping my writing tools. I'm going to find and buy one of these, especially if I can find one with a suction cup. I'll stick it right to the left window. I'm left-handed, so it's a short reach

 

[midlifeflyer]

Anyone use their iPad to take notes as well? I've been debating this...

Yep. In my case, an extra pad for notes was the last paper to leave the cockpit. But it's gone too, except for a pad of sticky notes for emergencies that also double as instrument covers in the case of vacuum loss or other AI problems

Started a thread on using a stylus on the Red Board (http://forums.aopa.org/showthread.php?t=88425) and it started expanding as these things do into other areas like note-taking apps.

Even before ForeFlight grew a limited scratchpad, I was using one of the handwritten note-taking apps; finally settled for a variety of reasons on Notability although Notes Plus and Penultimate are also pretty good. I find that 90% of the time, all I need is the scratchpad but always have Notability open and a 4-finger swipe away when flying.

The stylus thread grew out of a flight to Myrtle Beach last week. I'd been going back and forth on the stylus for a while for business use, but not in the EFB. Getting ready to leave MYR, the cockpit was so hot that my sweaty fingertip couldn't do the job. It wasn't any better when the amended clearance came through. That led me to decide to have the stylus out and available in flight.

 

[MAKG1]

Well, I have a tablet, but I don't trust it for navigation. It's also hard to see in bright daylight as a chart display, and not terribly easy to organize a trip without firing up multiple apps.

The key to having a successful flight is keeping stuff in the order you need it. This means checklist, departure airport diagram AOPA printout, then nav log, then arrival airport AOPA printout, etc. ALWAYS at least two methods of navigation, one of which MUST work if the electrical system goes TU (usually but not always, pilotage). The right seat or its passenger is the chart holder. Most short cross-countries require two charts -- a sectional and a TAC.

If there were a good way to do all this on a tablet without switching apps and hunting for it, I might use it more. As it is, I find it mostly useful for preflight planning and the occasional in-flight modification. I don't like staring inside the aircraft and thinking about menus and file structure when there are things like big rocks and other airplanes out there.