Doug's Flight Bag

GATS Fuel Sampler

The GATS Jar fuel sampler made by Global Aviation Products and is an environmentally-friendly variation on a very old theme. This one lets you sample much larger quantities of fuel from all of the drains and then return the samples to your tanks (that is, if all of the samples are clear). About $10.

The white piece you see on the side fits in a hole in the recessed area on the top of the unit and can be inserted as shown to service Cessna-type drains, or "upside down" to service Piper ("T")-style drains.

Jeppesen JeppGuide Airport Directory

Jeppesen JeppGuide Airport Directory - $30/year with quarterly updates

This is for all practical purposes an unofficial airport/facility directory with the addition of detailed airport diagrams from Jeppesen's IFR chart data, FBO names, locations on the field, frequencies, and telephone numbers. It's no replacement for the A/FD, but then again, the A/FD is no substitute for JeppGuide.

Only recently, when I planned a long flight outside of the coverage area of the Northeast JeppGuide did I realize how much I've grown to depend on the information in this binder.

Jeppesen Instrument Approach Procedures

Anyone who is serious about flying instruments has a Jeppesen Instrument Approach Procedures subscription.

A Jepp "standard revision service" subscription is $285/year (for the Northeast in my case) and provides continual updates throughout the year, usually on a two-week cycle. The leather binders are extra (can't remember exactly how much...I think $50/ea), and while they're expensive, they obviously last forever...mine are almost 15 years old and in great shape.

The downsides to Jepps? The ever-increasing costs of the revision service and the time required to insert new revisions every two weeks. Multiply these concerns by the number of regions you have to carry to cover the area in which you typically fly and NOS plates begin to look like a great alternative -- particularly now that you can get them pre-punched paper or digital format for a fraction of the cost of Jepps.

I've been considering the purchase of an EFB because the software has matured significantly over the past few years, but I just can't embrace the high cost of the necessary tablet computer. I'm sure I'll eventually succumb to the purchase, but until then, I'm happy using the many free flight planning tools available online to get the job done and filing the paper revisions.

Flight Information Binder

Shortly after I started instrument training in the late 80's, I built my flight information binder, which now consists of a Jeppesen 1" leather chart binder and some heavy-grade poster board used for dividers. I've found this to be a great way to organize all of the information needed to complete a flight.

Purchased in 1991, the binder itself was a bit pricey at $40, but like all of my leather Jepp binders has held up extremely well. The binder solves one of the greatest challenges facing pilots...particularly those that fly single-pilot IFR...keeping track of one's writing implement(!) My solution was to attach some velcro to the right side of the binder to hold a primary writing implement, and to the metal center of the binder to hold a backup. This makes it easy to quickly gain access to the pen/pencil, write what I need to write, and return it to its secure resting place without a second thought. And, seriously, it prevents me from having to lean down to pick up my pen if I drop it during a critical phase of flight. Velcro is the best stuff on earth.

The binder consists of a couple Jeppesen Enroute Chart holders, followed by some sectional dividers. I put two of the most commonly-used charts in one of the holders and some flight plan forms I use when I'm not near a computer planning terminal and need to file a flight plan.

I've labeled the binder sections as follows:

• Clearances - I bought some college ruled note paper pre-punched for Jepp binders from sporty's and use it to write down everything...including weather briefings, clearances, enroute frequencies, pilot reports, and generally any other notes.
• Approach Charts - I put the JeppGuide and approach plates for each airport I plan to visit in here in the order I will visit them (departure / one or more destinations / alternates). This reduces the need to take my eyes off the panel in IMC and reach into the back seat for my binders.

I used to have additional sections, but I eliminated those when I reindexed the binder a few years ago to reduce bulk and just to keep things simple.

I also affixed enlarged copies of a wind component chart (shown) used to figure out crosswind components, as well as FAA flight plan and Pilot Report (UA) form, to the dividers so I'm never without that information.

Sporty's Flat E6-B Flight Computer

Here's a pic of the Sporty's E6-B in action. I had known about the Sporty's E6-B since it came out many years ago, but I wasn't sold on it until it arrived in this new form-factor, which nicely integrates with my information binder. This means it doesn't fall off my lap in turbulence. It includes timers and a clock that keeps track of time in two timezones (labled "home" and "local") plus zulu time. About $60.

Over several years of use I've discovered three problems with this computer:

• It has no cover, and the clear plastic overlay that "protects" the front face of the LCD is easily scratched (you can see a slight scuff on it...and this picture was taken when the unit was almost brand-new). The hack of a solution is to put a 3M Post-It note directly over the LCD face to protect it when I close the binder, but should this be necessary in the first place?
• Battery life stinks. Goes through batteries whether I use it or not in only about 3 months. That wouldn't be such a big deal if it used standard batteries that I could buy in a rechargable form factor, but the CR2032 3V Lithium "button" batteries are rediculously expen$ive. There is no real solution for this.
• The battery holder is real cheezy. Whoever designed it should be stoned to death.

If I had to do this over again, I'd just buy the normal Sporty's E6B because I could then use rechargeable batteries. My next flight computer, however, will be an EFB.

Additional Essentials

To the left is the Third-Hand(tm) chart holder that I use to hold my flight information binder to my left leg, while both legs provide support to the binder.

A West-Bend timer ($20) mounted on a yoke clip ($10) both obtained from Sporty's. This combination never really met with my approval, so I built one from scratch.. Then I found the IFClip Model C-1 (for Cessna aircraft). Sporty's doesn't carry it, but Airways does. In fact, they were so cheap, I bought two of them -- one for each yoke.

On the right is a pair of Foggles I originally bought in 1990 when I started my instrument training. I've tried many view-limiting devices, and these are the best, IMHO. About $25. Note, though, that the ear pieces of the Foggles are fairly large and stand out somewhat from the head in the vicinity of the ear, so they can prevent headset earseals from making a perfect seal. This can cause some problems with certain noise-canceling headsets. The Bose seem to deal with it, though it is noticeably noiser with them on.

Flap Pocket Storage

The Scott bag optionally comes with a zippered bag that is affixed via velcro to one of the top closure flaps. In it I put a lot of miscellaneous stuff.

• 1W LED flashlights with red filters. I picked this up at Walmart for about $10. Seriously people. Don't spent $150 on a freekin' "aviation" flashlight. These run FOREVER on a set of batteries, and are as bright as you'll want them to be when you need them. And because they're so inexpensive, when (not if) you lose them, you honestly won't give a crap.
• Spare batteries for flashlights flight computer, and Bose Headset.
• A pack of 3M post-it notes so I can quickly blank out instruments in the event of a failure. I once used the suction-cup style ones available from Sporty's, but they tend to fall off all too frequently. The only downside to the square Post-It notes is that the corners can sometimes interfere with the plastic overlays on some older aircraft. The simple solution is to tear off the corners. Takes like two seconds and it works. When done, throw them away.
• Emergency Signalling mirror that is actually from the side view mirror once attached to a 1963 Ford Falcon my mother drove when I was tiny. I just put some electrical tape around the edges to prevent damage (to the mirror or my hands) and voila!...an emergency signalling mirror! While it's true that the most purpose-built signalling mirrors have an aiming hole in the center, this one was free and will work as required.
• A zip-loc storage bag containing a few boxes of wooden matches and (of course) a bic lighter. Ain't no way I'm gonna spend the first night downed in the woods without a fire! I refuse to eat raw bear. :-)
• A cheap pocket knife. This is no "swiss army knife", mind you, but it would cut small branches and help serve up some tasty bear.

And that's about it. The amazing thing is that I really haven't changed the basic contents of my flight bag in years, which only serves to point out that I'm comfortable with its contents...it's indeed "everything I need!". No matter what you put in your flightbag, be sure it's everything you need.