Ironflight

Ironflight

VAF Moderator / Line Boy
Mentor
As wonderful as our RV?s are, they certainly don?t have the cockpit room of a Bonanza or a Baron! We RV pilots are therefore forced to be a bit more ?efficient? in our stowage patterns, and what we routinely carry in the cockpit. This thought came to me as I was rummaging around in the little side bins I built in to my RV-8 to hold all the little pilot minutiae that invariably goes with me, and out popped my little round whiz-wheel. Now why in the heck do I still carry that around? I?ve got four GPS?s for heaven sake! And besides that, the bezel on my watch is also a circular slide rule! But you know, some things just stay with you?..;)

So to give those not flying yet an idea what they might want to build stowage for, (and to give those already flying a good laugh?:p) what lives in your airplane?s pockets? Here?s mine:

Useful:

Miniature chocks
Aircraft document binder (Ops Lims, manual, etc)
?Remove Before Flight? covers and flags
Aircraft activity log (for fuel and hours)
Pocket checklist (laminated)
LED flashlight
Sunglasses
Granola Bars (two)
XM Radio guide (for those LONG trips)
Approach Plates (local)
Sony Reader with all North America Approach Plates loaded
Thumb drive with EFIS software (latest, and previous version)
Boonie Hat (for sunny days)

Not So Useful:

Whiz Wheel (at least it?s not an E6-B!)
Patch cord for radio I no longer carry
Spare batteries for headset I no longer carry
Sick sacks (4) ? just in case? (from various airlines)
Sun shades (useful before switching to a Boonie Hat)
 
Sony Reader

Paul,
I recall reading some time ago that you loaded the Sony reader with approach charts. I have a Sony reader and would like to learn how you did this project. Would you be willing to post tutorial?
 
Ironflight said:
Sick sacks (4) ? just in case? (from various airlines)
Click to expand...

I did the same in my Cherokee. Unfortunately, I had to use one for a passenger. The bag leaked, so takers beware!

I have since converted to using small colored plastic bags. Colored zip lock bags are harder to find, but you don't want secondary incidents from others is you use standard clear bags.
 
Sick Sacks

I looked again, and realized that my current supply of "accident" bags are standard government issue from the infamous "Vomit Comet"....they have them aborad for the thousand I suspect! Little white bags in a little manila envelope - with instructions printed on the side! If you look closely at pictures of people "enjoying weightlessness in the "comet", you'll see that many have little white "carnations" stickign out of their upper flight suit pocket....that is a bag in the "Ready" position...:p
 
Tools?

I have often wonder what others may be carring on board in the way of tools. I carry a screw driver which will allow me to take off the cowling or any of the inspection covers. Then what? I do not have any tools to do anything but look. Do others carry a few wrenches? Friends that have Bonanzas carry well stocked tool boxes on cross countries. RV do not have the useful load for that.

Spare parts is another thing. Most stuff you can pick up at a good FBO. What about some of the unique things on the RV like tubes or tires. No room/weight for this stuff either.

I have
- multi tip srew driver
- fuel drain cup
- soft rag to wipe off canopy
- tie down rings
- mini-chocks
- POH
- laminated check lists
- local charts
- aircraft activity log (for fuel and flight hours)
- flashlight
- sun shade
- GPS quick reference quide
- fire extinguisher
 
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so far

My -9A has been flying since May. I've since added holders/pouches for:
1. the checklist and sectionals next to my left knee.
2. Gatts, jar, tie down rings and rudder gust lock on the upper left side of the baggage compartment on top of the flap arm box.
3. Spruce doc pouch (airworthiness, registration and repairman cert) next to the pax knee
4. a pouch for the mp3 player and clip-on sunglasses next to the pax airvent.
5. another compartment mirror of #2 for the right side for window cleaner and cotton rags
6. a right hand version to #1

Camera and Flight Guide gets stashed outboard of my left hip. wt & bal and POH and op limitations are in a nylon bag outbaord of the pax right hip.

Steve
 
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