Once you have found yourself a neat flight bag, the next step is to stock all the essential gear you are going to rely on during your flight. Every pilot has their own strategy when it comes to pre-flight preparation, but there are certain items you should always have with you on a flight. Whether you are a recently graduated pilot or have thousands of hours of flying experience under your wing, certain needs are not going to change over time. Here are some gear suggestions that you may not need on every flight, but you should still have in your flight bag.
Pilot Certificate
Federal Aviation Regulations encourage pilots to always carry their pilot certificate, medical certificate, and a photo-ID (government issued). It’s always a good idea to double check and ensure that these items never leave your bag so have them handy at all times.
Device With ForeFlight
For increased situational awareness, ensure that you are carrying a cell phone or tablet with ForeFlight and sectional charts. Most pilots swear by it and they have a good reason to do so as well. You should always keep updated sectional charts as a backup just in case your device runs out of battery.
Snacks & Water
Do you really need to carry your own water and snacks on the flight? Not really, but it is always a good idea to have your own as a backup. A few energy bars and a bottle of water is not going to take much space in your bag and may come in handy when you least expect it. Staying hydrated during the course of the flight is essential and will aid you in the process of making split-second decisions.
Charging Cables and Backup Battery
If you are carrying your own devices, it is wise to have a charging cable handy for emergency situations, especially during cross-country flights. You may even want to carry a backup battery just in case you are unable to charge and need your device up and running without delay.
Kneeboard With Paper and Pen
While this may not seem as the most important piece of gear, it is a good idea to carry your own pen and paper to note down any important instructions or frequencies.
Fuel Tester
The importance of carrying a fuel tester and a screwdriver cannot be overstated. While they hardly take up any space in your bag, their benefits outweigh their cons by a large margin. This will allow you to check the fuel levels before you take off and that makes all the difference. You can also check the quality of fuel received at different airports to ensure that everything is up to par.
Flashlight
This is an important piece of equipment that you never want to miss out on. Regardless of whether you are flying during the day or night, you always want to make sure that you have your own flashlight and backup batteries handy. You never know when the need may arise for you to fly during the night, so it’s key to have them in your bag at all times.
Sunglasses
While you want to look cool in your cockpit, flying in Florida has taught us that sunglasses can indeed save lives and your eyes. During direct sunlight, your vision might get impaired significantly, but it is more important to save your eyes from harmful UV radiations. For these reasons, you should always carry a pair of non-polarized sunglasses in your flight bag.
At Airlink Flight School, we soar to help our students achieve their dream goal of becoming pilots. We offer both Ground and Flight lessons that will help you successfully pass the FAA exam with flying colors. To learn more about courses and instructors, get in touch with our amazing team today!