Kneeboard, or...?

[unreal]

Hi everyone,

Tomorrow I'm going to be shooting off on a ferry flight from here in AZ to go drop a C172 off in Daytona Beach to help out ERAU. The plan is to do the route IFR, as it looks like we'll be expecting some weather east of Texas.

I haven't had to really set up a cockpit for IFR since I was a student, since I really haven't had to worry about it as an instructor. Should I go out and get an unobtrusive kneeboard to hold a notepad and some approach plates, or just keep it simple and take along a little notepad and use the yoke clip for a plate? Either way would work just fine, but I'm looking for some thoughts on the most efficient method to prep the cockpit for the flight. Thanks!

I'd like to also point out that this will be single-pilot IFR in IMC, so efficiency is the utmost importance here!

 

[Princedietrich]

My advice would be to keep it as simple as possible.

I tend to shy away from kneeboards personally, and have always found the smaller mini-legal notepads to be perfect size to work with. The width was enough that it would just sit on my leg and not move, but that's taking into account that my leg isn't exactly small and stick-like. Definitely make use of the yoke clip for holding an approach plate.

Since you're going single pilot, make use of the other pilot seat to keep your flight gear. This way you have quick and easy access to it if you are suprised with the need for a chart that you didn't have pulled. Take the charts and plates that you anticipate a need for during each leg and keep them on the floor between the seats. I don't know how new your 172 is going to be, but I know the more recent models have that chart-and-cup holder on the floor. And take LOTS of pens. Not pencils, because pencils break. Make sure you've got a backup pen for your backup pen, because we all know how frustrating it is to drop one of those suckers and have it roll under the seat frame in mid-clearance. The night before you blast off, get your flight gear and your charts arranged in a way that will make things easy to find quickly. Do it alphabetically or east-to-west or whatever way makes sense to you.

Since you're in a 172 that isn't going to be screaming through the terminal area at more than 110 knots, you'll have plenty of time to react to whatever ATC throws at you. No need to hurry, just relax and enjoy the ride.

Dress comfortable, ESPECIALLY regarding the shoes, and see if you can get your hands on a lumbar support pillow or something because those seats start to hurt after hour 4. For midflight munchies, energy bars with lots o protein in them will stave off the hunger growls for a long time. Avoid cheesy things like Doritos at all costs.... I learned this one the hard way after my radio knobs turned orange. And most important of all, get one of those large bottles of Gatorade or other similar beverage with a WIDE MOUTH BOTTLE. Because you never know when the bladder is going to decide that the trip needs to end right now.

And definitely do your research regarding fuel and overnight stops before you go. Knowing where the good airport restaurants are and knowing where the beer is cold will be vital to your sanity.

 

[avbug]

Unreal,

There's more than one answer to your question, of course. I don't use kneeboards unless I'm in a cockpit where both hands are tied up most of the time and things are likely to be flying around. Then I do use a kneeboard with a small three ring attachment and jepp sheet protectors to hold checklists, charts, etc.

Nothing wrong with a kneeboard if you can find one that works for you. Be sure it won't bind the controls when you're sitting down...a common problem in a lot of aircraft.

Otherwise, a clipboard works well; something you can balance across both knees. A yoke clip for charts is a plus; something to put the chart closer to your field of view when you're flying an approach or a proceedure. If you're in a side by side seating arrangement, you can place your things in the adjacent seat and grab what you need when you need it.

Even when traveling long distances VFR, I've always been an advocate of carrying IFR charts, both for extra information and for flexibility. For the VFR-only pilot, it also provides sector ATC information and MEA's. The sector frequencies are handy in the event of a forced landing, for contacting traffic overhead. In this case, you said you'll be going VFR, so I'll add the opposite advice. Especially when you'll be making the trip at lower light airplane altitudes, take a set of VFR charts along. For a longer trip, they can be WAC's, but sectionals are always nice. Your instructor probably never told you this, but a road atlas can be a godsend, too. Especially for crossing mountainous terrain, as the main highways usually follow the lowest terrain and some of the better routing to transit the high terrain.

Bind the enroutes, VFR WACs, and Sectionals in alphabetic order, with rubber bands. Pull out only the charts you need at any given time. Keep your terminal proceedures together and only pull out the ones you need at any given time. Get them out well in advance and look them over; you've got lots of time during the enroute portions. When you're done with charts, put them away. Don't let them build up or get mixed up, or soon enough charts start disappearing. Nothing like finding your proceedures after you're on the ground.

A really handy cross country planner is fltplan.com. Give it a whirl; you can print everything you need at each stop, or beforehand, including flight logs with the winds appended, wind matrix charts, and other handy dandy high speed products in one packet to go on your clipboard. Makes organization even easier. If you carry a little backpack of other small bag, belt it into the seat next to you, put everything in there, and pull things out as you need them.

Whenever traveling in a light airplane, I've found that a Flght Guide is a very handy device. There are three of them, East, Central, and Western. They're about thirty bucks each, and have what the AFD has, but with more diagrams, hotel information, etc. In the summer when I'm buzzing around and my hands are tied up, I keep them on the knee board on the plastic pages, all the airports I'm likely to use, for a quick reference, along with tac frequency tables, etc. Saves a lot of work.

Another three things you ought to have for a long trip (aside from an E6B...which I still frequently drag around, even in the jet): a water bottle (and some spares in case you have to set down where there isn't any), snacks, and a relief bottle. In your travel bag, especially if you're heading west, a signal mirror, a warm jacket, fire starting materials, some good gloves, a reflective blanket, and a tube tent are a good idea. These can be stored in a small shaving pouch or magazine pouch, but may become very important to you if you need them.

Fly safe.

 

[nosehair]

A clipboard. One of those long ones for legal sized pads.
Lay it across your lap with the clip on the left side, and get another clip to put on the right side or top. You can clip in enroute chats, approach charts, writing pad, etc., in an anticipated organized way. Makes a neat little 'desk' on your lap.

 

[Kream926]

i did i ferry flight from CNO-ISM once


Direct -----> enter

 

[epic!]

sounds like a fun trip. good luck

 

[JediNein]

unobtrusive kneeboard to hold a notepad and some approach plates, or just keep it simple and take along a little notepad and use the yoke clip for a plate?

As the mountains can have stuff flying around inside the cabin on occasion, an unobtrusive kneeboard works great. Or, you could stow your flight bag in the empty seat and usse it to hold down a small notepad & your writing tools.

Enjoy the trip and remember to land once in awhile for grins-n-giggles.

 

[Metro752]

If you are the only guy just put your stuff in the right seat.

 

[unreal]

Thanks for the info everybody. I think I'm just going to roll a notepad and a yoke clip for the approach plates, with whatever other charts I need on the unoccupied seat.

Nope, haven't left yet. Apparently the company that the airplanes are being leased from dropped the ball and didn't have them all ready to go by today, so I'll be out of here on tuesday. The nice thing is that I've been bumped up into flying an Arrow instead of a C172. Fun.

 

[minitour]

Do you know who's doing the leasing? If so, can you drop me a PM?

-mini