kneebord

[brunodias]

good night

I'd like to know what things do you put in kneebord
useful things, and that the site you use to take

[FlyingSportsman]

Usually have Airport charts i need in my kneeboard, paper to note down any clearances e.t.c I also have my checklist secured to the front of my kneeboard!

People use them for different things and when you fly you will find out what works for you !

FS :ok:

[piperarcher]

I have my A4 PLOG printed out, plastic sleeves on a ring binder which contain every plate for all airfields en-route, plus a few instrument approach charts for local airports I am familiar with. I also have 2 copies of a Archer II checklist, the AIS Lower Airspace Radar Services map you can find in Pooleys, and the boundary zones for the different areas covered by Farnborough Radar. I have a couple of spare pens attached, a little ruler tucked in the back, and mine even has a little flexi light attached to the back. I use a Pooleys A4 kneeboard, and all this lot can surprisingly be arranged very neatly. I go on the theory that I will take up as much useful information I can with me, then I dont have to panic should I need to plan a diversion.

[BackPacker]

I've got an A5 trifold kneeboard which contains everything I need to go flying, except the headset. (I fly aerobatics a lot, in a rented plane, and taking a flight bag with all sorts of stuff is not a good idea. So I leave that on the ground.) So essentially all I need to grab is this kneeboard, my headset and some personal items (watch, sunglasses, spare glasses) and I'm legally and practically speaking ready to go.

"Everything I need" that is contained in the kneeboard is:
- License
- Flight computer, ruler, protractor (I know, not strictly needed but that's where I happen to keep them)
- Map of the local area
- Plog and relevant approach/airport plates
- Some spare bits of paper to note tacho/times etc.
- Pencil
- Checklists
- Some aeros specific items such as the sequence and some means to secure this (rubber band around my leg).

In-flight I usually do everything from memory (local flights) or I simply take out the metal insert containing the plog and approach/airport plates, the pencil and the relevant map. The rest of the kneeboard then gets stored somewhere secure but in reach.

In general, in the course of your flying career you will notice that less is more. When you prepare your flight properly the amount of paperwork and other items you actually do need in-flight is really very limited. Don't go overboard with a minimalistic approach though. Make sure all you need to do a diversion is somehow within reach. But that doesn't necessarily have to be on your kneeboard.

[RTN11]

VFR I assume?

just a simple A5 plog is usually enough, so an A5 board should be fine. having the relevant airfield charts to hand is good, you can just buy a flight guide, i find AFE better than pooleys, and have the whole book ready perhaps with post its on relevant pages.

I have a speed=distance/time table with common groundspeeds and distances. Makes diversion planning easy, you could google it or knock one up on excel with relavant speeds for your aircraft. 80-140 should cover most SEP.

the good thing about an A5 board is you can strap it to your leg and it doesn't get in the way. A4 is much better for IFR as there's usually more to write down, and more approach plates and things to have to hand.

I put a strip of velcro on my board, and the opposite on my pens so they're always to hand when I need them.

[Genghis the Engineer]

Just done a 3 hour flight today for a business trip and have my kneeboard here. A Pooleys trifold that I'm very fond of.

I have...

- PLOG
- Checklist & self generated sheet of aircraft information
- Visual charts for each end and my alternate
- Instrument approach plates for destination
- LARS frequency diagrams
- Quick reckoner for take-off and landing distances
- 1:500,000 tape measure
- 2 x VOR plotters
- 2 biros, pencil, chinagraph
- 1:500,000 charts for the route (I like Jeppessen charts - apart from anything else they fold small enough to fit in)
- Protractor
- Sick bag


I don't, it's true, tend to fly with minimum stuff on my knee, but it all works for me.

G

[cheemsaf]

Depends on the aircraft, but 99% of the time:

Home-made simplified laminated checklist and a blank piece of scrap paper.

[Big Pistons Forever]

The Ghengis list when I first started flying the cheemsaf list now, with a folded VFR chart loose on my lap and an airport directory on the floor beside my seat with my sandwich on top.

[cheemsaf]

Hey he just asked what's on my kneeboard...not in the backseat ;)

[bravobravo74]

I have a diagram of airfield light signals attached to my kneeboard. I'd be up a certain creek without this were I to actually notice a steady/flashing white/green/red light emanating from a control tower.

[flybymike]

Knee bored. Good Night.

[Heston]

Like most questions in aviation, the answer starts with "Well, it depends..."

...depends on the intended flight - local, cross country, training, solo, passenger, etc,...

Sick bag essential if taking a passenger (don't ask me why...).

H

[n5296s]

Gosh! How do you guys manage to carry all that on a kneeboard?

I have a fold-out two part kneeboard. On the right is a piece of paper where I write useful things down in a format that I worked out a long time ago - start time, fuel, ATISes, clearances... and on the left are the charts for the flight, sectional if it's VFR, plates for the expected approach(es) plus en-route charts if it's IFR. And that's it! Oh, a pen jammed into the clip at the top.

If it's not a local flight, I have the California airports guide on the floor, and the book of approach plates. And if it covers more than one chart, the others in the pocket by my left knee.

For acro in the Pitts, nothing at all. I know where I'm going, and I know the frequencies.

The heli is a problem since there's only room for a teeny kneeboard, and refolding a chart in flight is essentially impossible. If I'm solo, the chart goes on the passenger seat. Otherwise I make do with my hand-written "San Francisco Terminal chart essentials". I almost never write anything in the heli.

n5296s

[The500man]

For me it's all about how much space I have. For general bimbling in a spam can I use an A4 flight board (http://www.pooleys.com/prod_detail.cfm?product_id=112), on which there is plenty of room for an A5 plog and A5 paper, there are also numerous pockets for the Pooleys plates, and pockets for a plotter, pens and a protractor. A folded up map can be placed underneath it and the weight of your arm will hold it all in place during turns etc.

Where I have very little room (in the Pitts), I use an A6 Piccolo (http://www.flyingshop.com/design-4-pilot-piccolo-kneeboard/) with a printed scan of the local map area, some mini airfield charts and scrap paper, a pen on a string and a clip to hold it all together when upside down.

[Floppy Link]

Blank scrap paper and pen. Anything else required is in the door pocket (helicopter)

http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc264/Boecopter/knee.jpg

In the replica P47 the inside of the canopy was fine, right up until the day I polished the canopy inside and out with Plexus...after that it was so smooth the chinagraph wouldn't stick. Plexus is good stuff!

http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc264/Boecopter/8.jpg

[brunodias]

what sites do you use to print the information

[BackPacker]

For acro in the Pitts, nothing at all. I know where I'm going, and I know the frequencies.

I don't know the specific rules in the US, but in Europe that would be illegal. You have to carry your license with you (and we don't have credit-card sized ones just yet) and you'll also have some explaining to do if caught flying without a map of some sort.

As far as practicality is concerned, you also need to have a plan to divert. Suppose somebody else has a landing mishap and blocks the runway for an hour or two. Do you have everything on board for a succesful diversion, or do you have a different plan B?

[Jan Olieslagers]

what sites do you use to print the information?

That question is misleading, but translating problems might well make up for that. Anyway, websites (and other resources) only serve to acquire information; formatting and printing are subsequent and clearly separate processes.

[brunodias]

i say thing like this

http://www.experimental-aviation.com/images/carbice.jpg

i think is very important

[BackPacker]

Actually that's something you don't stick on a kneeboard, but have to learn to pass the exam. Essentially the greatest risk of carb ice is with high humidity (which typically coincides with low cloud and/or rain) and temperatures between 10 and 20 degrees. But it can occur under other circumstances as well. That's all you need to remember once you passed the exam.

The chart itself is a risk analysis chart, useful to understand the phenomenon. But it doesn't have a lot of practical use in the cockpit. If the RPM drops all by itself, I'm not going to consult such a chart to see if it might be carb ice or not. I'm going to apply carb heat.

If you are going to stick charts like this on your kneeboard, you might as well stick the whole PPL book series to your kneeboard.

[Genghis the Engineer]

I don't know the specific rules in the US, but in Europe that would be illegal. You have to carry your license with you (and we don't have credit-card sized ones just yet) and you'll also have some explaining to do if caught flying without a map of some sort.

As far as practicality is concerned, you also need to have a plan to divert. Suppose somebody else has a landing mishap and blocks the runway for an hour or two. Do you have everything on board for a succesful diversion, or do you have a different plan B?

You may need to carry your licence because you live in such a small country that crossing an international border is almost inevitable; staying in one country there should be no such requirement.

And even if you do have to carry your licence with you, why on earth would you have it on your kneeboard? In flight it is of about as much use as a macrame parachute. You may need it stowed somewhere for on the ground.

I do agree however that pretty much everywhere in the world apart from the USA it is a legal requirement to have a current chart on board covering the area of the planned flight.

G

[n5296s]

I don't know the specific rules in the US, but in Europe that would be illegal. You have to carry your license with you (and we don't have credit-card sized ones just yet) and you'll also have some explaining to do if caught flying without a map of some sort.
My license, medical and other required documents are in my wallet, in a zipped pocket in my flight suit. Are you seriously telling me that you keep all this stuff on your kneeboard?!?! And before I get any other helpful suggestions, I also carry a handkerchief in a zipped pocket too. No uncontrolled sneezes here.

The US does not require a chart to be carried - we are a (relatively) nanny-free environment. If it did, I'd use - you may have guessed - a zipped pocket.

As far as practicality is concerned, you also need to have a plan to divert. Suppose somebody else has a landing mishap and blocks the runway for an hour or two. Do you have everything on board for a succesful diversion, or do you have a different plan B?
My god, you're right, I never thought of that. I suppose I'd just have to lawn-dart myself into a primary school. Thank goodness you thought of this and pointed it out.

Alternatively I could just use the other runway. Or, if a KC-135 had crashed or something else that would block the whole field, I guess I could go to one of the other half-dozen airports that I know off by heart and are within even the Pitts' feeble fuel reserves,

[Genghis the Engineer]

The US does not require a chart to be carried - we are a (relatively) nanny-free environment. If it did, I'd use - you may have guessed - a zipped pocket.

On the other hand the USA, unlike Europe for intra-national flights, does require the POH to be carried in flight.

Personally I find that I refer to the chart far more often than the POH whilst in the air.

G

[Grob Queen]

Well, I haven't yet graduated to a fully blown kneeboard, not having started navexes! But I do have a chart which I put down beside the seat and a plasticised piece of paper strapped on my knee for ATC instructions.

I keep the following useful stuff in my grow-bag: Two pens, Chinagraph pencil, torch, local area chart, sunglasses, mobile, car and house keys and ID (i've got a story about why I carry that which I won't bore with).

[Heston]

Could someone point me to the paragraph in the UK Air Navigation Order that says a "current chart" must be carried? :} I know that's what everybody thinks it says, but it actually doesn't...

Go and look it up

H

[BackPacker]

True. It says something along the lines of having to consider all information relevant to your flight. If you can prove to the inspector who performs your ramp check that you were able to memorize every relevant ground feature, navaid, airspace boundary and whatnot within a reasonable distance of your intended track, I guess you can indeed fly without a map (electronic or on paper).

[Armchairflyer]

When I'm just out for some airwork in an area close to my home airfield (read: airfiled permanently in sight under VFR conditions), I admit sometimes taking up nothing at all except my license. When going beyond that (mostly with pax), it's map (item de rigueur for me as I am somewhat navigationally challenged whether airborne or earthbound :O) and kneeboard although I rarely write something down on my short VFR trips (memory now mostly able to retain runway in use, QNH, squawk codes and increasingly departure and landing time).

Flight planning including W&B, weather forecasts, NOTAMS etc. for the non-immediate-airfield-proximity tours are stored electronically in my e-mail account.

Actually, I write down a lot more when I sim-fly online (IFR clearances etc.), but then again I have my comfortable desk instead of a tight two-seater cockpit ;). Simming has also helped me somewhat in not needing a map that badly in the extended airfield surroundings.

Concerning pax and sickbags, I have hitherto successfully relied on ginger capsules (highly recommended, makes a top gun of every stomach).

[funfly]

It's quite a good idea to use your laminated half mil chart as your kneeboard, show your route and add notes and frequencies. Clip a small pad somewhere to write down more stuff and en route notes. When I flew out of somewhere like Manchester Airport I used to keep detailed written notes of what the air and ground traffic control 'might' say so that I could anticipate their directions and confirm clearly.

[funfly]

Heston, I am sure that you are wrong but I cannot point you to the relevant bit of the ANO.

Also to some other posters, do not assume that everyone has a fantastic memory:=

[GeeWhizz]

My kneeboard contains a clean sheet of A5 underneath the plastic outer cover for ATIS, clearances etc; clipped on top would usually be my plog. A stopwatch is clipped to the top right hole. Inside you'd find a RNP (very useful for in flight div work), RT freq reference cards for north/south VFR charts (because I couldn't work out what to do with them, so slid them in and forgot about them), copies of the VFR plates (Pooleys guide) for my planned airfield with a china graph arrow drawn on the plastic pocket as to which direction I plan to arrive from; there are also copies of planned div plates too. There are 2 sick bags, and a laminated pax brief reminder. The chart will either sit on my lap, or on the back seat with the headset bag containing a torch and my log book.

Finally if flying a lengthy trip (or going abroard) I'll take my entire flight case containing much crap amongst all sorts of useful contraptions from a yoke clip (if planning to fly an inst app) to a headset attachable lamp, blanks, note pads, (foggles bizarrely!!). Also in there are inst plate booklets for most of the UK, licence, and medical.

Who needs a memory?! ;)

[mad_jock]

funfly he isn't wrong. Its acceptable also to have a road map with relevent data transcribed onto it.

In fact most folk carry semi/illegal charts because they never update them when a circular comes out mid cycle. Its not uncommon for the charts to be out of date the day they get published.

[BackPacker]

In fact most folk carry semi/illegal charts because they never update them when a circular comes out mid cycle. Its not uncommon for the charts to be out of date the day they get published.

Also true. And I admit to being guilty of this too.

It's another reason to standardize on the Jeppesen series of VFR+GPS charts for Europe. All the updates are in one location from one vendor, who even can send you an update notice every Friday.

General Aviation VFR+GPS Charts - Jeppesen (http://ww1.jeppesen.com/personal-solutions/aviation/vfr-and-gps.jsp#)

[mrmum]

Funfly,
It would seem that Heston is correct, I've had a look through the ANO and can't find a mention of it. However, having being flying for a couple of decades, I too am fairly sure I have read that in the past. The phrase "must carry a chart that covers the planned route and any diversion" or something similar sticks in my mind, but it's not there now. The ANO does change over time and that may have been in it at some point in the past and subsequently been removed or amended.
However, it's also possible that it's just a myth that's built up over time, by being repeated often enough.

[The500man]

Another thing I still carry and had forgotten about is a navigation aid identifier sheet. I made it as an excel sheet and printed it out for my skills test. It has all the stations, facilities, frequencies and written morse code identifiers for every navigation aid in my area. It makes tuning in nav aids and identifying them much quicker since I don't really want to learn morse code.

[Genghis the Engineer]

I use Jeppesen charts which have all of that printed on them.

G

[swopiv]

I have one of those Flylight zip-up map boards (open cockpit y'see). In it I keep (visible): Chart covering the intended route (with a big WIND arrow drawn on), destination field plate and plog. tucked in behind the chart I stow some pencils, a ruler, diversion field plates and a derigging aide memoir in case I have to leave the aircraft somewhere overnight or even trailer it home. I also carry a little bag under the seat containing a tie down kit and a penguin biscuit.

[Heston]

The ANO wording is "navigation charts or codes appropriate to the intended flight". So you can use whatever you want as long as you can convince the powers that be that it was appropriate. I don't fancy my chances if I bust the Stansted CTA with only a Little Chef locations map on board though...

H

Edit to add: sorry for raising this really, but its a bit of a hobby horse of mine - too many folk just stick to the most recent issue of the half-mil (oh that's OK, I'm legal) without thinking for themselves what they actually need for the intended flight. The ANO wording places the responsibility with the pilot, which is as it should be. H