folding kneeboards

[Pilot16]

Hi

Im planning to buy a folding kneeboard because it will store everything neatly (i think), the one I own broke unfortunately

are they any good though? I mean if I have to attach a plog to the clip for nav, will it have to stay unfolded through out the flight for me to look at the details? (Which may be unconvenient because I have an instructor to my right)?

If you own one, what are your experience with it?


thanks a lot ;)

P16

oh when i say folding
i mean tri-folding ones :)

[essouira]

I think it's weird that so many people have read this and no-one has replied. I would always reccomend an A4 that folds to an A5. When I was doing all my early VFR flying it was really useful to have an A4 so there was room for everything. I needed a lot of space and could record everything on one sheet. Once I started radio nav I preferred an A5 and didn'y want to buy another so it was good to be able to use my first one folded in half

[Tinstaafl]

For PPL & CPL I used to use - & teach -an A4 folder that was folded inside out so that the clip is on the outside.

Add a couple of A4 plastic envelopes held in with bulldog clips or similar & most charts, protractors, rulers, Wx & notams could be fitted. The whole thing was only about an inch thick.

Nowdays I use an A5 aluminium clipboard & nothing else. Charts & things I stuff down the side of the windscreen or keep in my headseat bag.

[Keef]

What you're used to, I think. When I was a young PPL student (in Boadicea's Air Force), I bought an American kneeboard, about A5 size, that I use for scribbling quick notes, QNH, etc on, and an A4 plogboard (not affixable).

That works well. I later bought a yoke clip to hold my IFR flight file (highly recommended) and stopwatch. With that, I find I have all I need to hand.

Charts I fold according to the Duncan McKillop method, and keep them loose.

I've seen folks with a board covered in bulldog clips, with everything apart from their lunch sandwich clipped to it. Didn't look right to me, but I suppose it's a case of what you're used to.

[djk]

I agree with Keef on this one, it all depends on what you're used to. I use an A5 AFE kneeboard which opens out to A4 size, on the front I keep my flight log it has a clip to keep it steady while I scribble things down when I'm not using that (ie coming into land or just want to look at the layout of the airfield I'm coming to) I open it up and inside I've got a few plastic wallets that keep my checklist and flightguides in as well as spare flight logs.

Pilot 16
It wouldn't be inconvenient for you to open the kneeboard out when you need the information inside, that's why they're made like that to save space.
I have my kneeboard open while consulting my checklist prior to taxiing and take-off, then close it again until I'm up in the air and need my map.

[Circuit Basher]

P16 - the decision largely revolves around what a/c you fly. I used to use a tri-fold when I was learning in C172 / C150, but then found that when I started in a PA28, a tri-fold would get caught under the control wheel when doing full / free checks. I thus abandoned using the tri-fold, but found that an A5 clipboard that strapped on my leg was the next best thing. I now fly a Fuji FA200, which will catch event the A5 board, so I tend not to use a strapped-on knee board these days. Once in the cruise, I just keep the board in the a/c pocket by my left calf and if on a long transit, would tend to strap it on.

For those who have not seen the Aeronautical Chart Folding Method, have a look at the attached link. I've not personally used it, as I tend to fold according to my Local Flying Area, but keep promising to do this one day and try it!Aeronautical Chart Folding Method (http://uk.msnusers.com/CircuitBasher/Documents/Aeronautical%20Chart%20Folding%2Edoc)

[FlyingForFun]

Definitely depends on you, your preferences, and what you fly.

Personally, I always found A4 a little too big. I bought an A5 kneeboard, and designed my own plog which fits neatly onto an A5 sheet (e-mail me if you want a copy of it). My kneeboard also has plastic sleeves on the inside which I can use to store things like pages from Pooleys for the airfield I'm going to.

Using an A4 kneeboard in an aircraft with a stick would be very tricky, and in something like a Super Cub it would be practically impossible. I've done cross countries of several hundred miles in a Super Cub, and, with a little bit of planning, been able to have everything that I needed very close to hand thanks to my knee-board. (Although I have to admit that once the cross countries started getting too long to do in comfort in a Super Cub I switched to an Arrow, and it was very nice to be able to lay charts out on the passenger seat and see more than 100nm of my route at a time!)

Of course there's nothing wrong with A4 kneeboards, or folding kneeboards, if they happen to suite your style of flying better.

FFF
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[Kolibear]

I have an A5 to A4 kneeboard and I've never once opened it in flight. It won't actually stay open anyway so its not really ideal.

Also, it was intended to be worn on the right leg and written by a right handed person, as it opens right-to-left (as a book does)

I'm left handed so I wear it on my left leg, which means I wouldn't be able to open it, so now I wear it upside down on my left leg which is actually better, as the clip is now at the bottom. I can clip my flip-over check list in it now and still flip it over without dropping it.

But its going to have to go soon, my wrist sticks to it as the stick is quite short. I've just bought an A5 hardboard clipboard from an ofiice supplier and I think that can be modified to perfection.

[Genghis the Engineer]

At last count I have 6 different kneeboards, of various sizes and shapes varying from smaller than A5 to bigger than A3. I pick the appropriate tool for the job, depending upon what I'm flying. This morning in a PA28 I was using an RAF issue one which is slightly narrower and longer than A5 with a pen attached and a ring binder on the top.

I'm also sorely tempted to buy one of Pooleys new helicopter ones 'cos I've seen WhirlyBird's and it impressed me.

So I don't think there's a right answer. It comes down a combination of your personal preferences, and what you fly.

G

[essouira]

I'm amazed that this is the first time on pprune that anyone's written "I want one cos I've seen WhirlyBird's and it impressed me". I'm just waiting now for someone to write "I've seen Essouira's and it impressed me " ..................

[Vizsla]

Surely this was well covered by John Leslie on Blue Peter some time back!

[Flyin'Dutch']

I use a Pooleys PB7

Used a foldable one before but found that I could never easily access the information on the inside.

The PB7 has a ring binder on the short side and a clip on the lower long side.

I file the plates that I need in the ring binder bit and clip the rest of the stuff that I need under the clip.

Once in situ I stuff the map between seat and the fuse; use the checklist until line up after which it goes into one of the little pockets until I leave the machine again and use the clipboard when needed and when not needed stuff it where the map is.

Works for me.

FD

[Genghis the Engineer]

Ahh, essouira, but Whirly just has that sort of effect.

G

[WhiskeyNovember]

I definitely agree with what was said about folding kneeboards getting in the way of the yoke. I have trouble with that in C-172s and M-20Rs.

It all depends on how high you position your seat, but you don't ever want to sacrifice visibility for your kneeboard. :D


-WN