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
) 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).