Kneepad info
 

Hi,
I was wondering what information is put on a flying suit kneepad? Or got boxes to write on? Especially if flying a light aircraft (Tutor/Prefect). Thanks

I had 'STOP READING MY KNEEPAD' in block capitals on mine...

Last place I think I saw my chinagraph in the cockpit was...

Have done many searches for grease pencils in cockpits, mainly holding the ankles of our tame tank rat. This was on a heavenly RAF station in the west.
Advised students during strap in that they might consider attaching theirs by string to their flying suit. Circa early 60s.

A Vulcan Nav Plotter informed us on debrief that he had dropped his chinagraph pencil behind the rear of the table. We offered him the 14 pencils various that we found to see which one was his.

String came detached from my chinagraph in a JP during basic training in the 60’s and fell onto the floor of the cockpit. It wouldn’t re-appear despite -ve G and rudder-trampling so I duly reported it and was invited to invert my body in the cockpit (after landing!) and look for it - to no avail.

Bombheads were not pleased at having to remove and replace the seat overnight but triumphantly presented me with a yellow chinagraph at met-brief the following morning, to a round of raucous applause. Cheering turned to groans when I told them that the one I had lost was, in fact, blue!

Mog

Is chinagraph still used?

Last time I saw one used in anger was down the hole at UKWMO Fiskerton or Horsham. {Yes I know they are far apart, but this was a long time ago]

After 48 hours of mock nuclear exchanges [which begin to be believable from lack of sleep] I watched some bastard plotter put the mockers on Yately: my home at the time.

Nasty

These may give you some sort of idea.

https://www.google.com/search?q=raf+...nt=firefox-b-d

or

https://www.google.com/search?q=prin...w=1361&bih=626

1lb mince
2lb potato
1lb carrot
brocolli
Really displays über cool.

Everybody else has QFE, QNH and contact Freq for destination.

...don't forget the OXO cubes

‘If lost please return to…..’

and on the other one…

‘How can I be lost if I don’t know where I am ?’
:hmm:

IIRC after so long, the QHI would say… ‘Go back to your last known position’

to which the reply is/was…

‘If I could do that I wouldn’t be lost’ …:{

I find it quite amusing that in today’s technological age, with tablets and allsorts, that we still get issued with a posh crayon.

That said-it works!

You could leave a couple of `ficticious`/made -up mobile numbers,with girls names and 4/5 star ratings;see if any mates take the `bait`...
Alternatively,look up the `ARESTI` aerobatic `dictionary and draw an exotic display sequence...

During the work up for my IR at RAFC, I persuaded my QFI, Capt White, a USAF exchange officer and thoroughly nice chap, to agree a PD to Mildenhall one fine Summer's day. All went well until the go-around when we were given departure instructions "fly nnn°, climb to nnnn' call this, squawk that, recall on nnn.n, readback....". I coped with most of it, then asked for the frequency again.

"What? You didn't write it down?" my QFI queried. Whereupon I held up my hand and told him "Sir, sorry, my chinagraph just melted!". He dissolved into fits of laughter and back we went to Cranwell. He lived out on the story for months "They gave us the departure from Hell and my stude's chinagraph melted!"

Remember NASA put out a request for a pen that would write in space and the result after a lot of money was spent was the pressurised spacepen, very good it is, I use one at work, the first one in the link..

Russia simply issued their cosmonauts with pencils

https://www.penheaven.co.uk/pen-bran...SAAEgJIafD_BwE

An amusing story, sadly totally fictional

https://www.reuters.com/article/fact...-idUSL1N2MQ1RR

Bit of a ‘Snap’ moment, so I’ll support it with… 🛑 False

https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/the-write-stuff/

I erm never said NASA spent the money, Fisher did, it came in the blurb when I get mine

https://fisherspacepen.co.uk/about-us-2/

Lol, I think we all know what you meant…
the fact is, from the link in Fitter2’s post…

‘NASA used to use pencils, and in 1965 there was controversy over how much they spent on them.’ :ok:

… and just to rub salt, from your own link…

Yes someone does read the links people add to posts :8

Wetstart at #9 had me mopping coffee off the keyboard. :}

I just like the ballon pricking effect of all those intense pilots who have pre-printed forms that are, "better than yours..."

Circuits at Linton in the JP were left hand, except for Wednesday's, when they were right hand. Anyhow, there I was with my QFI, battling through the forced landing (PFL) checks, when I felt him scribbling something on my kneepad. I was far too engrossed to react initially, but then curiosity got the better of me and I glanced at my kneepad. There was but one word on it: WEDNESDAY.