Our lives are cluttered with junk!

Our inboxes are filled with email. Our garages overflow with: yard equipment, kid’s toys, cars, bikes, boxes. Our cupboards are stocked with ingredients so infrequently used that we cringe at the thought of how long they’ve been in there!

This hoarding has also passed into other parts of our lives, including aviation. Pilots love their gadgets and toys. There are multiple sites to shop for them and it seems like we can’t get enough. But on top of the flight planning tools, navigation equipment, and required publications a flight bag can get jam packed with random “just in case” toys.

For example, check out this comprehensive list I found in a web forum that a pilot actually carries! He says,

“I carry around a lot, maybe too much. In no particular order”:

Spare CR123 batteries
IFR Clip-on shades
Microfiber cloths (one for sunglasses, one for interior windows/windscreen, one for exterior windows/windscreen)
IFR Timer
Spare pens/mechanical pencil
Spare spare pens/mechanical pencil
Fat sharpie marker
Kneeboard
VFR Sectionals/TAC
IFR Approach Plates (Florida)
IFR TAC
A/FD
FAR/AIM
POH/PIM
Headsets
Emergency rations (CLIF Bars)
Leatherman Multi-purpose Tool
GATS Jar
Fuel stick
ICOM Radio
Voice Recorder (for CVR setup)
Calculator
Logbook (As a student, my school requires us to carry them with us.)
Passport
Yoke Clip (in case the plane is not equipped with a chart clip)
ACE Hardware “Little Black Book”
Intercom recording cable (for CVR setup)

And he doesn’t stop there!!! He plans to add:

Sigtronics 4-place portable intercom
11″ flight bag module (for overnight)
An additional 6″ flight bag section (so I can carry my wife’s headset)

HOLY CRAP!!!

Yes, I know that this man (I’m not sure we should label him a man since his flight bag sounds more like a purse!) carries WAY more than the typical aviator and most of us choose to cut down on the non essentials. But, let’s take a moment to think about what we typically carry in our flight bag. Write down a list of everything, from your headset to the type of gum you munch on. Take a moment now and we’ll come back to your list in a little bit.

Personally I keep things simple.

I use the 80/20 principle every-single flight. For an in depth article on the 80/20 principle, check out Pareto Principle

Simple explanation: Identify the 20% of equipment in your flight bag that you use for 80% of the necessary flight tasks. (Throw out the rest!)

Yes, in an emergency a few tools would make life easier, but I like to play the odds and hope for the best. My Scout Master’s neck vein would be popping out right now if he know’s I neglect the motto “BE PREPARED”… Oh well!

MY LIST:

David Clarke Headset

Kneeboard – Carries all essential documentation, identification, log book, E6B flight computer, paperwork, 2 pens, 1 pencil, a small cereal bar and a pack of juicy fruit.

THAT’S IT!!! Those are the 3 lbs. (if that) of essentials. The 10% that get the majority of the flight done.

But we’re missing another 10%! THE BOOKS!

During my flight training, (and probably yours) electronic flight bags were VERY expensive and iPads were not in existence. We lugged around multiple maps/enroute charts, a POS, airport plates, and possibly the ever present and enormous FAR/AIM. Talk about hassle!

But how times have changed!

Applications and eBooks have compressed EVERYTHING we need to aviate and navigate with, into handheld computers. Yes, like everything new we throw into the cockpit it takes time to learn the processes and work flow. But think about that 80/20 principle again.

The other 10% necessary to execute a flight used to weigh 8-15 lbs. but now it weighs less than 1.75 lbs. AND removes unnecessary processes in the flight like map folding, leafing through airport plates, and pulling up procedure lists.

So add one more thing to my list:

iPad
iPad Power Cord (Which fits in the kneeboard perfectly with no added bulk)
Work smarter, NOT harder!

The goal here is to carry less in your flight bag, but still retain all the normal/necessary functions of a flight.

The easiest thing I can tell you to do is to buy an iPad! But you’re smarter than that and I’m sure you’ve already looked into purchasing one.

But investing in a great product is only a portion of the DETOX we want to accomplish. We also want to streamline processes, which will open our eyes to things inside and outside the aircraft we often miss or typically just glance at.

But first, here’s a list of apps to download that get the job done with an iPad. (I have no affiliation with these applications)

ForeFlight Mobile – Pre-flight and in-flight product which includes maps, approach charts, weather graphics, document organization, flight planning etc…

Garmin Pilot – Same features of ForeFlight, but adds Garmin GTN-style menus, split screen, GDL 39 integration, etc…

WingX Pro7 – WinX is the last of the “big three” navigation apps with ForeFlight and Garmin. Includes complete digital charts, moving maps, track up, terrain, and split screen.

Sporty’s E6B – Good ol’ fashion E6B within added features like AIR/SIGMET overlay and route overlays based on N-numbers.

LogTen Pro – Electronic logbook with no computer syncing. Automatic alerts for currency, and tons of options for printing your logbook.

iFly Weight and Balance – The tedious paper weight and balance process is over! Uses 160 pre-made aircraft templates so you can just plug in numbers. Easily customize a template to your aircraft.

ASA FAR/AIM – Simple menu layout and powerful search feature. CUTS DOWN ON 5 LBS.!!!

FlightAware – The addictive website is now on your iPhone and iPad! Track IFR flights with their N-number.

These apps can even cut down on my personal flight bag list from above! But, I choose carefully which flights I use my iPad as it can become a crutch or a distraction when I’d much rather gaze out the window. It’s beautiful out there!

So we’ve taken care of 50% of the issue. The books are a necessity, but we can consolidate with 1 piece of equipment and a little personal training to learn the process of using the apps.

Here comes the fun part. Let’s purge the other 50% of the issue.

You have your list right? Your list of things you carry in your flight bag? After reading the past few paragraphs and understanding the 80/20 principle, I hope you can cross off a few things on that list! But wait! Don’t just yet.

We’re going to go ‘META’ on what’s remain on your list

The prefix meta- is used to mean about (its own category). For example, metadata are data about data, or metamemory in psychology means an individual’s knowledge about whether-or-not they would remember something if they concentrated on recalling it. Kind of heady to think about, but it will make more sense in your flight bag detox!

Quick Definition: Breaking something down to the lowest common denominator to better learn, realize, and streamline a process.

So where to START?

Deconstruct your flight into the most basic LEGO blocks. I do this in two ways.

AVIATE, NAVIGATE, COMMUNICATE
The basic action steps of the flight: Ex: Flight plan, aircraft check, pre-flight, takeoff, en-route, land, park/hangar.
For this exercises purpose though, we’ll stick with Aviate, Navigate, and Communicate.

Draw three columns on a piece of paper. Write Aviate, Navigate, Communicate in decending order on the left side of your notepad. In a column next to those, write down the basic actions you take within those terms. Be as specific as possible.

What specifically do you do when you aviate? Ex: Scan instruments, check list run through, etc…

What specifically do you do to navigate?

What specifically do you do to communicate?

Now, in the third column write the specific tool, gadget, body part, accessory you use to perform that action. You’ll have redundant ones but write it down anyway.

Done? Good.

Look at your list now and rewrite those tools on a clean sheet, excluding the redundant ones.

Here’s the DETOX part!

Ask yourself which tool, gadget, accessory, etc… can I throw in the garbage right now and still execute a safe flight?

I don’t care if it was a gift from your significant other or it has some sentimental meaning for you.Cross it off.

Then, ask yourself which tool, gadget, accessory, etc… only accomplishes one thing. Is that one task ABSOLUTELY necessary to execute the flight, or is there another instrument, process, checklist item, etc… that can do the same thing? If yes, toss it!

Oh yeah, cross off the body parts you may have written down too. You’re not putting them in your flight bag anyway.

SIDE NOTE: Notice how survival tools haven’t come up yet? Nowhere in aviate, navigate, or communicate (in a flight) will you need a first aid kit, survival knife, floatation device, CV Radio etc…

If you’re a Boy Scout and you like to “Be Prepared” make a separate survival bag and put it on your plane! Ask the business you rented the aircraft from for their emergency kit.

We’re talking about your flight bag here. You take it to go flying not crashing/surviving.

You should now have a list of very few items. Most of which are small and lightweight. Feeling lighter yet? If you’re like the guy with that long list before, you should be close to 15-20 lb. lighter! I’m guessing the majority are close to 5 lb. lighter.

Now look at how much space you’ve freed up in your flight bag! You could probably fit an extra pair of clothes and stay overnight at a destination instead of carrying separate luggage or flying back the same day!

But, more importantly, you’re now free from all the extra clutter that can ruin the flying experience and weigh you down (literally and figuratively).

If you’ve taken the time to outline what you carry in your flight bag AND purge the unnecessary and redundant junk, congratulations! I applaud you for streamlining one small facet of your life and I encourage you to use the same simple principles in many other areas of your life.

I typically do this exercise once a quarter with ALL my belongings. It’s crazy how much I can donate to Goodwill (gotta love a tax write off) and/or completely throw out!

I hope you’ve found this exercise as rewarding as I did when I purged my flight bag. If you have any tips or tricks you use, I would LOVE to learn what you do. Just post a comment below!