Okay pilots and aircrew - I'm looking for a recommendation on a slick and trim flight bag. I'd like something that can hold a few charts, my kneeboard and E6-B, headset and couple of pens and small accessories and little else.
A lot of the bags I've seen in the recent Sporty's catalog seem a bit bulky and large and was wondering what's out there that's a bit slicker. Suggestions? Experiences of your own? Thanks! :)
I just ordered one of these for my essentials:
http://zuluworks.com/prod/zulubags/mongoose.htm
It seems to be exactly what you're looking for. It's designed to be just big enough to hold your headset, kneeboard, a few charts, and pens. I'll post again when it arrives to see just how well it works out.
Plus, with the capblog discount, you get 15% off of every order from zuluworks. I've used their deluxe zuluboard and zulucards for a while, and I love the functionality and convenience of their products.
I actually use a helmet bag for my personal/CAP flying. It is padded to protect my headset and I can fit charts, kneeboard and some water or food in it with no problem. Fits neatly behind the seat or under the back seat once the headset is out.
John
I just bought a Jeppesen Aviator Bag (http://www.jeppesen.com:80/wlcs/application/commercewf?origin=itemsummary.jsp&event=link(details)&wlcs_catalog_item_sku=JS621252&wlcs_catalog_category_id=PS6&wlcs_document_type=details) today. It is probably larger than what you are looking for but it was the smallest bag that would fit a DeLorme Gazetteer inside it that I found. The headset has a attached bag on the outside, and my kneeboard, logs, maps, manuals, and survival gear all fit inside. To get anymore trim I would have to ditch the first-aid kit and survival items. I sometimes wonder about carrying all of that since our aircraft all have an extensive kit in them anyway.
I just got one of these (http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/NEW-Pilot-Aviation-Flight-Bag-Clearance_W0QQitemZ270134397428QQihZ017QQcategoryZ26440QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem) on eBay. It might be a little bigger than you are looking for, but it fits my needs well. It has two headset pockets, so one gets used for water bottles (three small Gatorade bottles fit perfectly). There's an outside pocket on one side, and a divider down the middle of the big compartment, so things don't shift around so much.
It sounds like you're looking for a pubs bag. . .
Go to mardonco.com
1000 Denier Cordura-takes a beating-nicest bag I ever had.
It's is wide enough for sectionals and checklists and a kneeboard, has two small pockets, and a two-pen pocket.
Few headsets will fit in a pubs bag. Take a look at the Freedom VII by Sky High Gear, it's a perfect size for what you're describing.
http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/pspages/skyhigh.php
Get a nice back pack from Wal Mart with lots o' pockets.
I used a helmet bag for years, worked just fine.
But now I find myself carrying a lot more - binoculars, camera, perhaps lunch, spare sunglasses, flashlight, aircrew task guide, blank forms, spare headset for the scanner who doesn't have one.....so I went out and got a Jeppeson big bag. A lot like the ones in Sportys.
I use a Kockmar Leather flight bag. I can fit 2 3in Jepp Binders, 1 2in Jepp binder, headset, Company Ops Manual and, assorted goodies. It fits nicely between the seats behind the center console.
I picked up a small, slim flight bag while at Sun-N-Fun around 1998, which I'm still using today.
I already owned a "Slim Line Flight Gear Bag" (http://tinyurl.com/2v7qzm (http://tinyurl.com/2v7qzm)) from Sporty's - it had seemed like the right size when I was a newly minted private pilot, often carrying around 2+ pairs of headsets, but over the years it had come to seem cavernous.
The small bag I bought was made by "Sisson's Satchels" of St. Louis, Mo. It fits a bottle of water, a pair of sunglasses, several charts, a book or two of approach plates, and the A/FD. And has a loop for my AA-size Mag-Lite and a small zipper pocket for earplugs, breath mints, and a pad of round "INOPERATIVE" post-it notes (a favorite of every CFII >:D ). There's just enough room to fit my headset in the main compartment - perfect! Here it is:
(http://ebay.mdickinson.com/sissons.jpg)
My suggestion is buy any brand of bag that meets those dimensions, as it seems to be just right. Maybe an inch or two bigger at most. Sissons also makes a slightly larger bag (still much smaller than the Sporty's monstrosities). Both sizes can be seen at http://www.sissonsatchels.com/page2
Nine years later, my Sisson's bag is still going strong - It's the only flight bag I ever use for local flying. (The Sporty's bag is in reserve, used only for those ridiculously long cross-countries that require four books of approach plates...)
I use a Cencal Echo bag.
http://thresholdaviation.ca/categories.asp?cID=1&p=5&c=245453 (http://thresholdaviation.ca/categories.asp?cID=1&p=5&c=245453)
It has spots for pens, charts and e6b's + two headsets.
Although it's not this one:http://www.mypilotstore.com/mypilotstore/sep/2857 (http://www.mypilotstore.com/mypilotstore/sep/2857)
I have one very similar. It's all I need for CAP missions. Just a headset, sectional, green book, flashlight, pens/pencils, and a small writing pad.
I've been on CAP missions where 3 guys all throw in 30lb duffel bags all filled with mostly the same stuff (90% of which is not needed). Not fun.
Quote from: Frenchie on August 09, 2007, 11:38:38 PM
Although it's not this one:http://www.mypilotstore.com/mypilotstore/sep/2857 (http://www.mypilotstore.com/mypilotstore/sep/2857)
I have one very similar. It's all I need for CAP missions. Just a headset, sectional, green book, flashlight, pens/pencils, and a small writing pad.
I've been on CAP missions where 3 guys all throw in 30lb duffel bags all filled with mostly the same stuff (90% of which is not needed). Not fun.
Very nifty! I like this one. Very slim and just gets the basics. Can you fit the E6B and a plotter in there comfortably, as well?
Quote from: Pylon on August 14, 2007, 02:28:17 PM
Quote from: Frenchie on August 09, 2007, 11:38:38 PM
Although it's not this one:http://www.mypilotstore.com/mypilotstore/sep/2857 (http://www.mypilotstore.com/mypilotstore/sep/2857)
I have one very similar. It's all I need for CAP missions. Just a headset, sectional, green book, flashlight, pens/pencils, and a small writing pad.
I've been on CAP missions where 3 guys all throw in 30lb duffel bags all filled with mostly the same stuff (90% of which is not needed). Not fun.
Very nifty! I like this one. Very slim and just gets the basics. Can you fit the E6B and a plotter in there comfortably, as well?
What is this E6B you speak of? ;)
Quote from: ricecakecm on August 14, 2007, 04:11:50 PM
What is this E6B you speak of? ;)
(http://captalk.net/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=2668.0;attach=837)
Quote from: Pylon on August 14, 2007, 02:28:17 PM
Very nifty! I like this one. Very slim and just gets the basics. Can you fit the E6B and a plotter in there comfortably, as well?
E6B (even a full sized one) would be no problem, however I generally don't carry an E6B anymore. It's really only needed on long X-countries and even then both the IFR GPS and my handheld GPS will do almost all the same functions.
A full sized plotter would probably stick out, but I haven't carried one of those in some time. I picked up a few small plotters (about 8" long) from an FAA safety seminar and they are far easier to keep handy. I've seen a small plotter for sale at some pilot shops which would probably work even better, but the free FAA one is fine by me.
Quote from: Frenchie on August 17, 2007, 04:43:47 PM
Quote from: Pylon on August 14, 2007, 02:28:17 PM
Very nifty! I like this one. Very slim and just gets the basics. Can you fit the E6B and a plotter in there comfortably, as well?
E6B (even a full sized one) would be no problem, however I generally don't carry an E6B anymore. It's really only needed on long X-countries and even then both the IFR GPS and my handheld GPS will do almost all the same functions.
A full sized plotter would probably stick out, but I haven't carried one of those in some time. I picked up a few small plotters (about 8" long) from an FAA safety seminar and they are far easier to keep handy. I've seen a small plotter for sale at some pilot shops which would probably work even better, but the free FAA one is fine by me.
Cool! Thanks for the recommendation - I just ordered it from mypilotstore.com. 8)
If I don't like it, I'm sending it back and ordering the first recommendation from Zuluworks. :)
Quote from: dcpacemaker on June 18, 2007, 01:53:26 PM
I just ordered one of these for my essentials:
http://zuluworks.com/prod/zulubags/mongoose.htm
It seems to be exactly what you're looking for. It's designed to be just big enough to hold your headset, kneeboard, a few charts, and pens. I'll post again when it arrives to see just how well it works out.
Plus, with the capblog discount, you get 15% off of every order from zuluworks. I've used their deluxe zuluboard and zulucards for a while, and I love the functionality and convenience of their products.
I'm a little late in posting this reply as promised, but I've used the zuluworks mongoose for a little over two months now.
It holds my david clarks, foggles, approach plates, low enroute, sectional, POH, AF/D, logbook, and my ever growing mini-binder of Tach tickets (receipts to make sure my paycheck is correct). It still has room for an E6-B should I choose to put it in there. I'm thoroughly pleased with it!