You Can Fly - 2023 Edition - 28

PILOT GEAR
Quality flying stuff
Gear that matters
BY DAVE HIRSCHMAN
P
ilots don't like paying retail. We're
known for driving hard bargains, and
we'll fly long distances to get a good deal
on fuel-even if we negate any benefit by
using most of it to fly home.
But there are useful, durable, highquality
things pilots can buy that will serve
them well throughout their life of flying.
Here are some of the best aviation
items I've bought and would buy again.
THINGS YOU TOUCH
Things you're in physical contact with
during flight are important to get right-
and that starts with the seat of your pants.
Oregon Aero makes portable seat
cushions that are miraculously comfortable,
durable, and worth the high price
you pay for them. My Oregon Aero cushion
helps me avoid low back pain, and that
just puts me in a better frame of mind.
It's essential equipment on long flights,
and I've been using mine for more than
a decade. And for shorter pilots, it may
be a necessity to reach the rudder pedals
and get the proper line of sight over the
control panel.
An active noise reduction (often called
noise canceling) headset that's light, comfortable,
and enhances communication in
noisy cockpits is a good investment. I've
owned both Bose and Lightspeed over the
years and they're both excellent. I give
Bose the edge in particularly noisy cockpits,
and Lightspeed has an exceptional
warranty program. Years ago, when ANR
headsets were new technology, I chided a
fellow pilot for shelling out big bucks for
one and will never forget his response.
" Yeah, the headset cost a lot-but way less
than hearing aids. " Point taken.
28
FLIGHT TRAINING YOU CAN FLY 2023
Non-polarized sunglasses protect
your eyes from glare and harsh light
while still allowing you to read the digital
displays of glass-panel avionics. My
favorites are Flying Eyes models, which
use impossibly thin bands designed to
slide under ANR headsets.
PLANNING AND NAVIGATION
Electronic flight bag apps replace paper
maps, airport directories, and more.
You'll use the app to get a weather briefing,
estimate time and fuel consumption,
and find out about your destination and
alternate airports. Then you'll use it to
file your flight plan and get updates. In
the cockpit, it helps you taxi, navigate,
and monitor traffic and weather. After
you land, it logs your flight.
There are many good aviation apps,
but ForeFlight dominates for good
reasons. The ForeFlight Mobile app only
works on Apple products, so if you don't
already have one, an iPhone or iPad may
be in your future. But once you learn
the app and harness its power, you can't
imagine flying without it. And if you
someday fly for the military or airlines,
you're likely to find that the pros use
ForeFlight, too.
A Garmin portable GPS-either a
smartphone-sized Aera 660 or a larger
796-is far more durable and its screen
is less reflective than an iPad. These
items are made for aviation, and they're
robust. They won't shut themselves off
on hot or cold days, and they're terrific
for situational awareness. They're useful
as primary navigation in sport aircraft,
and they're a valuable backup in
cross-country airplanes.
PACKING
There are all kinds of specialty flight bags,
but my favorite is the simplest: a military
surplus helmet bag. These things have
only one zipper. They're incredibly tough
and long lasting, and they're seemingly
bottomless. I've been trying to destroy
mine for years, and it looks about the
same as the day I got it.
IN AN EMERGENCY
Flying can take you to beautiful, remote
locations, sometimes beyond cell phone
range. Pilots often carry emergency gear in
case things don't go as planned.
A Garmin InReach satellite messenger
is small and unobtrusive, it has incredibly
long battery life, and it can summon
rescuers anywhere on the planet. It's got
a surprisingly hefty subscription price,
especially considering I've got a basic
subscription that's for SOS only. But it's
essential gear, especially when flying in
remote regions.
An ACR ResQLink personal locator
beacon is for the same purpose. ACR
sells robust models that float, tolerate
extreme heat and cold, and transmit vital
information about you and your airplane
to rescuers.
Don't forget AOPA Pilot Protection
Services. AOPA hires the best,
most knowledgeable legal and medical
experts in the business and puts them
squarely in your corner-and that's
good peace of mind. Hopefully, you'll
never have to talk to one of them. But
if you do, you'll find they're smart,
friendly, and exceedingly helpful.
dave.hirschman@aopa.org
You Can Fly - 2023 Edition

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