Comments on: How to Fight Clutter in the Cockpit http://www.askacfi.com/1233/clutter-in-the-cockpit.htm Flight Training Questions Answered Thu, 11 Mar 2010 18:02:41 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Un-cluttering the cockpit — Golf Hotel Whiskey http://www.askacfi.com/1233/clutter-in-the-cockpit.htm/comment-page-1#comment-1275 Un-cluttering the cockpit — Golf Hotel Whiskey Wed, 23 Sep 2009 14:11:20 +0000 http://www.askacfi.com/?p=1233#comment-1275 [...] it might be time to consider getting better organized. Hence, Paul Tocknell’s recent post about clutter in the cockpit (or specifically, ways to un-clutter the cockpit) is well worth reading. Some of his simple and [...] [...] it might be time to consider getting better organized. Hence, Paul Tocknell’s recent post about clutter in the cockpit (or specifically, ways to un-clutter the cockpit) is well worth reading. Some of his simple and [...]

]]> By: Julien http://www.askacfi.com/1233/clutter-in-the-cockpit.htm/comment-page-1#comment-1271 Julien Tue, 22 Sep 2009 05:00:07 +0000 http://www.askacfi.com/?p=1233#comment-1271 One instructor I used to fly with always kept sick bags in the left knee pocket of his cargo pants. I guess he had to clean the airplane one time too many after steep turns on a warm day :-) I use these little coil things that you can clip to a regular clipboard. They can hold three pens. I create mud maps with the essentials for each leg (heading, time, distance, frequencies, elevations, circuit direction, etc.), they help a lot with reducing the number of documents I need to have on my lap. And finally: nothing so far has taught me more about cockpit organisation than night flying. You just need to know where everything is, because if you start looking for it, you won't find it. One instructor I used to fly with always kept sick bags in the left knee pocket of his cargo pants. I guess he had to clean the airplane one time too many after steep turns on a warm day :-)

I use these little coil things that you can clip to a regular clipboard. They can hold three pens. I create mud maps with the essentials for each leg (heading, time, distance, frequencies, elevations, circuit direction, etc.), they help a lot with reducing the number of documents I need to have on my lap.

And finally: nothing so far has taught me more about cockpit organisation than night flying. You just need to know where everything is, because if you start looking for it, you won’t find it.

]]> By: Paula Williams http://www.askacfi.com/1233/clutter-in-the-cockpit.htm/comment-page-1#comment-1269 Paula Williams Mon, 21 Sep 2009 18:27:17 +0000 http://www.askacfi.com/?p=1233#comment-1269 Just got my private license this month! This has been one of my biggest problems. Love the suggestion about cargo pants (although the ones they make for girls are usually not quite as useful, and the ones made for guys look pretty dorky on some of us.) Patrick's suggestion about using your passengers is also great. My suggestion is to use little black binder clips on everything. You can use as many as you need, clip things to the tops and bottoms of your kneeboard and/or organizer. The other suggestion is to use colored highlighters. Use your own system (one color for each leg, or whatever works for you) so that you don't mistake one row or column for another. Thanks for a great article! Just got my private license this month!

This has been one of my biggest problems. Love the suggestion about cargo pants (although the ones they make for girls are usually not quite as useful, and the ones made for guys look pretty dorky on some of us.)

Patrick’s suggestion about using your passengers is also great.

My suggestion is to use little black binder clips on everything. You can use as many as you need, clip things to the tops and bottoms of your kneeboard and/or organizer.

The other suggestion is to use colored highlighters. Use your own system (one color for each leg, or whatever works for you) so that you don’t mistake one row or column for another.

Thanks for a great article!

]]> By: Sylvia http://www.askacfi.com/1233/clutter-in-the-cockpit.htm/comment-page-1#comment-1260 Sylvia Thu, 17 Sep 2009 16:17:11 +0000 http://www.askacfi.com/?p=1233#comment-1260 I can highly recommend making your own checklists and flight-plan form. I have a template that I fill in with pertinent details on the computer and then print out. The clipboard looks interesting, I've been thinking of replacing mine but wasn't really sure what would be an improvement. I have a small bag with ruler, protractor etc that is stashed behind my seat - but to be fair, with the gps system and my obsession with planning every detail before we leave, I can't remember the last time I used one in flight. I can highly recommend making your own checklists and flight-plan form. I have a template that I fill in with pertinent details on the computer and then print out.

The clipboard looks interesting, I’ve been thinking of replacing mine but wasn’t really sure what would be an improvement.

I have a small bag with ruler, protractor etc that is stashed behind my seat – but to be fair, with the gps system and my obsession with planning every detail before we leave, I can’t remember the last time I used one in flight.

]]> By: Robert http://www.askacfi.com/1233/clutter-in-the-cockpit.htm/comment-page-1#comment-1259 Robert Thu, 17 Sep 2009 14:55:52 +0000 http://www.askacfi.com/?p=1233#comment-1259 I use the Ultimate Kneeboard and it is great. Especially for center stick aircraft. As to your point on creating your own checklists, I created my own and printed them on paper the size that would fit in each of the pages. This way I just flip from page to the next instead of fumbling for the checklist. I also use the Brightline Flight Bag. It is amazing. There are so many pockets and I keep finding more. I especially like that you can remove one part (where I keep my XC stuff) so that if I am only doing local practice flights I don't have to carry the full bag. This is great especially since I fly an LSA with very little baggage space. I use the Ultimate Kneeboard and it is great. Especially for center stick aircraft. As to your point on creating your own checklists, I created my own and printed them on paper the size that would fit in each of the pages. This way I just flip from page to the next instead of fumbling for the checklist.

I also use the Brightline Flight Bag. It is amazing. There are so many pockets and I keep finding more. I especially like that you can remove one part (where I keep my XC stuff) so that if I am only doing local practice flights I don’t have to carry the full bag. This is great especially since I fly an LSA with very little baggage space.

]]> By: Paul http://www.askacfi.com/1233/clutter-in-the-cockpit.htm/comment-page-1#comment-1255 Paul Thu, 17 Sep 2009 11:08:32 +0000 http://www.askacfi.com/?p=1233#comment-1255 Thanks for the comments and additional suggestions. Those black metallic binder clips are a great idea and something I use personally when flying with NACO charts. Thanks for the comments and additional suggestions. Those black metallic binder clips are a great idea and something I use personally when flying with NACO charts.

]]> By: Patrick Flanigan http://www.askacfi.com/1233/clutter-in-the-cockpit.htm/comment-page-1#comment-1253 Patrick Flanigan Thu, 17 Sep 2009 05:28:49 +0000 http://www.askacfi.com/?p=1233#comment-1253 Clutter is the enemy! In the CRJ I literally have a ton of space. Two built in clipboards and a big empty area on the side of the cockpit that works well as a desk (complete with cupholder!) has made me lazy. Back in the local Cessna, I operate as a creature of habit, and I think that's the real trick. You need to define some sort of organization system. The E6B always goes here. Charts are always over there. Whatever works for you, make it a habit and maintain consistency. And don't forget about to use passengers as needed! If you need something from your flight bag, it's a whole lot safer to have a passenger get it out rather than going "heads down" for a few moments to do it yourself. Sure, this isn't really an option during corporate or charter ops, but when you're flying with your friends, put them to work! Clutter is the enemy! In the CRJ I literally have a ton of space. Two built in clipboards and a big empty area on the side of the cockpit that works well as a desk (complete with cupholder!) has made me lazy.

Back in the local Cessna, I operate as a creature of habit, and I think that’s the real trick. You need to define some sort of organization system. The E6B always goes here. Charts are always over there. Whatever works for you, make it a habit and maintain consistency.

And don’t forget about to use passengers as needed! If you need something from your flight bag, it’s a whole lot safer to have a passenger get it out rather than going “heads down” for a few moments to do it yourself. Sure, this isn’t really an option during corporate or charter ops, but when you’re flying with your friends, put them to work!

]]> By: Curdle1 http://www.askacfi.com/1233/clutter-in-the-cockpit.htm/comment-page-1#comment-1252 Curdle1 Thu, 17 Sep 2009 04:03:33 +0000 http://www.askacfi.com/?p=1233#comment-1252 Great post! I am so disorganized especially when it comes to having approach plates. Since I'm learning to fly them I need to have the book with me at all times. My instructor recommended black metallic binder clips to hold the page open. This has worked wonders for me. It keeps the page of the approach I am flying open and the book in a firm position without pages flying everywhere. Great post! I am so disorganized especially when it comes to having approach plates. Since I’m learning to fly them I need to have the book with me at all times. My instructor recommended black metallic binder clips to hold the page open. This has worked wonders for me. It keeps the page of the approach I am flying open and the book in a firm position without pages flying everywhere.

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