Tool-Kits For Pilots

[splitpin]

Blechhh...I feel dirty now

 

Too Funny!! Lotsa Scotch on my keyboard, Shyte!

[Guest plumber]

No hammer, duct tape or zip ties?

 

That being said your gonna need a hammer, duct tape and zip ties.

[Winnie]

No I agree on this whole thing SuddensStop, but I have many a time had to change the landing light bulb in the 206 (3/8 socket), the position lights, add or remove the idiotic basket (Cirque Soleil to get in the machine). Cowls on or off. but yes, I am aware of the limitations on my "elementary Maintenance Tasks" and although I have 1400 hours as an apprentice, I will keep my hands to myself! lol

 

Leatherman is already on the belt, handy to open cans with, and also to pinch off the moskito-coil before I go to sleep.

 

Flashlight to read a book, when the gennie stops, and also to check the fuel drums.

 

Have had to break lockwire on a chip plug to explain to an engineer over the phone what the fragment was like once. on the MRGB that requires removal of the cowling on the 206...

 

but most importantly tho, sometimes to help the engineer, and EVEN more important than that, to fix the dang GPI pump!

 

Thanks for good tips so far, see one tool to add (water-pump wrench).

Cheers

Harald

 

I won't tell you what to take, or advise you on what you could take apart to fix.

Do what you gotta do to survive (and thats the key. More on that below)

But, and a BIG but, be prepared to explain yourself. At the little end to your engineer, all the way up to the big end in a court of law if need be. On why, based on your qualifications, felt it was necessary to fix something instead of stay put and wait for help to arrive, knowing full well, you could potentially cause bigger grief by your attempt. Imagine me with enough dual stick time to manage flight, taking it upon myself to get us back home after the pilot gets eaten by a grizzly bear? not such a good idea, unless staying there assured impending death myself.

 

Personally, I have never worked for a company that would not send a second ship (even contracted by the competition) to fly you out, or an engineer back on scene that day, or the next to ensure the serviceablity to fly it out safely.

 

Whatever you do, if you want to be prepared, talk to your engineer and have him properly train you on what he's comfortable having you fix. He should at least know.

[Max Continuous]

We're not talking about field maintenance here, just things you can run into and what tools are needed to get you home. Ending up in a court of law....PFFFFT!

3/4 inch stubby for chip plugs (206) and some side cutters for lock wire. A slim long screwdriver for turning your starter if you hit a "flat spot" on the Jet box. Tie wraps and a Leatherman are good too.

Duct tape for making sure your Bambi won't come unplugged and some flagging tape for marking hazards in your staging area and for tying up the cables on the Bambi when you pack it up. Colour cut paste for testing your remote fuel cache and as always a good knife. Not a folding kind as you may need to use it with a broken arm.

I'll think on this one some more but that's about it for now.

Max

[FREDDIE]

I pack a small Cresent (6 in), multi tip screwdriver,

,Leatherman ,some lock wire , a proper can opener, good Knife, electrical tape, a few stubby wrenches and a mirror so you can do a proper DI at times.weight 2 lbs.

[hawthorn]

One item not yet mentioned that I've carried for years is a "Ford" wrench. It's compact but good for larger fittings. Can also serve as an emergency bung wrench. I've also made good use of a small pocket mulimeter.

[DGP]

Some good replies here...max C for sure...being one of those dreaded P/E I use to carry enough tools to do a 1200 hr in the field..I cut that back to a toolbox that is 14 inches by 10 inches by 10 inches deep that can carry everything for a 100/300/600 hr inspection...now you don't want to carry all of this around everyday but it will be in camp and a few basic items can stay in the hatrack as you guys have mentioned...I have had a lot of use for a bung wrench to get starters to go...one time in kenora..getting fuel at the airport...starter wouldn't turn..got out and tapped the starter a few times with the old rap-a-meter...and away we go...fuelman said..you gonna fly this thing...said ...well I aint gonna walk to wpg another time in geralton...fellow pilot had same problem..asked if I could look at his machine..as we are walking over to the 206 I picked up a good sized rock and he says...what are you going to do with that...said..watch...tapped the starter and said give it a try...well it did turn over but the noise coming from it was terrible...told him he couldn't go until the starter was replaced...have a real good story about pilots doing maintenance that they should not have but I will leave that one for another time the area that I work in now I never leave without a good charged cell phone and a good supply of cash

[SuddenStop]

We're not talking about field maintenance here, just things you can run into and what tools are needed to get you home. Ending up in a court of law....PFFFFT!

 

 

I was talking field maintenance either.

Maybe open your eyes to the litigation world, its not getting any less is it?

 

My point was for the OP or anyone else wanting to do something outside the scope of their skills. the worst could happen and you need to be prepared.

 

My example would be the chip plug on the bottom of the C20 Gearbox you recommended he take a wrench to remove. Say Winnie (or any other pilot with a handy tool) goes ahead and pulls it off for a chip light in BF nowhere. deems it to be nothing, puts it back in and cross threads it, and on the next leg of the journey it come loose, loses all the oil....lets just imagine the next sequence of events and throw a twist since Winnie isn't with us anymore and all his passengers perished too. his poor engineer, who just finsished a 100 hour is getting his a$$ r@ped by investigators and then some.

 

think about the big picture please.

Or were you just jumping on that comment because it was from me? there was a lapse in VertMag BS for the day and you figured you could fill the void?

[ridgeline]

I have an adjustable wrench in my bag that has a 4" handle but the jaw opens bigger than a regular 10". Saves a bit of space. The moving piece on the jaw can also come out and go back in 180 degees and will then work like a pipe wrench. Any good tool store will have one. A second fully charged cell battery is not a bad idea.

[Max Continuous]

Some good replies here...max C for sure...being one of those dreaded P/E I use to carry enough tools to do a 1200 hr in the field..I cut that back to a toolbox that is 14 inches by 10 inches by 10 inches deep that can carry everything for a 100/300/600 hr inspection...now you don't want to carry all of this around everyday but it will be in camp and a few basic items can stay in the hatrack as you guys have mentioned...I have had a lot of use for a bung wrench to get starters to go...one time in kenora..getting fuel at the airport...starter wouldn't turn..got out and tapped the starter a few times with the old rap-a-meter...and away we go...fuelman said..you gonna fly this thing...said ...well I aint gonna walk to wpg another time in geralton...fellow pilot had same problem..asked if I could look at his machine..as we are walking over to the 206 I picked up a good sized rock and he says...what are you going to do with that...said..watch...tapped the starter and said give it a try...well it did turn over but the noise coming from it was terrible...told him he couldn't go until the starter was replaced...have a real good story about pilots doing maintenance that they should not have but I will leave that one for another time the area that I work in now I never leave without a good charged cell phone and a good supply of cash

Yeah, I've had to use a knock-o-meter a couple of times on exciter boxes myself and your right the customer gets a bit queasy.

Max