From your first lesson, you’re going to need certain bits of kit and, as you progress towards gaining a licence, there’s additional equipment which can really help with your flying…
7 May 2023
Clear communication is important, so from the outset, buy the best you can. Try as many as possible, including ones with ANR (active noise reduction). As well as being a good investment in your flying, a quality headset protects your hearing too.
Traditional navigation is still a central part of pilot training and for that you’ll need a chart or two from the CAA. These half-million-scale charts cover the UK, showing airspace restrictions, airfield locations, topographical information and much more.
Even in the world of digital technology, you still have to prove that you can plot a route using a square protractor marked with 360°, and utilise a ruler marked in nautical miles to measure distance.
There are a number of flight guides available that list all the airfields across the UK along with usable runways, procedures and contact information, available in a range of different formats, or as a download for a tablet.
There are a wide range of books available to teach all of the ground subjects, usually with one subject per book. It’s worth doing some research to decide which collection suits you best.
For aviators, their logbook is a treasured possession. It’s a record of every hour that you’ve flown, the type of flying, details of each aircraft and where you went. It’s also proof of hours flown, should you aspire to fly for a career.
From the very first day of your pilot training, you’ll begin to pick up accessories, guides
and checklists. Make sure it’s a sturdy bag,
with plenty of pockets, including some big enough to take your headset and chart.
An important pre-flight checks is to test for water in your fuel, using a clear plastic tube to take a sample from fuel tank drains. Avgas floats on water, so if there’s any water present, you’ll see it easily at the bottom.
Tablet computers offer a platform for many navigation, planning and calculation apps designed specifically for pilots. They also save the space, cost and hassle of printed charts and forms, and have become a must-have for most pilots.
At higher altitudes, there’s less natural protection for pilots’ eyes from harmful UV rays. Good sunglasses will protect your eyes, blocking the harmful blue light which causes increased colour contrast and reduce glare.
Used for calculating speed, time, distance, weight, fuel, pressure and density altitude, conversions, heading, drift and wind, a flight computer will become a crucial part of your ground training and route-planning.
In a world seemingly dominated by iPads
and Apps, handheld GPS units may seem a little strange. But with bright screens, a long battery life and an easy-to-use menu structure, they can be a great portable tool for your flying.
Strapped to your leg, a kneeboard will provide a hard surface to write on and keep all the notes you need during a flight, plus provide a place for your pen. Various sizes are available, so pick one to suit your aircraft cockpit space.
Buy a FLYER Club membership and you’ll get access to a wide range of great content to help you with your flying, and money saving offers, such as our famous FREE landings.
