Good kit

Flight Outfitters Flight Lift Bag

RRP: $169.95 downunderpilotshop.com

If you’re the type of aviator who jumps between different smaller aircraft on a weekly basis and you need a bag that carries everything you need and doesn’t take up valuable luggage space for your passengers, then the Flight Lift Bag made by Flight Outfitters is perfect for you.

Equipped with steel reinforced carry handles and reinforced sides the Lift is well built and sturdy, like the 1960s era aircraft you’re probably flying. It’s also roomy, boasting a couple of outside pockets that are deep enough to fit all your maps and charts in without the edges getting all damaged, plus fleecelined headset stowage, tablet stowage (again fleece-lined), and pockets for pens and a portable radio/sat phone.

A nice touch is the orange interior which makes all your black gadgets, pens, spare batteries, mobile phone etc easy to find day or night.

Features include:

»» Metal hardware.

»» Braided wire reinforced carry handle.

»» Water bottle/back-up radio pocket.

»» Fuel tester pocket with exclusive securing strap.

»» MA1 inspired rescue orange soft fleece lining.

»» Two external chart pockets

»» Four internal mesh organisers for cables and charging cords.

»» Fleece-lined electronic accessory pockets.

»» Adjustable shoulder strap.

»» Key clip.

»» Fleece-lined protective headset pocket with elastic loops for extra batteries for ANR headsets.

‘The design is sympathetic to a more adventurous era in aviation.’

Lightspeed Adventure Flight Bag – The Gann

RRP: US$249 lightspeedaviation.com

If you’re looking to cut a more retro figure around the airfield then Lightspeed’s Adventure Flight Bag – The Gann, may be just your style. The design is sympathetic to a more adventurous era in aviation where the regulator was something you found under your car bonnet, not rummaging through your flight bag.

Lightspeed has developed a series of flight bags called the “Lightspeed Aviation Adventure Flight Bag Collection”, all named in honour of aviation authors, in this case Ernest Kellogg Gann. Ernest Gann was an American aviator, sailor and author of Island in the Sky and The High and the Mighty and his memoir Fate Is the Hunter, based on the early era of commercial aviation. He was also a prolific screen writer and whilst not the subject of this gear review, his movies are available on Blu-ray!

Handmade from real fullgrained cowhide, the bag is spacious and is purpose-built for the modern aviator with pockets for headsets, an iPad, portable radio, maps, charts and pens. Anyone who owns a Lightspeed headset will recognise the beauty, durability and ingenuity of a product destined to make flying more enjoyable for years to come.

What we like about this bag is the little touches, the unfinished leather means the bag will age and wear much like the pilot who owns it! Each developing its own unique personality.

If you’re the OCD type in terms of your flightbag layout, Lightspeed has also developed an optional padded organiser insert designed for your headset and equipped with multiple pockets and dividers. A favourite is the rollaboard slot at the back of the bag. For longer trips this allows you to slide the bag down the handle of your roller suitcase, freeing up an arm (and your shoulder!) while entering in gate codes coming to and from the aircraft.

Features:

»» A large zippered carpenterstyle opening spreads wide to reveal a spacious, lined main compartment and an internal, zippered iPad pocket.

»» A large transceiver pocket with cut-out flap allows antenna-on storage.

»» The front organiser pocket is strategically designed for optimum placement of pens, keys, and other essential items.

»» A large, zippered rear pocket provides convenient storage for documents and other flat items while doubling as a rollaboard slot.

»» Optional organiser insert: Designed to help organise the interior of all of our flight bags, the organiser insert is made from 210 Denier polyester. Perfectly sized to hold a headset, camera, and other essential gear, it features padded, sewn-in dividers, multiple accessory pockets and woven bindings to protect the edges.