The flight bag and those 'odd' items ....

In article , "Dr. Anthony J. Lomenzo"
wrote:

Perhaps some recall moons ago when the RAP newsgroup discussion was the
old flight bag and what 'extras' one would carry 'other' then the usual
and in fact almost expected items. Well, this came up again some weeks
ago among the brethren and again I mentioned what some considered an odd
item to have along but after some discussion it wasn't as odd as it
first seemed!

A HAMMER! Wait now! Don't be so quick to scoff! Two potentially deadly
scenarios just for starters: smoke in the cabin [still grinning?] and a
forced landing where mercifully you made it but even in cases of minor
crumpling of the aluminum, door jamming is 'not' uncommon when your
FIRST goal [and any folks with you] in such an event is to get out of
there....FAST! Unfortunately, the human hand or fist or ad hoc shoe for
that matter is not particularly effective against Plexiglas but a hammer
can at least help matters. Plexiglas can be replaced, you and yours can
not. Better you beat the thing with steel ... versus slippery flesh.

But then, I know long term GA folks who 'sans' their corrective lens
polarized specs would 'admittedly' be reduced to the German Shepherd and
the red/white cane thing yet they do not carry a second back-up pair of
eyeglasses. Recall that even if the corrective lens specs resemble the
ends of coke bottles or could fry those proverbial ants in literal
droves when tilted to the sun, the FAA concern is only that 'with' the
specs you can pass the old Snellen requirements and so the dioptic(s) of
the lens is not an issue...until you're suddenly found without them for
some unforeseen reason. Or, more on the probability side of things, they
simply break and you need a backup. Hey, get your friendly optician to
'also' give you a copy of the lens prescription and stick it in the
bag....along with a back-up pair of corrective lens specs.

As to others things in the flight bag, hey, as I recall there was quite
a lively discussion about it and those odd items that folks tend to
forget! Or reflect upon.

A small pair of vice-grips. I was flying once when the knob on the
throttle disintegrated. Quite by coincidence (from tightening a lock) I
had some vice-grips in my flight bag and I gripped the throttle and they
worked just fine. There are lots of items in an aircraft that can break or
come loose and just need holding, and several controls that could break
and then you need an instant handle.
Also a flashlight or l.e.d. headlamp, and - a luxury but one that I am
about to purchase - a handheld radio. If I ever did go down, I would
really like to have a radio with me for if/when search & rescue flew
overhead!

--
Tony Roberts )
PP-ASEL
VFR-OTT - Night
Cessna 172H