What's in your "save a flight" tool kit

[dcastor]

I've had my M20J for almost 3 years now and have on occasion kicked myself for not bringing simple to the airplane that might have avoided a return to the house unnecessary.  Anything you all can think of that has saved a flight or two?  I am thinking there might be other things that I should add I haven't thought of, so thought I'd throw it out here for discussion.

Some things I've to get started:

1.  screwdriver (Phillips and Regular, or better a driver with interchangeable tips)

2. AA batteries (for ANR headset, portable radio, etc)

3. GE 330 bulbs

4. Spare quart of oil, and funnel.

Dave

 

[ryoder]

A hangar full of tools, oil, food, drinks, cleaning stuff, and my A&P on speed dial.

[peevee]

A hangar full of tools, oil, food, drinks, cleaning stuff, and my A&P on speed dial.

I have a spare dorm fridge, that's a good idea, stock it with water bottles in the hangar, why haven't I thought of that before?

[Hank]

Harbor Freight has toolboxes on sale periodically. I bought a 5-drawer cart this summer for $104 to help keep my hangar tools together. Old plastic shelves hold lots of stuff. Duplicate tools go to the hangar, and buy airplane-specific tools as needed. And a fan, gotta have a large fan! Hangars get hot in the summer.

need a magic marker or two, pen, masking tape, lots of little stuff. An on-field A&P is a wonderful resource, too. Trust me, I had one for seven years, now I've moved and don't any more--didn't know how spoiled I was!

[Mooneymite]

Mastercard.

[ryoder]

I have a spare dorm fridge, that's a good idea, stock it with water bottles in the hangar, why haven't I thought of that before?

I have a small fridge with a dedicated freezer door and I make and store ice in there for my air conditioner.

I have sugar free soda, water, propel, and some food in the fridge.  Also have three chairs, two of which are fold up camping chairs and a portable ac unit.  Bluetooth speaker for ipad music.  I wish I had a toilet and sink.  A hammock would be nice to, and a shower.  Stand up arcade console...

[MB65E]

A small Battery charger, Knipx pliers (12" and 6'), stubby wrenches, huskey 90° small ratcheting screwdriver/socket. 1/4" SK sockets. Ziplock bags, small cups for screws, .032 safety wire & pliers. Side cutters. Spark plug tooling & 2 plugs. Alagator clips, multi screwdriver. Knife, batteries, small first aid kit, cliff bars. Oil & funnel. Tie down straps. Little John.  

thats for the airplane. The rest is I'm the trunk of my car. I hate being stuck, usually envolves a phone call to some one, and an unneeded overnight. Plus, I'm the guy that gets to fix it anyway...

I need to thrown in some spare keys, and a tube one of these days. The debate would be what size tube 600-6 or 500-5. They should have made all 3 tires the same size! 

Good point about the door. I always wondered what happens when the pin falls out. I think mine is splined, but never had it apart. 

 

Good luck,

 

-Matt

 

[bonal]

Various sockets and wrenches pliers wires tape multi tool battery charger and 50 foot extension cord. Oil stater fluid survival kit most important my Dewalt driver with charged batts. 

[garytex]

A super handy tool that I try to have in every vehicle beyond multi screwdriver and pliers is the small sized vice-grip.  In a pinch it will supplant for many wrenches, is small light and cheap, and has saved my bacon several times. 

[kerry]

jumper cables

[Guest]

A screwdriver, a quart of oil and window cleaner.

Oh yeah, and me.

Clarence

Edited October 19, 2015 by M20Doc

[Raptor05121]

condoms

[Marauder]

condoms

Absolutely need those. Emergency pitot tube cover.

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[1964-M20E]

 

Absolutely need those. Emergency pitot tube cover.

 

 

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Must be an old infantry trick.

 

Good story for your wife when she asks why you have them.

 

In the plane i keep a decent tool kit tha I can take care of most things along with safety wire and pliers.

 

 

 

 

[Oldguy]

Small air compressor, iPad/iPhone charger, two sizes of wire pliers (for those really tight spaces) and 4 "Inop" suction cup placards.

Oh, yeah, and a spare door key in my pocket. Was stuck in an F when the vibration on the flight caused the lock to close on the door, and we had to get someone from the FBO to come out and take the key through the pilot's window and open the door for us.

John

[Hank]

Oh, yeah, and a spare door key in my pocket. Was stuck in an F when the vibration on the flight caused the lock to close on the door, and we had to get someone from the FBO to come out and take the key through the pilot's window and open the door for us.

Why couldn't you just hand them the ones from the ignition?

[Oldguy]

Wasn't me flying at the time, but I recall thinking the same thing. Now, I carry the spare door key and ignition key (probably should have given the full details above). Those are to typically save the return flight in case one set gets lost.

[Bennett]

One item I haven't seen listed is a volt ohmmeter. Really comes in handy to find shorts, open leads, and more. I once lent mine to a Bonanza pilot when we both landed on a sand strip in Baja, and he couldn't get started when it was time to leave. Didn't take long to find the electrical problem, and we were both gone before the tide changed.

Mooney on (sort of hard packed) sand. Not anxious to that again.

[M20F]

A tool box with a lot of stuff, spark plug, safety wire, tire, tube, and small jack plus some other misc stuff.  If it is just me I usually toss in the generator as well.  1000+ useful load is nice. 

Only been stuck once and a rubber mallet to the starte got us going :-)

[larryb]

I carry enough tools to change a spark plug, remove a fuel injector, and find and fix a broken wire. So that would be wrenches, screw drivers, pliers, wire cutters, wire crimper, volt meter, safety wire. I also carry a couple servicable spark plugs, spare nav lights, electrical crimp connectors, length of wire, electrical and duct tape, hand cleaner, rag, sand paper. The tools are in a small plastic toolbox, and the spare parts are in a nylon tool bag. It's a balance between weight, space, and usability.

[Steve65E-NC]

I have general purpose mechanical tool kit and a separate electrical tool kit that I carry almost everywhere unless weight is an issue.  Most field tools and supplies that relate only to my aircraft are in a small Sears nylon tool bag left  in the aircraft.  I try to limit this bag to stuff that I could probably not find locally like injector remove/clean kit, sparkplug socket, fuses, spare plug,  triflo oil, starter shear pin, spare belt, safety wire supplies, etc.   Also, carry a few quarts of oil a small container of brake fluid etc. 

[gsengle]

Why couldn't you just hand them the ones from the ignition?

My ignition has a fancy Medco key, whereas door and baggage lock are different cheaper keys...

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[ryoder]

This old edition of the flyer has a recommended list.

http://www.themooneyflyer.com/issues/MooneyFlyerOctober2012.pdf

[Loogie]

Gorilla glue makes a 2" transparent tape, it is very strong and works well on any surface.  I used it to patch up a flap fiberglass fairing until I replaced it.  Same in my old Maule, it makes a nice repair that is virtually transparent.  Great option vs duct tape.  Although duct tape is incredibly useful as well! I patched a wingtip in the bush that a rock popped up and  damaged on a cub. tape, Phillips, flat head, 2 vice grips, wire, air pump, can pretty much get you out of trouble in a lot of places

 

my bag has a collection of tools similar to steve65c

[Browncbr1]

Zip ties, solder/iron