Gear up

Pilots rely on training and proficiency, while an aircraft’s safety depends on design and maintenance. Beyond that, there are also ways we can add gear to both aircraft and ourselves to improve our margin of safety.

This is a wish list; I know getting everything on this list is not realistic. These range from $20 to an arm and a leg and up to priceless. But maybe adding a couple, the ones you connect with most and that would enhance the kind of flying you do, could be a good way to up your margin just a little bit—and every little bit counts.

Seat cushion

If you need a seat cushion, you probably already know it, but getting a fancy ergonomic one can make those long flights more comfortable and help you avoid long-term musculoskeletal disorders and pain. Even a rolled-up towel can help provide a little extra lumbar support, especially for you CFIs flying often. Little changes like this can actually make a difference!

Multitool

Perfect for preflights and useful when you least expect it, a multitool in your flight bag will be a handy addition.

A good ANR headset

Your ears (and friends and family) will thank you. Aircraft are noisy (helicopters, the noisiest) and, sorry to say, will likely cause permanent hearing damage depending on how often you fly. A good headset will not only help protect your precious hearing long term but also make it easier to correctly perceive and process critical radio calls and reduce noise-related fatigue and cognitive overload. Some of the higher-end headsets are pricey, but they’re a worthwhile investment.

Shoulder harnesses and seat belt airbags

There’s a reason new airplanes need to be made with shoulder harnesses. You’re more likely to live in the event of an accident if you have these. Seat belt airbags can also help protect you in the event of a crash. Add to cart.

The latest EFB tech

Until about this time last year, I was clinging to an older iPad, just getting by. Once I finally bought a new iPad mini, I was annoyed at myself for not doing it sooner. New, smooth-running tech with a better battery, faster processing power, and more storage can make using an electronic flight bag a breeze while also making it more reliable (and therefore safer). And since your tech is only as good as its battery life, bring an external battery along just in case, even if you have the ability to charge from your panel.

Satellite communicator or personal locator beacon

Not only useful in emergencies, inReach-type devices offer satellite texting (which some cellphones do as well) and can help you stay in touch when you’re out of service. In the worst case, pressing that SOS button could make a life-or-death difference.

Datalink weather

We have so much more weather information than the earliest pilots, but if we can’t access that information, it doesn’t do us much good. Buying a tool to receive ADS-B and/or satellite weather can help improve your margin of safety—just don’t forget about latency.

Survival kit

A survival kit is essential for flights over remote areas (or better, a survival vest packed with gear). At a bare minimum, I bring a toothbrush and some cash that I usually keep in my phone case. I know this isn’t a survival kit, but just the process of preparing to divert has made it easier to make that decision in the past. Survival vests and kits, while not totally necessary for urban aviating, are key for backcountry and mountain ops. As they say, what you wear is your survival kit, and whatever’s in the airplane is just for camping. You can buy one pre-made or create your own from survival gear lists, which are easily found online.

Electronic fuel gauges

Those old-school gauges deserve an upgrade to a more reliable electronic fuel gauge. We pilots embarrassingly continue to run our airplanes out of fuel (exhaustion) or think we’ve run out of fuel when we still have some left (starvation). Getting better info through electronic gauges can help improve our fuel awareness.

Autopilot

A good autopilot is a great idea, especially to help manage emergencies such as VFR into IMC.

Anything that can effectively reduce your workload is a win, and autopilots are one of the best tools for that. Aside from making long cross-country flights more manageable, these are also potentially life-saving tools in the case of inadvertent VFR into IMC and can help you troubleshoot other issues you might have. Of course, any tool is only valuable if you know how to use it, so make sure you are totally proficient before relying on an autopilot in flight or to get you out of hot water.

Ballistic parachute

A parachute could save your life. Is this a realistic option for every airplane? Not yet, but this is a wish list. Cirrus brought it into the mainstream, and it has now trickled into other designs, both homebuilt and manufactured, and the BRS system has saved 504 lives and counting. With more widespread parachutes, we can reasonably assume that they will help prevent even more fatalities.

A mentor on speed dial

This, to me, is the best thing you can have—a pilot you trust and respect who trusts and respects you and can help you work through the tough decisions when you need it. These are the people who encourage you to get outside your comfort zone in a safe way and learn something new, and they are also the ones to check you when you’re maybe straying from the path. You can’t find this priceless gift in a store. If you have one, consider yourself beyond lucky.

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