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Travel Tools

Mark Dickens

Mark Dickens

Well Known Member
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I've read most of the existing threads in re: what tools to carry on a cross-country trip and if I took all the advice given therein, I'd never get off the ground. So, I thought taking a different approach to this question might work, and that is to identify the 20% of issues that give you 80% of the problems, and then pack to address those issues.

Here's what I have and invite others to add the things that have caused them to be AOG and would be reasonably addressable without having access to the full shop of tools:

1. Broken Alternator Belt
2. Flat Tire
3. Fouled Spark Plug
4. Leaky Quick Drain (Fuel)
5. Blown Fuse
6. Leaking/Inop Brakes

Thoughts?
 
Alt belt

One thing I do when I have Prop off is but a new Alt belt and a second belt tied up out of the way and can easily be dropped into the place of broken belt. Mind you, that it still ages and takes on the engine heat which shortens it's life but it will get you home.:D
 
you have any pics of how you put the belt out of the way? thats a useful tip for sure!!


RVTOY said:
One thing I do when I have Prop off is but a new Alt belt and a second belt tied up out of the way and can easily be dropped into the place of broken belt. Mind you, that it still ages and takes on the engine heat which shortens it's life but it will get you home.:D
Click to expand...
 
Of all the people I know that have done the spare alternator belt, none would do it again. If you change the belt at the interval you should be removing the prop for inspections and/or rebuild, you should never have a broken belt.
Also, it is a standard parts store item available most anywhere.
My opinion is always subject to change based on real life experiences, so, if someone was saved by doing this, let us know.

If you bust a brake line, you will be in need of rescue from the "locals".

I carry:
Multi-tool (leatherman type) and one larger with removable bits.
Crescent wrench
Flat tire patches and Co2 cartridge type filler.
Spare fuel cap.
Fuses (although I am not sure why. If a fuse blows, you need to fix the issue. My fuses like the alt. belt are standard auto type available anywhere.)
Roll of Duct tape
3' or so of #18 wire with some scotch locks.
3' or so of .032 safety wire.
Headlamp

That's about it. I don't chase fuel prices to remote duster strips and such. I'll pay more for gas at an airport that has an FBO. Most issues are discovered on the ground after or before flight. FBO's usually have a mechanic with tools and sometimes even parts.
I don't fly into remote strips unless I have a buddy airplane.
 
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I carry one of those "segmented" belts in my travel kit...can be made any size and installed without removing the prop (because it's made of individual links).

I'll see if I can find the website.

Whether I'd use it permanently or not, who knows...but it should get ya home...

ETA: it's this: http://www.fennerdrives.com/powertwist-plus/

I don't recall the size, but search here...there's a thread about these somewhere with the correct size.
 
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Thinking about "Tasks" is a good way to choose tools to take along. So don't forget the simple ones:

1) Remove and replace the cowl
2) Remove and replace the battery
3) Remove and replace wheel pants

You'll need to do these before you do many of the other tasks.

And its a good idea to carry a small spool of safety wire, and a bunch of zip ties - I carry red ones in my travel tools, so that when I get home, I know what has been secured "on the road" and should be checked and re-done. I never use red ties for anything permanent.
 
field repairs

I recall reading this an old phrase, not sure from where, "There is nothing more permanent than a good temporary repair."

So the idea from Paul to use a specific color of zip tie is a good one to keep track of those temporary repairs.

My first rule of field maintenance is; "Don't take anything apart unless you are certain you have what is necessary to reassemble it." That could include any of the following; lockwire, cotter pins (for wheel nuts), torque wrenches, special sockets or wrenches, gaskets, etc... If you are on your own then you had best be prepared, if you are at a field with an FBO then you have resources available.

I remember an article in Sport Aviation a while ago where a bunch of guys took two Beavers on floats on a tour of the Arctic coast of Canada. It's a remote and beautiful place, emphasis on the remote. The article mentioned that they looked back in the logbooks to determine what items failed most or where repaired most often and the interval, this provided info on what was likely to happen in the flying hours expected during the trip. It also informed them of what to take for spares and tools to install those spares. Easier on a certified plane as everything is logged, but what does the history of your plane say?

Perhaps some of the adventurous Caribbean RV pilots can chime in on what they have experienced in terms of failures and fixes?

Your list is pretty good in terms of common failures and fixes, I would add tools and parts to repair a broken or chafed wire. It's a common problem on the Experimental planes I've seen as well as certified spam cans. Two major examples are if the alternator field wire fails you loose the alternator, if a magneto P-lead fails you have a live mag and a "hot prop", both good things to be able to fix.

So in terms of tasks, taking the cowl off and being able to reinstall it is number one, taking fairings or wheel pants off is probably number two in terms of likely-hood. Add some spare hardware to your kit, in case you lose or damage any of the fasteners for those jobs.
I know some pilots that carry a spare tube in case they get a flat, thinking of tasks, do you have the tools and parts to remove a wheel and brake, breakdown, reassemble, inflate, reinstall a wheel and brake, and secure a main wheel? Carrying a tube is good but it's only part of the job.
My two cents or so, it loses something with the lousy exchange rate these days.
Phil
 
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AME at Large said:
I recall reading this an old phrase, not sure from where, "There is nothing more permanent than a good temporary repair."

So the idea from Paul to use a specific color of zip tie is a good one to keep track of those temporary repairs.

My first rule of field maintenance is; "Don't take anything apart unless you are certain you have what is necessary to reassemble it." That could include any of the following; lockwire, cotter pins (for wheel nuts), torque wrenches, special sockets or wrenches, gaskets, etc... If you are on your own then you had best be prepared, if you are at a field with an FBO then you have resources available.

I remember an article in Sport Aviation a while ago where a bunch of guys took two Beavers on floats on a tour of the Arctic coast of Canada. It's a remote and beautiful place, emphasis on the remote. The article mentioned that they looked back in the logbooks to determine what items failed most or where repaired most often and the interval, this provided info on what was likely to happen in the flying hours expected during the trip. It also informed them of what to take for spares and tools to install those spares. Easier on a certified plane as everything is logged, but what does the history of your plane say?

Perhaps some of the adventurous Caribbean RV pilots can chime in on what they have experienced in terms of failures and fixes?

Your list is pretty good in terms of common failures and fixes, I would add tools and parts to repair a broken or chafed wire. It's a common problem on the Experimental planes I've seen as well as certified spam cans. Two major examples are if the alternator field wire fails you loose the alternator, if a magneto P-lead fails you have a live mag and a "hot prop", both good things to be able to fix.

So in terms of tasks, taking the cowl off and being able to reinstall it is number one, taking fairings or wheel pants off is probably number two in terms of likely-hood. Add some spare hardware to your kit, in case you lose or damage any of the fasteners for those jobs.
I know some pilots that carry a spare tube in case they get a flat, thinking of tasks, do you have the tools and parts to remove a wheel and brake, breakdown, reassemble, inflate, reinstall a wheel and brake, and secure a main wheel? Carrying a tube is good but it's only part of the job.
My two cents or so, it loses something with the lousy exchange rate these days.
Phil
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Thank you...excellent points!
 
For what it is worth, I used to carry a tube, but don't anymore. The shelf life on an un-inflated tube is not good. My expensive airstop cracked at the folds. You will need to change it out every couple of years if you choose to carry one. I carry a patch kit now which will fix anything short of a total blow out, which is very rare.
 
The most important tools -- a credit card and a smart phone/tablet/computer! I do carry some basic tools (wrenches and sockets for the common fastener sizes), multi-bit screwdriver, zip ties, rescue tape, duct tape, safety wire, and needle nose pliers.

As for spares, I always carry some extra bolts, nuts, washers, cotter pins, and screws. My plan if I go somewhere more remote (like in the Bahamas), is to take a few items, but generally my plan is to purchase what I need if it comes to that and suck up the inevitable hotel stay if I have to order it.
 
Unless you want to haul a jack around as well as some tool for supporting the landing gear, forget about fixing a flat tire. A friend had a flat in a back country strip and thanks to a local rancher and his expertise, we did manage to get it fixed.

Okay, this is based upon about 1,500 hours, more or less, of cross country in my Cessna 180, mostly poking into rural or back country airstrips.

I've never had to add brake fluid on a trip, but have had to replace a spark plug and a magneto lead.

I've never blown a circuit breaker (think "fuse" here).

A friend "fixed" my leaking fuel drain with a stick of wood and some duct tape. As I was in a rural Baja airport and had to cross the Sea of Cortez to get to my next fuel, I was glad for that. Worked well -- but now I carry a wrench, safety wire and a replacement drain. And some duct tape.

I've never had a broken belt, not once. This might be anomalous, though, since the 180 has a generator on a bracket which fails once in a while and I replace the belt when I replace the bracket.

Dave
 
David Paule said:
Unless you want to haul a jack around as well as some tool for supporting the landing gear, forget about fixing a flat tire. A friend had a flat in a back country strip and thanks to a local rancher and his expertise, we did manage to get it fixed.

Dave
Click to expand...

Not to mention an air source for inflating the tire after you have replaced or patched the tube.
 
Unless you want to haul a jack around as well as some tool for supporting the landing gear, forget about fixing a flat tire.
Click to expand...
Auburntsts said:
Not to mention an air source for inflating the tire after you have replaced or patched the tube.
Click to expand...

Well, you're going to have to do *something* to get it fixed...

I have a 7A, with the round gear legs (unlike the 8), so I have this jack stand

http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/topages/rvjack.php

which I can take apart for long trips, and only take along the part that inserts into the gear leg. I can jack it up with a scissors jack, which I can take with me (lightweight Miata scissors jack) or just buy somewhere.

Yes, I know people talk about lifting the plane up by pushing up against the spar with their back, etc., but...does that really sound like the right way to do it?

On longer trips, I carry a spare tube for the mains and one for the nose, as well as a small patch kit.

Air, you say? Lightweight bicycle pump.
 
RV7A Flyer said:
Well, you're going to have to do *something* to get it fixed...

I have a 7A, with the round gear legs (unlike the 8), so I have this jack stand

http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/topages/rvjack.php

which I can take apart for long trips, and only take along the part that inserts into the gear leg. I can jack it up with a scissors jack, which I can take with me (lightweight Miata scissors jack) or just buy somewhere.

Yes, I know people talk about lifting the plane up by pushing up against the spar with their back, etc., but...does that really sound like the right way to do it?

On longer trips, I carry a spare tube for the mains and one for the nose, as well as a small patch kit.

Air, you say? Lightweight bicycle pump.
Click to expand...

And that's the key -- there's multiple ways to attack a given task, but you have to think of the entire process beginning to end and plan accordingly. For example, as noted there's more to fixing a flat than just having a spare tube on-hand, but it's doable if you've thought through the entire task.

At the end of the day you have to decide what maintenance tasks you want to be able to perform on the ramp by yourself and plan to that task.
 
Yeah, you have to think through the whole process, really.

E.g., I didn't add that you'll also need a Schrader valve tool, and some sort of way to get the axle nut off (not to mention the wheelpants, although pretty much everybody carries screwdrivers around).

Best way would probably be to take a systems approach. Think of each system, and what you would want to repair. Electrical, fuel, flight controls, etc. And then think of the worst possible time for them to go south (short of an in-air emergency, that is)...on a Sunday on a ramp at a field with no FBO, no rental car, no courtesy car, e.g. Would you want to do some simple troubleshooting and possibly replace a fuse and be on your way, or would you like to try to call a cab to go find an auto store and buy a fuse, and maybe a small cheap multimeter, etc.?

In the end, it's everyone's personal choice as to how much and what to carry for any given length or type of trip.
 
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