Flight bags
 

My husband has recently landed a job with a major airline and I'm wanting to buy him a new flight bag for xmas. He currently has a hard-sided bag on wheels with an extendible handle. I think he's happy with the style, but it is in pretty rough shape and needs to be replaced. I have no idea as to what is out there, what airline pilots typically use, good/sturdy brands, the best place to get a pilot bag, etc. Any suggestions??

Scott Leather has a GREAT lineup of flight bags, although I'm not sure if they have the exact style you're looking for. I've owned three of their bags over the years and they're the best in the biz!


Scott Leather Company

These are great bags as well.

Coyote Works

Ditto for Coyote Works.

I'll second that. I have had my Scott bag for several years, and I still get comments that it looks brand new! Everyone I know that has one loves it as well!

Don't send him to the majors with a brand spanking new flight bag. Let him ease in with the old reliable so he won't look so green.

Unless the bag is completely unusable I agree with this statement.

While you keep exploring exactly which bag he wants try one of the same style he now has that he can use in training.

I have two styles of flight bags, one I take with me on trips (it attaches to my roll-aboard bag) and one I use for training which has wheels so I don't have to carry it. Sounds like that's the kind he now has. If it's in a bad shape like you said replace it with something like this...

Solo Rolling Catalog Case Black 17" at OfficeMax

Scott Leather Flight Case


I have had one for the past three years and it just works.

Strong Bags by Gear Down, Inc It is a very tough bag, just a bit on the heavy side, but ain't nothing gonna hurt it...

What major airline is actually hiring?

I'm willing to bet there is a lot of sand......where ever it is.

Heyas,

Forget the new bag. It makes noobies look like twinks.

Instead, get him a roll of duct tape. You can even put a little bow on it if you want. Economical, usefull and he'll get a real laugh out of it.

Nu

Make sure it's black duct tape. Hate to go against the pilot policies.

I'll secnd this company as well!

I'll second Scott bags! My wife did the same thing for me 10yrs ago, and I still use it. Looks a little crappy on the bottom, but the quality is superb. Just make sure you get your(his) airline discount; my wife bought mine for me as a surprise, but she coulda saved some dough if she knew to ask, as it was like 300+ dollars! OUCH!
Oh well:rolleyes:
good luck
Z

Tell him to tell his company to get some EFB,s so he can ditch the ghey rectangular leather flight bag. Then get this

New! Cross Country Backpack - Sporty's Pilot Shop

You could also try his company store.
And bless you for being kind to your husband and interested in his profession. I predict a good future for your marriage.

What about bags for new guys
 

Any advice for a poolie waiting for his first airline job? One bag is obviously for clothes, but is the bag that hangs off the roller - a pubs bag? What pubs do most airline guys carry? I am a military guy that does epubs and pretty much the only thing other than my thumb drive that I need is my checklist. Any advice on how many bags airline guys carry and what is in them would be appreciated. I'll be sure to get them a little early to sandpaper them up and throw them down the stairs a few times before I hit the line. Thanks.

Scott Leather.

My first one went 11 years and had many more good ones left. When I went to the 757/767 my wife got me a new one that was slightly larger and could handle all of the manuals. The new one is solid although I think the old one was made with slightly thicker leather. Either way they will last a long time!

+1


This is a nice gift and I'm sure your husband will appreciate this more than you know. Good luck to you both.

Korchmar did the former UPS bags. I'm a big fan. Check their website under catalog cases:
Korchmar Online

Flight Bags are flight bags but I am a HUGE advocate of the Purdy Neat Stuff type of roll aboard. They make my life so much better it's ridiculous. I've gone through a dozen TravelPro-types before switching and now I've had 2 bags for the last ten years. They are indestructible. I would only have had one but it had the old airline's logo embroidered on it, so I bought a new, non-descript roll aboard when I got a real job. This is the only bag for airline pilots, especially commuters.

LuggageWorks - Luggage, Duffels, Flight Kits, Rolling Bags, Airline Discounts - index

Ok, I'll agree, and disagree...

As for Purdy Neat Stuff... Or what I think they're now calling "Luggage Works"... I 100% totally agree! Their roll-aboards are phenomenal! You can't get a better product out there. They are absolutely indestructible! I also had several TravelPros that only lasted me a year or two a piece. My Purdy Neat suitcase has been through hell and is still going strong. I will never buy another company's product!

However, as far as flight cases go, I'll disagree... My first flight case happened to be made by Purdy Neat, and within 3 years, I had to have maintenance come to the airplane, and Speed Tape the bottom of mine to keep the contents from falling out! I now have a Scott Leather flight case, that several years later still looks brand new. Unfortunately, there is such a thing as a crappy flight case...

To answer a previous poster's question - what goes into an airline flight case? Basically, you'll have on average: Two or three 3-inch binders full of Jeppesen charts (approach plates). Plus the equivalent of another 2-inch binder worth of enroute charts (maps). Plus at least 1 or 2 more 2-inch binders worth of manuals (aircraft manuals, operations manuals, etc). Plus a flashlight, and maybe a pair of headsets... And any miscellaneous things that you personally want to have with you (sunglasses, power bars, emergency tuna fish packs, etc).

Most standard flight cases will fit all of these things. My only recommendation would be to get one with a pouch to carry your miscellaneous items. It sounds more daunting than it is... A typical flight case weighs about 35 lbs and you can cram all of this stuff in there. It's cozy, but it works. :D

[QUOTE=HoursHore;513512]Tell him to tell his company to get some EFB,s so he can ditch the ghey rectangular leather flight bag. Then get this


HH,
Hell, my co. has EFB's and I still use my flight bag! Where else am I going to put my computer, magazines, cell phone, cords, junk food, etc?:D
Z

It's really nice of you to want to buy your husband a new flight bag, but, you might want to check with him (I know it spoils the surprise) because some guys get very attached to our working bags and take great pride in the amount of stickers, duct tape, extra screws and bolts, and the memories associated with same. If you really want to surprise him, get 'him' something nice (I suggest in red) from the Victoria Secret store. You know he'll love that for sure.;)

JJ

My wife did the same thing after I came home from a trip with a string of electrical cord where my handle used to be. The final straw was when I then replaced said missing handle with a $3 metal tool chest handle I got at Home Depot. This on top of the duct tape, rivets and sheet aluminum (aviation grade) bottom plate I installed that was keeping my 10-year-old $30 "K-Mart Special" bag together.

The only difference is that she let me choose the bag. As others said, picking a good flight bag is an investment and a personal choice. I'd give him a card with a "gift certificate" good for "one flight bag" of his choice and let him pick.

Oh yeah, as JetJok suggests, give it to him while wearing something red from Victoria Secrets. He'll love you forever.

Yes, and don't forget to post the pics here! Pilots like to share! :D

Epubs? have you been on base lately? The Computer Nazis have outlawed every type of removable drive/media. Unless those pubs are in the Portal...gonna be tough to get them.

Where do you put the shoes, makeup and eyeliner? ha ha ha

We are using CD/RWs now.

That makes sense. Not at the AETC base Im at now. They freaked. For a while you couldnt use ANYTHING removable media.

Kind of hard to carry a CDROM in the pocket of your flight suit on a trip though.......

I had one foot out the door when the word hit about the thumb drives etc. Glad I'm missing out on the fun of getting that horse back in the barn. I'm surprised that CD/RW's are still allowed.

Letsfly, you set a sep date yet?

Think of it as very limited body armor. Not that it would help, but it's my story and I'm sticking to it. :D

You can buy a leather bag, but you might consider a synthetic bag instead. After 20+ years as an airline pilot (dragging my leather flight bag around), they take a beating in everyday life. Especially when deadheading and loading/unloading into hotel vans. Rampers don't treat the flight bag with any respect as they drop them on a wet ramp or toss them in the cargo bin. The bag handles are often the weakest link on the bag... leading to replacement after a few years. Why spend lots of dough on a flight bag, when a lesser expensive alternative will do? Ask your spouse and find out what he'd like... but I think its worth considering the alternatives. BTWm You could spend the difference at Victoria Secret and buy a few DVD/RWs to record a holiday message for your husband to take with him on airline trips.