What's in the (Flight) Bag!?!
What do fighter pilots take to the jet to go fly?
Before becoming an IRL fighter pilot, I would often moonlight as a fanboy during my free time at work. I remember researching a variety of things that piqued my interest—from the training to the aircraft to my personal favorite: the gear.
One thing in particular I remember stumbling upon and being completely shocked by: the green bag pilots carry back from the jet? It’s full of piss.
Okay… I now know that’s not exactly true, but when I read about it way back when, I had no way to know otherwise!
So, what does a fighter pilot bring to the jet in that little green bag? And why do the bags sometimes come back heavier?🤔
What is a Flight Bag?
If you’ve ever seen a YouTube video where they show the pilot walking to or from the jet, you’ll notice they almost always are carrying a green bag about the size of a backpack. That would be the US Navy standard issue Flyer’s Helmet Bag.
It’s got plenty of pockets, yet it’s squishy enough to be shoved into the right side of the jet, nice and out of the way.
Every pilot has different things they might keep in their helmet bag. Some people might carry the bare necessities like your squadron’s IFG (in-flight guide) and PCL (a NATOPS pocket checklist), while other bags might look like a 2004 Toyota Camry with old Ruffles bags and a collection of Zyn cans.
What I Carry in My Flight Bag
Alright, probably a little too close to home on the car reference. So what is it exactly that goes in my flight bag?
Pubs: a PCL, IFG, and instrument publications are non-negotiables to legally fly. A PCL will cover me in case I have an emergency, an IFG will cover any local course rules, radio frequencies, or other important points of information about the local area, and, at a minimum, up-to-date approach plates for home field.
Kneeboard: every fighter pilot flies with a kneeboard. It straps around your leg and provides a hard surface to write on, a pen, checklists to reference, and your kneeboard card. The kneeboard card is crucial to jet aviation as we write down everything that happens during a flight.
Miscellaneous: mission card, hard drive, flight gloves, and extra earbuds. Modern fighter jets use encrypted mission cards and hard drives to “run” the jet and record the conduct for discussion in the debrief. I like to have gloves with me in case it gets super hot and my hands are sweaty, and you never know when a backup set of earbuds will come in handy.
Food: depending on the length of the sortie (yeah, I speak French), I will definitely consider bringing a protein bar and some water. Flying while hungry can be unsafe, but flying while dehydrated can be a death sentence.
Piddle pack: yep, a robust plastic bag filled with a highly absorbent material that allows a pilot to “go” in flight if necessary. There’s nothing glorious about these simple inventions except for the feeling of relief after a moment of panic when you find one buried at the bottom of your bag.
Honorable Mentions: a book( if you’re ferrying a jet hundreds of miles), Zyn, a WSO.
Shortly after writing this, I found this video by Hazard Lee, a well-known Air Force fighter pilot. I guess it either completely discredits me or shows the Navy and Air Force are still quite different.