My kneeboard sucks...

The OTHER Kevin in San Diego wrote:

Anyone got any good reccommendations for a helicopter kneeboard? This
ASA unit I've got now sucks and my FlightDesk tri-fold gets in the way
of cyclic and collective..

I take it that you wear it on your left leg. Have you considered
switching legs? Is it important to you to give your cyclic arm a
steady rest against your knee, or do you prefer the kneeboard on the
left because you are left handed?

Personally I prefer mine on my left leg to make my right hand steady,
although being right handed I have had learned to write neatly enough
with my left hand. Just a couple thoughts before you commit to
buying a third kneeboard.

Mine is pretty much a standard military issue like the one on the
right in this pictu

http://www.flightessentials.net/Prod...es/MXU-163.jpg
http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalo...litary_brd.php

There are better products out there, it's pretty clunky but does the
job for me. The spring thing does hold a pencil nicely. The bottom
is round, not flat (to fit your leg), so it doesn't teeter when I
write on it. I've never bothered with the light. I do have an LED
"lip light" on my mic, and that piece of gear is very useful.

The kneeboard also doesn't interfere with the flight controls for me,
although I normally sit left seat in a Jetranger (I instruct). This
is significant because the left collective is shorter and ends in a
throttle while the right seat collectiveis much bulkier (starter
switch, searchlight, and governor control take up some space).

Most importantly I figured out how to get a pad of paper to sit where
I want.

Does... any of... this... help?

"The OTHER Kevin in San Diego" skiddz "AT" adelphia "DOT" net wrote in
message ...

My tri-fold has a molded foam base on it to keep it steady. It worked
great in the airplane, but since I don't fly those anymore (thinking
about getting my add-on this summer) it just sits collecting dust.


Hi Kevin!

You mean you don't have a fixed wing rating? I assumed you did because you
talked a number of times about your fixed wing days.

Just wondering,

Fly Safe,
Steve R.

I have this one. Great for doors-off flying.

http://www.wings-aviation.com/Kneebo...eereverse.html




"The OTHER Kevin in San Diego" skiddz "AT" adelphia "DOT" net wrote in
message ...
Anyone got any good reccommendations for a helicopter kneeboard? This
ASA unit I've got now sucks and my FlightDesk tri-fold gets in the way
of cyclic and collective..

I looked at this one and it appears to be workable. The price is
certainly right!
I've been using a military style kneeboard made by Jeppesen that is
nearly worn white. It has been used in everything from small
helicopters thru King Air 200 and probably has 15,000 hours logged by
now!
Ol S&B

All the guys I fly with use the kneeboards from this website:
www.lightandflight.com.
These boards are low profile, and you can always rotate it out of your way
when you need to. Give Andy a call and see what he can do for you. Tell him
"Brad the Night Stalker" sent you...Good luck.

Brad B.


"The OTHER Kevin in San Diego" skiddz "AT" adelphia "DOT" net wrote in
message ...
Anyone got any good reccommendations for a helicopter kneeboard? This
ASA unit I've got now sucks and my FlightDesk tri-fold gets in the way
of cyclic and collective..

Kevin, you asked about my "liplight." I don't really remember
exactly how I got it, I think it was supplied through work a long
time ago.

These look a bit like what I have (google searches again):

http://www.nvec-night-vision.com/pro...16&Category=11
http://www.wicksaircraft.com/catalog...hp/subid=3554/

Fifty bucks seems a bit high, you might want to shop around a bit.

Mine has a 2x AA battery pack that has a connector like a 9V battery.
I think it will work with a 9V, it makes the LEDs brighter (the AA
pair is bright enough). Of course the battery pack has to go
somewhere, if you already wear a helmet then the batteries are not
noticeable, but if you wear only a headset maybe it will bother you.
I'm not sure what would be stopping you from customizing the
battery pack, a 3V camera battery would probably last hundreds of
hours and weigh a lot less hanging there on one side of your headset.

One thing you'll figure out quick, it's easy to accidentally beam the
guy sitting next to you with these.

Hope this helps.