Camping Gear

[Esser]

After reading Peteohms little trip in the trip report section I am curious to see how many people actively camp out of their plane and what gear you have. Or not even camping. Maybe just for a long trip?

What does your gear comprise of and how do you go about packing the plane? What items would you never sacrifice to take even if they are a little bulkier or heavier?

I'm interested to see your replies and pictures of your setups.

[SkySteve]

My wife, her dog and I camp in the backcountry out of our Kitfox, but since its a model I we have plenty of room for "stuff". More later...

So my wife says to me, "Where do I sit?":



And I reply, "Why dear, just relax in your lawn chair and enjoy the journey.":

[Esser]

I accidentally posted this in the wrong thread. I guess if a mod could move it to General it would be appreciated.

[Peteohms]

I camp out of my Kitfox III several times a year. I have camped at Oshkosh 3 times having flown from the Austin, TX. I've camped at Sun N Fun twice including the Tornado Adventure in 2011. I probably make about 3 Texas camping fly-ins per year.

before I moved to the Austin aream, I camped at Copperstate fly-in in Casa Grande, AZ twice and once at the Cactus fly-in also in Casa Grande.

When I started camping in Arizona in 2008 I took an air mattress, a sleeping bag, a small ice chest, 12 pack of beer and bit of food.

After I moved to Central Texas I got a tent and a folding chair, then eventually I got a cot to stay off lumpy ground. I also carry a small cloth overnight bag for clothes and toiletries and on long trips another bag for more clothes.

My cloth ice chest hangs on a rope behind the passenger seat so that it can bang against the aileron linkage ;-). My cloth overnight bag hangs on a rope behind the pilot seat. The tent, cot, air mattress are in a duffle bag in the passenger seat with a folding chair between the the duffle bag and the door.

I take out the stick on the passenger side and made a special basket that fits on the floor on that side and holds bottled water and small items.

See photo under "Waldo's Big Adventure" thread.

[Dorsal]

Great fun camping with the plane, have since purchased a slightly smaller tent and more compact sleeping pads.

[Peteohms]

Ok Steve, we know your wife drives HER car and stays at a nearby motel. Ask me how I know.

[SkySteve]

Pete,
So that was you I heard going out the back door when I went to the motel to get her for breakfast!

[Dave S]

Here is what we use....if we resupply on food/water we could probably hold out any amount of time. Some airports have water some don't....plan for both.

Probably spend a couple hours planning the stuff that needs to go with...mostly food planning.

Probably 15 minutes packing the plane.

Never worry about the time it takes to do it right....Don't need to (retired)

Never need to sacrafice anything for loading....Don't need to (it all fits)

Lodging:

Lightweight tent, ground cloth, air mattress, lightweight sleeping bags, stakes, ropes.

Cooking:

Single burner coleman stove (runs just fine on the unleaded auto fuel from the tanks), aluminum cookset & utinsels, small cooler with a water filled gallon milk bottle frozen a couple days before leaving - drink the water as it melts, minimum amount of food requiring refrigeration, maximum amount of food not requiring refrigeration including a lot of instant stuff (which is really light) that can be reconstituted by adding water, a couple more gallon milk bottles filled with water. Previously learned how to make a small amount of water last a long time by camping in the Utah outback.

Airplane care:

Nice Cabin cover purchased from John McBean, set of homebuilt "enhanced EAA design" tiedowns, normal spare parts expendables and tools, one "tire patch/inflator" in a can, customized windshield bug-B-gone kit. 100 MPH tape, 500 MPH tape, wheel chocks.

MIscellaneous:

Single bit hatchet or geologists pick, extra ropes, Gerber multi tool, camera (NEVER FORGET THE CAMERA), Bug repellant, Sunscreen, first aid kit (not necessarily related to the hatchet or Gerber!), backpack, 1 qt water container.

Oh....then Myself, my Wife, Full Fuel

Sincerely,

Dave S
KF7 Trigear
912ULS Warp Drive

[Peteohms]

Pete,
So that was you I heard going out the back door when I went to the motel to get her for breakfast!

Probably wasn't me. At 68 I've slowed down a bit. My wife camps at the holiday inn if she goes and she drives too. We do take a flying trip but pack light and don't camp.

[Esser]

Pretty interesting that everyone who replied flies a trike. So much for the hardcore tailwheel guys eh?