Pilot’s Flight Bag – Getting Started with Your Flight Training

Lightspeed Aviation Duke Flight Bag (https://amzn.to/425JmWo)

I exclusively use this bag myself. After trying several flight bags, I ended up staying with this one. It is a backpack style bag with padding in the back to make it nice and soft when wearing. It is premium leather with a hard bottom so that if you put it on the ground, dry or wet, it protects the bag from moisture, dirt, or rocks. I love that it has so many compartments and pockets which helps me a ton when it comes to stay organized. It has a dedicated pouch on the side to hold a handheld radio, a feature which I appreciate much given I broke one handheld in the past. It has a soft pouch for your sunglasses, and a velcro hook to hang your headset inside the bag. In the most rear, it has two slide pouches for a laptop, iPad, or other electronics which are kept separate from all the other stuff in the front. This bag is not cheap by any means, however, it is exclusively designed for general aviation pilots and packs so much features that are useful. Highly recommended.

Lightspeed Aviation The Gann Flight Bag (https://amzn.to/3DLu3YJ)

Another great leather bag from Lightspeed. If you are starting your flight training to take on aviation as a long term career, this bag is a great option. It is a duffel bag type with a decent style. One great feature is the sleeve in the back side which can be used to secure the bag on top of a roller carry on. Similar to the Duke flight bag from the same manufacturer, it is well made with premium leather.

Lightspeed Aviation The Markham Flight Bag (https://amzn.to/4hb0eiD)

Another great bag from Lightspeed. This one is very similar to the Gann. It is certainly a small bag which may be great for small cockpits. It is probably perfect for someone flying a light sport aircraft without much room. Like any Lightspeed bags, it features the same quality leather which will be durable and last years to come.

Flight Outfitters Bush Pilot Flight Bag (https://amzn.to/3DHz04P)

Here is an another leather hand and shoulder style flight bag that is more cost effective. It does have the common features as the other flight bags we reviewed so far. Compared to Lightspeed brand however, the leather quality is rather worse which would most likely affect long term durability especially against moisture. I personally would not want to put this bag on the ground when it is raining and wet. That being said, the bag has a good design and many pocket options similar to the other bags. Considering it costs nearly half of the premium brand, it certainly a good option for student pilots.

LAPG Tactical Gear Bag (https://amzn.to/40o4QN0)

If you are on a budget, you can’t go wrong with this generic bag. This is actually not a flight bag at all. It was designed by LAPG to be a multi-purpose utility bag that can be used for hunting, hiking, fishing, and many other ourdoor activities. It so happens that it features very similar designs to actual flight bags, so it will certainly do the job. Considering it costs less than $50, it can’t be beat.

P.S. This was my flight bag when I started flight training way back when. I used it more than two years before upgrading to more premium flight bags.

Flight Outfitters Lift Flight Bag (https://amzn.to/42eAQUW)

Finally, if you are a minimalist, this is the bag for you. This bag will certainly fit bare minimum equipment that you will carry with you, such as your headphones, iPad, maybe some batteries and cables. I most commonly see pilots use a small bag if they actually own an airplane. That way, they can leave bulky items permanently in the airplane. If you are renting however, this bag will probably won’t work for you.