Hi all, a friend of mine is about to start with a major airline as a new pilot after her cadetship, I want to buy her a special gift for the occasion and a friend who works at the airline has suggested a pilot’s flight bag (or set of bags). I’m sure there are a number of women here, I wondered if any of you had any recommendations on a good quality flight bag or bag combination (with wheels?). Is there anything in particular I should look for or avoid? Budget is not an issue, just want to get the right thing. What do you use?
Thanks in advance for all your help.
BT,
The roller of choice for professional pilots are from Luggage Works. It basically tells the world you’re a pilot. 22" is standard and they’ll even embroider with her name and airline. Best is they’re indestructible and should they ever need repair or fleshing the company has a lifetime warranty. I personally like the Executive. The Stealth is the most popular but it has a metal frame and weights a ton.
You’re a good friend!
Adam
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Adam posted the bag with the plastic frame. I would not get my worst enemy that bag. This is the standard bag that most pilots seem to carry, with a metal frame:
That being said, it is rather heavy and she might not like that. You might want to ask some questions before committing to such a purchase.
Chris
BT,
I think you should let your friend decide what kind of suitcase she likes. It’s basically your whole life when you’re out on the road. There is a ton of preference when it comes to your roller board. Depending on the aircraft she will fly and the size of the overhead bin, you have to be careful not to get too big of a bag that won’t fit. Plus, it’s a trade off between durability and weight. I received a metal frame stealth bag and I hated it and gave it away. Plus, as a female I like to keep my bag very organized so interior pockets, divider spaces, etc. is something I look for in bag.
Maybe see if she plans on packing her food on trips because a flight crew cooler can be a great gift. Not as many to choose from and pretty standard for the most part. A flight bag could also be a good investment. This can be a very personal item too she may want to pick out herself. However, maybe getting her a nice one and a gift receipt she can always swap it out. I love the luggage works Stealth flight tote. It is the perfect size to fit in the cubby space on the FO side of a CRJ so should fit in most aircraft. It has great pockets, a big open space in the middle for a Bose headset case and a big water bottle holder on the outside. It also has a iPad sleeve and a laptop sleeve built in to the inside of the bag plus pen holders, etc.
-Hannah
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BT,
I’ll add my two cents. I used to have the luggage works metal frame bag. It lasted about four years which is pretty good. I know that they have a good refurbishment service, and my bag probably could have lasted longer, but when I first started flying at the regionals we were required to stow our bags in the cargo pit with all of the other bags. Needless to say my bag took a good beating.
When it was time to purchase a new bag I did some shopping and decided to try something different. I didn’t like how heavy the LW bag was. I now use this (21”): https://strongbags.com/product/helix-pro-flight-crew-roller-used-like-new/
I’ve been using the bag for about a month now, and it’s been growing on me. The handle is a bit different and the tiedown straps that secure my lunchbox to the top of the bag is one extra step, but overall I am pleased, and it’s at least half the weight as the LW bag. We will have to wait and see if the bag stands the test of time, but they do pride themselves on the quality of the bag’s construction.
I also recommend their cooler for storing food for longer trips: Pro EFB Canadian Ice Cooler - StrongBags Flight Crew Luggage
Tory
Do most pilots bring a flight bag and a cooler in addition to their roller bag?
I can’t speak for most pilots, but I’d say that most of the pilots that I fly with do.
Tory
Flight bag and roller yes, cooler not so much.
Adam
Scott,
Roller board and flight bag are must haves for all
pilots. Cooler is just for those that prefer packing their own food. I think it’s more common at the regionals due to more legs a day and smaller breaks between legs. So far I’d say 60-70% of crews I’ve been with pack their own food.
-Hannah
Scott,
I see very few pilots, if any, carrying coolers. This was much more common at the regional level.
Chris
Short breaks, short overnights and few food options near the hotels for us sometimes too.