Someone asked me about my flight deck setup, so thought I’d post it here if anyone else is interested.

I’m a newer pilot, so since I got my gear, I’ve tried a few things out to see what would work for me: traditional flight deck (Woody Valley), leg mount for my phone, velcroing my vario to my forehead, etc. I kinda liked the traditional flight deck, but thought it was too big (since I don’t have tons of instruments, don’t need to carry snacks or ballast, etc) and I was really not a fan of having to clip it in on launch every time I was setting up (trying to keep the number of things I’m focusing on to a minimum at the moment). So I set about to find the following:

• Small (I use my phone with Flyskyhy, and an XC Tracer Mini for instrumentation)
• Can leave it attached to my harness and don’t have to clip it in on launch
• Secure mount for my phone without having to put velcro on my phone case but yet easily removable if the air is smooth and I want to snap a photo
• Phone is somewhat protected in case I trip or fall on launch
• Nothing hard or stabby in it (in case I fall on it)

By accident, I stumbled across a case made for camera filters that had the perfect dimensions, had 2 attachment methods to non-permanently attach it to my harness, has a top flap that sits up just the right way when I’m in the air, and didn’t cost a fortune. I got a cheap foam “yoga/workout” block off of Amazon to fill the bottom (which is rigid, but not completely hard), attached a phone mag mount to the foam using zip ties (it’s quite secure and doesn’t move), added velcro to the outside for my vario so I can hear it well (and that’s also attached to the case with its tether as a backup), and added a backup battery in case my phone or vario starts to die (I’ve now needed to use this several times). Charging cords are looped up and tucked in in the front and positioned so that I can plug everything in one-handed. Also added an insert to my phone case that makes a small loop of webbing stick out the bottom – this lets me easily clip my phone in and out of the tether before I put my gear on.

Photos below – feel free to ping me if you want Amazon links to any of it.