The Airborne XT and cross-country adventure by Larry Jones
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So just how does one pack their XT for a cross-country adventure and what accessories are needed. Lets start at the top, the wing. It is customary for pilots to load gear and in particular, bedding into the undersurface of their wing. This is not something that I am real keen on; as adding weight to the wing will at best make the handling heavier and at worst can have a negative affect on the stability of the wing. I have often seen pilots stuff sleeping bags, mattresses and pillows in their undersurface, so much gear that it bulge’s out the undersurface and changes the shape of the aerofoil or restricts the movement of the cross-bar. The end result is a wing with heavy handling or a bad turn or possible even poor pitch stability, not much fun on a long flight. The wing is always my last resort and I rarely need to use it for storage. If I do need to use it then at most I will pack two Themorest mattresses, deflated, rolled up, placed inside the undersurface and secured to either side of the keel so as not to interfere with the shape or operation of the wing. I use the ultralight version of the Thermorest mattress, which rolls up to about half the size of the regular self-inflating type mattresses.
Now moving down to the trike base and it is time to add our first accessory, the famous Larry Larder. The Larry Larder is a triangular shaped bag that attaches at the top of the trike in the apex between the mast and front pole. This is a product that I designed back in the 1980’s and have been using with great success ever since. The Larder has been redesigned and released as the Deluxe Larder for the XT trikes. It is larger than previous models and includes a removable shelf, allowing it to carry more than the standard model. As the name suggests the Larder is an ideal place to store some food. I generally carry a small bottle of drinking water, something easy to grab on a quick rest stop. I also like to carry some fresh fruit and containers of things like nuts and sultanas, maybe a sandwich, some dry biscuits and the like. I try to avoid the junkie snack foods but somehow whenever I go to my Larder it seems as though a big block of Cadbury’s chocolate has managed to find its way there. Do not overload the Larder with heavy or bulky items (like cans of food) once again any extra weight is best kept low. Use the Larder as intended and you will find it a great asset to your cross-country adventures.
Moving down into the cockpit you will find some space under the rear seat and this can be used in a number of ways. Whatever you decide to stow here make sure it is secure so it can not move around or work it’s way out of the trike. On flights into the outback where water is a concern I choose to carry a flexible bladder of water in this place along with a bag of odds and sods and a few personal items. If water is not such a concern, then a couple of sleeping bags can easily fit in this place. Once again purchase good quality sleeping bags that pack into a small compression sack, you will be amazed how small they pack. Work out what you want to carry here and experiment with the best way to pack and secure it. Under the front seat the XT has a bag either side of the base tube. I use one of these for a tool kit, spare parts, tyre pump, first-aid kit, EPIRB and the like. In the other I have a trike tie-down kit (Screw-its and rope), aircleaner covers, a lightweight trike cover (Air Hog Dust Cover) and a few other bits and pieces that help in securing the trike and setting up camp for the night. I always sleep better if I have first taken the time to secure the trike and cover it with a lightweight, water repellent dust cover. Waking in the morning to find everything covered in due or even ice, it’s good to know that at least your engine, seats and instruments are dry and ready to fire up for another days flying. I also carry a small Chamois to wipe any excess water off the wing before each morning’s departure. Never be tempted to take-off if your wing is covered in due or ice, it can spoil your day real quick.
Another thing I like to add to the cockpit is an Air Hog Map Bag. It attaches to the floor of the pod just under the base tube via Velcro. I carry in this all my documentation like my flight plans, maps and charts, aircraft logbook, navigation gear, paper and pencils etc.. I can easily remove it and take it with me if I want to head to the local pub, have a meal, a drink and study the map, plan or revise the next leg of the adventure. I know of pilots that have all manner of gear floating around the cockpit floor, I like to keep it clean with plenty of room for the passengers feet and no chance of loose items interfering with the throttle, brake or steering. The Map Bag is great to neatly utilise a bit of unused floor space and still keep it neat and tidy.
One of the great new Air Hog products is the XT Belly Bag. It is a slim pack storage bag that attaches under the belly of the XT trikes and has proven to be an essential item for cross-country adventure flying. It is in this bag that I will pack my tent, sleeping bag, towel, a change of clothes and other such items. If you are operating from gravel runways and finding propeller damage a constant problem there is also the option of a stone guard net that fits to the Belly Bag. I leave my Belly Bag and stone guard on the trike all the time, whether flying local or cross-country, its there if I need. Full or empty it looks good on the trike and has no adverse effects to the flying characteristics of the XT.
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