As owners of a 1951 Cessna 195 my wife Margaret and I have made several trips to various parts of Canada and the USA. With any aircraft of this vintage there are problems that can manifest themselves while away from home base. Based upon the many years of ownership by long time International Cessna 195 Club members, a list of essentials for a Travel Tool Kit has been compiled which hopefully can solve most problems that can occur while traveling away from your home airport.

In the past year a lot of new members have joined the International Cessna 195 Club and become owners/caretakers of these magnificent aircraft. As they learn more about owning and maintaining these airplanes and their operation, it becomes apparent that they are an extremely comfortable travel machine – maybe not for ‘time travel’ but certainly a way to experience a mode of transport of a bygone era.

On the International Cessna 195 Club Hangar Talk forum there have been numerous discussions about what one should include in a Travel Tool Kit so I thought I would try to consolidate some of the ideas and thoughts. There is a general consensus on the items that seem to be on everyone’s necessary list and then there are the extra, nice to have items. Here’s what I gleaned from everyone’s comments.

Necessary Items (after years of experience by experienced/old members)
*Engine mount bullet – mine is mounted on firewall
Set of wrenches – thru 7/8”
Adjustable wrench – good to 1 ¼”
¼” ratchet with wobble extensions
¼” socket set – thru 9/16”
3/8” drive 7/8” spark plug socket/w external
7/8” hex (to accept 7/8” wrench)
3/8” ratchet
Ratchet screwdriver with interchangeable tips
2 Phillips screwdriver
Set of slotted screwdrivers
Set of small Phillips and slotted
screwdrivers
Duck-bill pliers
Needle nose pliers
Diagonal pliers – Good pair – Snap-on is
highly recommended
Vise grip pliers – small and medium
*Medium Channel-Lock pliers – good for
push rod tubes
Lock wire pliers
Set of jeweller’s files
Set of feeler gauges – ignition and regular
2 Ignition wrenches – 15/64”
*2 awls for cowling installation
Small Allen wrench set

Tire gauge
*Tire valve extension for tailwheel
Flashlight – I have three in the plane – flight bag, seat-back pocket, tool kit
2 new spark plugs
*2 new engine mount bolts c/w nuts, washers
Electrical tape
Lock wire – 0.032”
Small/medium extendable inspection mirrors
Telescoping magnet
Misc small bolts, screws, etc

Nice to have items
*Spare carbon brush for battery ignition timer
*Spare rotor
3/8” socket set – thru 9/16”
Dzus fastener screwdriver – I have another in the seat back pocket
Z-bend wrenches – good for tightening fuel sending units, etc
Hack saw
Medium ball peen hammer
Snap ring pliers
Jeweler’s loupe
9-10” tapered punch
Scribe with 90° end
Spare Adel clamps
Wire crimper/stripper
Spare exhaust, intake and rocker cover gaskets
*Rocker valve wrench
Ruler, mechanical pencil, calculator
Wire brush
Tin of cotter pins
Some 14-16 gauge wire, crimp terminals
8 and #10 PK screws
Nut driver set
*Spare parts for ADC filter
Section of scat hose
Electronic angle gauge – Iphone should work too

Other items that could be useful on a cross-country excursion:
*Cowl gap cover/bra – prevents water incursion into ignition system
Windshield cover – prevents water incursion into cockpit/radios
Tie-downs and chocks
Control surface locks
*Spare tail wheel tube and tire
*Strut inflator – CO2 cartridge and hose
*Hair dryer – for wet ignition systems when your bra blows off
*A short hose to extend the hair dryer would also be useful

Items I carry in my flight bag
Spare batteries for headsets, handheld radio

Flashlight
Dzus fastener screwdriver
Bottle opener with cork-screw
Multi-tool – Leatherman or similar

Of course a lot of this stuff is specific to the Cessna 195 (marked with *) and most of you will not have ignition or distributor moisture problems. I think the contents of your travel kit can be changed to suit your aircraft.

While your useful load may be compromised if you carry all this stuff around with you it sure is nice to be able to solve a problem when it occurs during your travels. I have enough room in the 195 that I normally always carry the kit but for local flying you could probably leave it in the hangar.

I have only had to use my kit once so far – our ignition and radios got soaked while in Harbour Springs, Michigan and my wife’s hair dryer got a workout. I pulled the intercom and radio out, dried them off with an air hose and the hairdryer. The distributor took another 3 hours before it was dry enough for a smooth running engine!