Gear
Overwhelmed with information about what gear you need to begin your journey as a Student Pilot?
Look no further, everything you need is here!
First, you're going to need a logbook. Every pilot's got one, and you grow attached to the one you have. One piece of advice that I wish I would've followed earlier: don't worry about making every entry only one line. Log what was memorable about each flight! Anyway, here's the one I have. It's larger than normal, and has lots of space to write in.
Also, start a digital version as soon as you can. I use MyFlightBook. It's kind of time consuming to use, but it stores the information in the cloud, and prepares everything for an FAA 8710 form (which you'll have to fill out for every certificate and/or rating). Some people may find Google Sheets or Excel easier to use, and then upload to MyFlightBook.
You will need an E6B Flight Computer. This circular-slide rule was a favorite of Spock in Star Trek, and is the FAA's favorite pilot tool to ask about. We'll cover how to use it for your FAA Written Exam.
The FAR/AIM is a book I will reference very often in training. The FAR stands for Federal Aviation Regulations, and the AIM stands for Aeronautical Information Manual. I usually tab all the sections that the "Private Pilot" Table of Contents mentions, and then go back to read them. YOU CAN BRING THIS, TABBED, TO YOUR CHECKRIDE! It's one heck of a butt-saver, coming from experience. Sometimes it's not having the information memorized that's important, it's knowing where to find it.
The Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge (PHAK) is the FAA's educational book on how to operate an aircraft. It is available online as a PDF for free, but I prefer the paper copy to highlight. I'm an old-fashioned nerd though.
Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge
Another book that has been helpful in my studies is the Jeppesen Private Pilot Manual. It's thiccc, but it covers everything you need to know in detail.
Aviate, NAVIGATE, Communicate - here are pilot maps. We call them Sectionals because it's a section of a larger map. You'll need it to learn how to navigate... also your Designated Pilot Examiner (DPE) will expect you to be able to track a course and fly by pilotage and paper. No GPS! Also, you'll want the plotter to go with it. it's quite handy.
Finally, to keep all these things handily available during flight, you'll want an organizer of sorts. We pilots came up with a way to do this a while back... in the 40's... it's called a kneeboard and it's a clipboard that you strap to your knee with pockets. It holds your checklists and maps handy! Nowadays, we use iPads for our Electronic Flight Bags (EFBs).
iPad Kneeboard (I actually suggest getting either a RAM Claw Yoke Mount or RAM Suction Cup Mount for iPads.)
For headsets, you can go relatively cheap... or super expensive, but filled with features. For me, there's nothing I'd rather have than Bose A20s. Others like the Lightspeeds, Clarity Alofts, David Clark's, or ASA el cheapos. Read the reviews, and take your pick! As my father has always said, "take care of your tools, and they'll take care of you."
I know this is a lot of stuff to read/buy at once, so don't feel the need to just buy away! Next, read 3 - Testing.
Study hard, fly safe!