Space within an aircraft cockpit is very limited, but frequently a pilot needs to make calculations, refer to some instructions or write down something. With no room for a desk, knee boards are used. These are small clip boards that are strapped around the upper thigh so that when seated in the aircraft they are readily accessible to write things down or read some pre-prepared notes. These are known as knee boards and today we are looking at an example made by Beaufort. This is made of green nylon to match the pilot’s flight suit and has a small white board on which notes can be made and then erased later:

A spring clip is fitted to the top so items can be secured and wont be flying around the cockpit:

The knee board opens at the bottom and inside is a small ring binder clip so notes can be pre-prepared and secured here for access when in flight:

An adjustable strap is fitted to the underside of the knee board that can pass around the leg to secure it in place:

Variations of these knee boards have been used by pilots since the earliest days of flight and despite modern technology, it is likely there will be a place for these simple devices for many years to come.