Don’t forget files to take those nicks out of prop blades!
My experience of flying to seriously remote places is that it is not so much the tools, as the spares, that matter.
You can be reasonably sure of being able to borrow spanners, screwdrivers etc, even be able to source a makeshift battery, but if you have a flat tyre or knackered alternator or starter motor (on an engine too big to swing), you are stuffed, possibly to the point of losing the entire aircraft for the sake of a tiny spare. The spares don’t weigh that much and just have to be factored in, together with survival gear, when planning a remote trip. If weight is an issue, I’d dump the tools and take the spares.
Oh, and it is remarkable what can be done with a big Swiss Army Knife or Leatherman. They would be my first tools of choice.
Tools:
80 gallon oil drum opening key.
Screwdriver
Plug spanner
Funnel(s)
US Dollars 
Duct tape
soldering iron
Spares:
Panel fasteners
Plugs
Alternator belt
lamps/bubs
If you’ve got the space, add starter motor and oil (as much as you can carry).
Picking-up on something Timothy has said, sometimes you can source extra bits but getting them past airport security, especially anywhere east of Europe, can be a nightmare. I’ve waited 3 days for a slab of oil to clear customs.
A phone with a good address book.
Aviathor wrote:
A phone with a good address book.
+ 1 !
Aviathor wrote:
A phone with a good address book.
Yes, that’s an important tool, but the tool that I use for doing most jobs, around the aircraft, car and house, is very small and very light.
It measures 85.60 × 53.98 x 0.5 mm and weighs around 12 grams.
Actually, the Big Question is :
Statistically, or if you prefer, Objectively: What is the component and/or system that is a) most likely to fail and b) would prevent one from flying back to base ?
Michael wrote:
And now, here’s a Pro’s Tip for recalcitrant screws : Put a dab of valve grinders paste on the tip of the screwdriver – this will keep it from slipping !
There is also a specialised solution for this purpose, SchraubenDoktor (“the screw doctor”) – reported with great praise by an airline mechanic.
What is the component and/or system that is a) most likely to fail and b) would prevent one from flying back to base ?
The two things which almost prevented me from flying on were
I have since addressed both of these.
Thanks for the screw doctor tip Ultranomad – just ordered some from Amazon UK.
Peter wrote:
The two things which almost prevented me from flying on werelack of basic service tools
To service what ?
