After a fuel stop in Arizona, a blown tube left me with a flat nose tire and no A&P on the field. The FBO happened to have a jack, and I was able to pick up a replacement tube, make the repair on the ramp, and get back in the air the same day.

I didn’t love that the whole thing came down to luck.

So I built a jack I could throw in the baggage compartment along with a couple of spare tubes and not think about it again. This portable jack has earned its place in my airplane.

Specs:

• 4-ton hydraulic bottle jack with threaded extension for fine height adjustment
• Adjustable jack pad to accommodate different axle heights
• Fits most GA aircraft, and probably some other stuff, too

It’s simple, stable, and built for real-world situations when you don’t have the luxury of a hangar or a mechanic.