Aviation explained
What does “Remove Before Flight” mean?
By the AvTags team · Updated
In short
- “Remove Before Flight” is a warning printed on bright red streamers attached to covers, plugs and safety pins that protect a parked aircraft.
- Each tagged item must be taken off before the aircraft flies. Leaving one on can block an instrument or stop a control surface from moving.
- The tags are red with white lettering so they are impossible to miss during the walk-round check.
- As keychains they are a nod to that safety culture, and one of the most recognisable aviation gifts there is.
What is a Remove Before Flight tag?
A Remove Before Flight tag is a long red streamer, usually fabric, with REMOVE BEFORE FLIGHT printed or woven in white capital letters. It is attached to something that protects or locks part of an aircraft while it is on the ground.
The tag itself does nothing mechanical. Its job is to be seen. When an aircraft is parked, crews and engineers fit covers and pins to keep out dirt, insects and weather, and to stop parts moving. The streamer flags every one of them so none is forgotten.
What are the tags attached to on a real aircraft?
You will find them on almost anything that is fitted on the ground and has to come off before departure. Common examples include:
- Pitot tube covers. The pitot tube measures airspeed. A cover keeps insects and water out, but if it is left on, the airspeed indicator will not work.
- Static port plugs. Static ports feed the altimeter, vertical speed indicator and airspeed indicator, so a blocked port affects several instruments at once.
- Engine intake and exhaust covers. These stop birds, debris and rain getting into the engines while the aircraft is parked.
- Landing gear pins. Pins lock the gear in the down position on the ground so it cannot retract by accident.
- Control locks. Gust locks hold the ailerons, elevator and rudder still so wind cannot damage them.
- Safety pins on military aircraft. Ejection seats, weapons and external stores use pins with red tags that are pulled before flight.
Why are Remove Before Flight tags red?
Red stands out against almost every aircraft livery, the grey of a hangar floor and the black of an apron at night. A long streamer also moves in the wind, which catches the eye. The aim is that anyone walking past the aircraft notices the tag straight away.
Before every flight, the crew or an engineer does a walk-round inspection. Spotting and removing every red tag is part of that check. Many operators also count the covers and pins as they are stowed, so the number removed matches the number fitted.
What happens if something is not removed?
It depends on what was left on. A forgotten pitot cover can mean the crew has no reliable airspeed reading after take-off. A blocked static port can give misleading altitude readings. A control lock left in place can stop the aircraft being controlled properly. Accident investigations have recorded all of these, which is why the tags exist and why crews take them seriously.
The keychains you can buy are souvenirs. They are not certified aviation parts and should never be used on a real aircraft.
Why do people have Remove Before Flight keychains?
For pilots, engineers and cabin crew, the tag is a badge of the job. Most of them have pulled hundreds of real ones off aircraft. Carrying one on your keys says you are part of that world.
For everyone else, it is the most recognisable piece of aviation design there is. Plane spotters, student pilots and people who simply love flying use them on keys, bags, lanyards and flight cases. They are also a popular small gift because they are cheap, light and instantly understood by anyone who flies.
Some people like the reminder too. Clipped to a bag or keys, the tag is a prompt to check you have everything before you leave, which is exactly what the real thing is for.
Remove Before Flight keychains: what to look for
- Double-sided. Real tags read the same on both sides, so a good keychain should too.
- Embroidered or woven text. Stitched lettering lasts far longer than printed text, which can rub off on keys.
- Size. The classic keychain format is about 13 cm long and 3 cm wide, which is big enough to read but still fits in a pocket.
- Something personal. Many people now collect tags with airports, aircraft types or airline designs as well as the plain red original.
All AvTags keychains are 13 × 3 cm woven tags. Browse the full aviation collection or read what a jet tag is for more on how they are made.
Questions, answered
What does Remove Before Flight mean?
It is a warning on red streamers attached to covers, plugs and safety pins fitted to a parked aircraft. Every tagged item must be removed before the aircraft flies.
Why are Remove Before Flight tags red?
Red with white lettering stands out against aircraft paint, hangar floors and aprons, so crews can spot every tag during the walk-round check before a flight.
What is the point of a Remove Before Flight keychain?
It is a souvenir of the real safety tag. Pilots, crew and aviation fans carry them as a sign of their interest in flying, and they make a popular small gift.
Can you use a Remove Before Flight keychain on a real aircraft?
No. Keychains are decorative and are not certified aircraft parts. Real tags are supplied with the covers and pins they belong to.
How big is a Remove Before Flight keychain?
The common keychain size is about 13 cm long and 3 cm wide. Real aircraft streamers are usually much longer.
Shop this guide
13 × 3 cm woven tags, sent from the UK by Royal Mail.
