Survival Equipment

J

Jwscud

Well-Known Member
I wasn't sure where to post this, but I'm a UK pilot coming to the USA in the fall for a few weeks flying in the AZ/Southern CA area. I'll be doing mainly long-ish (to me) cross country flights over what I understand is pretty sparsely inhabited terrain in a light single. All my flying thus far has been in fairly highly populated areas where this isn't really a consideration.

What sort of gear do people tend to carry in flights over these empty areas in case of a forced landing? Water seems an obvious one to me, as does a decent first aid kit. I also have an airband transceiver I keep in my flight bag. What sort of other things would you recommend taking/carrying in the aircraft?
 
Jwscud said:
I wasn't sure where to post this, but I'm a UK pilot coming to the USA in the fall for a few weeks flying in the AZ/Southern CA area. I'll be doing mainly long-ish (to me) cross country flights over what I understand is pretty sparsely inhabited terrain in a light single. All my flying thus far has been in fairly highly populated areas where this isn't really a consideration.

What sort of gear do people tend to carry in flights over these empty areas in case of a forced landing? Water seems an obvious one to me, as does a decent first aid kit. I also have an airband transceiver I keep in my flight bag. What sort of other things would you recommend taking/carrying in the aircraft?
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Cellphone, matches, mirror.
and you can pick up a small survival kit if you want.
 
In addition to the things you already mentioned I'd include some sort of signaling device (pyro or mirror), a light jacket (it can get pretty chilly at night in the desert), and a decent knife. You can get crazy with things like satellite beacons but some common sense and a little survival training will go a long way.

I don't know what's available to you in the UK in the realm of survival training. There are many good books available on the subject. In the US, the FAA offers a FREE one day basic post-crash survival class. It's very easy to enroll and the training is fantastic. If you visit the FAA's website you'll find some online material designed to supplement their survival training which is also FREE.
 
A Spot Satellite messenger:

spot-satellite-gps.jpg



We keep one in ever plane in our fleet, its invaluable. 100 bucks for the unit, and 100 bucks a year for monitoring= cant lose. Your flight path can be tracked on a computer, and they have a monitoring center, so that when you hit the SoS button they pick up the signal and call the proper authorities for you.

We had a pilot lose an engine, put the plane down in a sugar field, and the cops where there 10 minutes after he hit the button, and he was in BFE. I've gotten to the point where i just about wont fly without one.
 
a good knife,
a way to start a fire
water or at least a way to carry water
a way to signal. mirrors are best, but anything shiney will work. those cheap foil "space blankets" are pretty useful.
basic first aid kit

a note on first aid kits: most of them will just have some bandaids and asperin and maybe some wet-naps. you don't need mamma's kit for boo-boos. you need to be able to treat serious bleeding from larger cuts and such, so be sure to have several 4-inch gauze pads, ace bandages, disinfectant, triple anti-biotic cream (preferably the kind with topical anesthetic in it) and a suture kit. razor blades and forceps/tweezers are also very useful. maybe some clotting agent impregnated bandages.

also be sure to carry a few days supply of any prescription medication you take.

another thing most people don't think about: be sure you know how to use everything in your kit, and be able to use all of them one-handed, with your off-hand. you never know when you will need this stuff in a hurry, and you may be injured in your strong hand when you do need it.
 
I personally carry water, waterproof matches, a small gps, cellphone, air band radio, extra batteries for all of the above (they all take AA's), a .380ACP handgun, and a mirror. That should keep you alive long enough for someone to find you.
 
In addition to everything folks already said, I'd suggest keeping it all in a easily accessable and back mounted bag as well. Don't want to be digging around in the back of the airplane if there is a post impact crash or some other problem. If you just need to belly up on flat ground, then keep in mind that the aircraft itself makes a very good shelter as well as the best kind of signaling device (which rescuers will certainly be looking for).
 
Thank you very much for all the good advice. I have most of the stuff mentioned already, just need to make it up into a decent kit. That spot tracker looks like a brilliant piece of kit, especially at the price.
 
I fly a lot from OR to Socal single engine, and I carry a bag full of stuff. I'd suggest a knife, axe, at least three different ways of starting a fire, some kind of survival blanket, a tarp, food for a couple of days, lots of water, a torch, lightsticks, and a basic first aid kit. You can probably add lots to that list. Depending on where you're flying, this can be a deceptively big country to someone from a small island. Stay with the airplane, make sure the ELT is running, and use it for shelter, fuel and signaling (burn the tyres!).
 
I'd carry what is in my pockets... keys, knife, cell phone, wallet, probably a water bottle.

I can barely ride my dirtbike through middle Nevada without losing cell reception anymore, and with an elt and a radio to make a call first, I simply wouldn't worry that much.
 
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