Green Aviation Survival "Flare"

rframe said:
If you cannot keep the whole kit within reach then at least wear the PLB on you when you fly (lanyard or in a shirt pocket). If there's one thing you want to get out of a burning or sinking airplane with, it's that.
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That's the point of the vest. It has a pocket specifically for a PLB. Pocket for rations, water, etc...

Thanks again for your input.
 
The vests are a good idea, a better idea (in my opinion) is a dry bag with a clip that you can clip to your belt if you're going down. Generally all you're going to have is what's on your person, so the vests are in theory a great idea. In practice - well, the vests are bulky, you might forget it at home, and if you go into the water, you and the vest are going to be wet. Plus, in a tiny dry bag (like one of these: http://www.altrec.com/nrs/tuff-sack-dry-bag-small) you can put an MRE, a PLB, a change of ultralight socks and underwear, a few of those micro sized space blankets and much more without it being too heavy. The tiny dry bags go under the seat in the 206 and 207 series pretty well - just size the one you've got, and they can be clipped in under the seat, so they can be independent of the operator of the airplane. For water survival, check out StormySeas (www.stormyseas.com/) these guys make really comfortable and utilitarian jackets, and if I had some spare coin around, I'd buy one. The vests they make aren't bad either, but the jackets are the best. They're warm, the block the wind, and if I go into the water, they'll be able to recover my body! (I'm only partly being facetious, if you go into cold water...well, you're probably done unless you're extremely lucky) Also, make sure every pilot has a multi-tool (I have a leatherman, I like it a lot, there are other brands, but this is all I've ever used) and that they keep that and a working lighter in their pocket on every trip - even if they're not smokers. If all else fails, and you're stranded with nothing else, it's a damn-sight easier to start a fire with a lighter and kindling than with two sticks and a lot of time - especially if you're cold, and the airplane may have fuel that'll work great to get a fire going on wet kindling.

Anymore, I generally don't carry anything beyond my leatherman, and a lighter, and I dress for the weather - however, this is because we have SpiderTrax GPS locating and we're generally flying IFR. If I go down, there are only three outcomes. One, I die on impact (typical CFIT "What's that Goat doing up here in these clouds, am I still on the airway - WAM!"). Two, I'm picked up in 20 minutes. Three, I'm never seen or heard from ever again (i.e. I go down in the water as the tide is going out and I drown). That said, I'll probably be packing my winter drybag here soon, because in the winter if I go down, I may need to care for my passengers, so I'll probably set that up here within the next month. A dry bag with a gun, an MRE, and a few other tidy things is a very useful tool.
 
ppragman said:
The vests are a good idea, a better idea (in my opinion) is a dry bag with a clip that you can clip to your belt if you're going down. Generally all you're going to have is what's on your person, so the vests are in theory a great idea. In practice - well, the vests are bulky, you might forget it at home, and if you go into the water, you and the vest are going to be wet. Plus, in a tiny dry bag (like one of these: http://www.altrec.com/nrs/tuff-sack-dry-bag-small) you can put an MRE, a PLB, a change of ultralight socks and underwear, a few of those micro sized space blankets and much more without it being too heavy. The tiny dry bags go under the seat in the 206 and 207 series pretty well - just size the one you've got, and they can be clipped in under the seat, so they can be independent of the operator of the airplane. For water survival, check out StormySeas (www.stormyseas.com/) these guys make really comfortable and utilitarian jackets, and if I had some spare coin around, I'd buy one. The vests they make aren't bad either, but the jackets are the best. They're warm, the block the wind, and if I go into the water, they'll be able to recover my body! (I'm only partly being facetious, if you go into cold water...well, you're probably done unless you're extremely lucky) Also, make sure every pilot has a multi-tool (I have a leatherman, I like it a lot, there are other brands, but this is all I've ever used) and that they keep that and a working lighter in their pocket on every trip - even if they're not smokers. If all else fails, and you're stranded with nothing else, it's a damn-sight easier to start a fire with a lighter and kindling than with two sticks and a lot of time - especially if you're cold, and the airplane may have fuel that'll work great to get a fire going on wet kindling.

Anymore, I generally don't carry anything beyond my leatherman, and a lighter, and I dress for the weather - however, this is because we have SpiderTrax GPS locating and we're generally flying IFR. If I go down, there are only three outcomes. One, I die on impact (typical CFIT "What's that Goat doing up here in these clouds, am I still on the airway - WAM!"). Two, I'm picked up in 20 minutes. Three, I'm never seen or heard from ever again (i.e. I go down in the water as the tide is going out and I drown). That said, I'll probably be packing my winter drybag here soon, because in the winter if I go down, I may need to care for my passengers, so I'll probably set that up here within the next month. A dry bag with a gun, an MRE, and a few other tidy things is a very useful tool.
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A gun, an MRE, a lighter, a multi tool and a PLB. Should be in every pilot's flying kit. At least if you're flying west of... Denver.
 
z987k said:
A gun, an MRE, a lighter, a multi tool and a PLB. Should be in every pilot's flying kit. At least if you're flying west of... Denver.
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What's the gun for? Bears? Wolves? Other fauna?

Not being snarky-rhetorical. I understand the need for the other things, but why the gun?
 
killbilly said:
What's the gun for? Bears? Wolves? Other fauna?

Not being snarky-rhetorical. I understand the need for the other things, but why the gun?
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A few reasons:
1. 3 shots fired is a distress signal that can be heard for a couple miles.
2. If you're stuck somewhere for several days, shooting a grouse and cooking it over a fire sure will do wonders for your spirits
3. With a little shell modification you can use a gun as an emergency fire starter
4. Peace of mind / protection - I know lots of people who've been charged by bears, my father was surrounded by a pack of wovles in a pup tent, I know a guy who was bitten on the leg by a wolf, know a guy who's 12 year old son was attacked by a cougar and he beat the cat off by hand, I know a guy who was put up a tree by a cougar and then the cougar laid at the base of the tree for an hour until it got bored. Those are all people I know, not people who's cousins sisters uncle "heard about". That said, the chance of having an issue with an animal like that is very low, but if injured and trying to get out while crippled or possibly spent several days around a wreck with potentially dead bodies (stink - bear bait, sorry to be gross but its true), you're in a bit of a bad situation.
5. Last year a guy here rolled a 4 wheeler and pinned himself in the backcountry, he knew there was no chance anyone would find him in time and he had no way to survive, he decided to shortcut the process by shooting himself in the head.
 
Stomp16 - I just noticed also that ACR currently has a fall promo, if you buy any ACR PLB, they'll reimburse you for a Firefly strobe light... great deal. Good through October 31st. http://www.acrartex.com/landing/fall-promotion/

plb-promo-fall2012.jpg
 
Like most folks, I've read some of the bad reviews of the Spot system, but in doing so I've found two trends:

First, one of the big gripes with the system seems to be the subscription system that Spot uses. I'll admit, they seem to be a scam in many ways.

Second, it seems that many people have unrealistic expectations or complete misunderstandings of how GPS systems work. Things such as people complaining that the device didn't work for 5 minutes (because it had to acquire enough satellites), or that it wouldn't work when you are under a triple canopy rainforest.

It just makes me wonder how bad the Spot system is.
 
Just curious now, since I miss you guys so much... Where are you all doing extended overwater ops now? Or, would you have to kill me if you told me?
 
FlyingPoke said:
Just curious now, since I miss you guys so much... Where are you all doing extended overwater ops now? Or, would you have to kill me if you told me?
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Since I'm not sure about being able to post that on here due to the NDA, I will refrain from doing so. Check your pm's and if you want, give me a call.
 
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