Survival Kit

TheAlchemist

TheAlchemist

Well-Known Member
I will be doing many long x/c flights pretty soon in a C172 over mountainous terrain and desolated areas. So with the whole thing going on about Steve Fossett I came to realize that a survival kit is essential for the type of flying I'm doing.

Ideas on what to have on a Survival Kit is greatly appreciated!
 
Not that I have a full "Survival Kit", but a Leatherman multi tool and an Icom Transciever are part of my regular flight bag.
 
Hey dude,

I didn't realize they'd be sending you out that way. Anyway, start with the essentials like band-aids, but remember that a thermal blanket can really save you. You can pick those things up at any sporting goods store. They look like a big wrap of aluminum foil usually. Also a tourniquet (sp?).

Also obviously water and powerbars/protein bars.

The leatherman tool idea from above is a good one. I carried one on all of my flights.

Fly safe and stay in touch.
 
P&H said:
Fly safe and stay in touch.
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I sure will!! So did you get that ATR sticker?

Couple of days ago I landed in Montgomery for fuel. It reminded me of when we went there to check out the Duchess. I had much fun flying with you man!

Thanks for the input! I will add that to my list. I also looked into some Red Cross Kits and they have a lot of good stuff.

1 HEAVY DUTY BACK PACK
1 AM/FM RADIO WITH NEW BATTERIES
12 HOUR GREEN CYALUME SAFETY LIGHTSTICK
4 EMERGENCY SURVIVAL BLANKETS (84" X 52")
1 WHISTLE
2 FIRST AID KITS
EACH CONTAINS:
2 ANTISEPTIC TOWELETTES
1 IODINE PAD
1 TRIPLE-ANTIBIOTIC CREAM PACK
1 2" X 3" ADHESIVE TELFA BANDAGE
1 2" X 3" ISLAND BANDAGE
10 CHILDREN BANDAGES
10 3/4" X 3" ADHESIVE BANDAGES
1 FLEXIBLE FABRIC KNUCKLE BANDAGE
1 FLEXIBLE FABRIC LARGE FINGERTIP BANDAGE
2 PATCH BANDAGES
1 CARRY ANYWHERE CASE
4 PACKS POCKET TISSUES
4 UNIHEAT MULTI-FUNCTION WARMERS
4 BOX MAXI THIN SANITARY NAPKINS
4 EMERGENCY PONCHO
1 BIOHAZARD BAG
1 FLASHLIGHT WITH BATTERIES
6 2 GALLON WATER BAGS
9 DATREX 12 SERVING EMERGENCY RATION PACKS (144 SERVINGS TOTAL)

And I think a small mirror would be a good idea too!
 
Check out www.equipped.org

The owner of that website is a pilot and survival expert. He seems to have a low opinion of many of the store bought kits and offers recommendations for beefing them up or just making your own. Decent forum over there, too.
 
I asked my first CFI (a sho-nuff cowboy) about a survival kit. He said this:

"Put a fifth of whiskey and a 100 dollar bill in a cooler and put it in the back of the plane. If neither one of those can get you out of the trouble you're in then you're screwed anyway."
 
mtsu_av8er said:
Don't forget some small individual bottles of scotch or bourbon.
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Beat me to it!! :p

I have a somewhat standard kit that I use backcountry snowboarding and when I used to do mountain flying...from the top of my head...

- Tarp (tents are for sissies)
- Space blanket (a million uses)
- Multi-tool (duh :) )
- Multiple sources of fire starters (strike anywhere matches, lighter, flint, starter sticks)
- Signaling mirror attached to a whistle
- Warm and rain proof clothing
- Nylon rope
- First aid kit
- Water purifier tablets
- Headlamp

Without thinking too deeply, those are some standard items for me. For various terrain and times of year the 'standard' kit can vary. I even included snowshoes when mountain flying in winter. I used to do a little SAR volunteering, PM me if you need any more info.
 
Everyone has offered good suggestions for survival kits, so I don't have much to add in that area.

One tip I have though is to not only file a flight plan, but stay in touch with a controller and/or flight service station frequently.

I've done a lot of mountain flying around northern Idaho/western Montana and even though it's nearly impossible to get flight following or radar service out there, you can usually give a position report and PIREP to a flight service station over the radio. That will drastically cut down the search area in case they need to come looking for you.

The faster they find you, the less likely you'll be to need that survival kit.
 
On the budjet busting side, I would seriously consider a 406 mhz ELT with a builtin GPS.

These are MUCH better than the POS that is installed in the aircraft. The broadcast to a satalite instead of to ground antennas. They are registered to you, so SAR knows exactly who is asking for help. Most have a builting GPS, so the CAP doesn't have to DF your position, they know a 100 meter spot to look.

The really nice one is 450 bucks, but well worth it if you are routinely flying in ruged terrain.

You can even rent them. http://www.plbrentals.com/
 
bike21 said:
LOL! How could I forget the trusty compass?! Probably cause I gots one my watch these days :)
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You could always break off the mag compass in the cockpit and use it for navigation. Burning engine oil for smoke signals works in aid of the mirror and you could use the battery terminal leads as a source of ignition. Just use some common sense when using these methods.
 
Survival kit contents check. In them you'll find: one forty-five caliber automatic; two boxes of ammunition; four days' concentrated emergency rations; one drug issue containing antibiotics, morphine, vitamin pills, pep pills, sleeping pills, tranquilizer pills; one miniature combination Russian phrase book and Bible; one hundred dollars in rubles; one hundred dollars in gold; nine packs of chewing gum; one issue of prophylactics; three lipsticks; three pair of nylon stockings.

Shoot, a fella' could have a pretty good weekend in Vegas with all that stuff.
 
RPJ said:
You could always break off the mag compass in the cockpit and use it for navigation. Burning engine oil for smoke signals works in aid of the mirror and you could use the battery terminal leads as a source of ignition. Just use some common sense when using these methods.
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I'd recommend burning one of the tyres, rather than just engine oil. The smoke is more effective, lasts longer and makes a more manageable fire.
 
flyover said:
Survival kit contents check. In them you'll find: one forty-five caliber automatic; two boxes of ammunition; four days' concentrated emergency rations; one drug issue containing antibiotics, morphine, vitamin pills, pep pills, sleeping pills, tranquilizer pills; one miniature combination Russian phrase book and Bible; one hundred dollars in rubles; one hundred dollars in gold; nine packs of chewing gum; one issue of prophylactics; three lipsticks; three pair of nylon stockings.

Shoot, a fella' could have a pretty good weekend in Vegas with all that stuff.
Click to expand...

Don't forget your cowboy hat to wear under your headset so you can be uber stylish.
 
flyover said:
Survival kit contents check. In them you'll find: one forty-five caliber automatic; two boxes of ammunition; four days' concentrated emergency rations; one drug issue containing antibiotics, morphine, vitamin pills, pep pills, sleeping pills, tranquilizer pills; one miniature combination Russian phrase book and Bible; one hundred dollars in rubles; one hundred dollars in gold; nine packs of chewing gum; one issue of prophylactics; three lipsticks; three pair of nylon stockings.

Shoot, a fella' could have a pretty good weekend in Vegas with all that stuff.
Click to expand...


:D I'll be there...will you?
 
My A-1 priorities for survival, which go with me every flight are:
-A good knife
-A reliable means of starting fire
-A quality signaling device (read mirror)
-A fifth of Jack:buck:

After that it kind of depends on the flight.

For mountainous terrain take some very warm clothing. The mantra in all of our CAP mountain SAR courses is "It's always winter in the mountains"

As berkut said check www.equipped.org

At the risk of going overboard...
My self built kit fits in a smallish pelican case and contains everything aside from good clothing, good shoes and a couple gallons of water:

This is my contents list that I tape inside the lid for reference:
http://www.rf3.net/survival.pdf

I put this kit together from stuff around the house and about $50 investment. I even found the pelican case at the thrift store.

Cruise said:
:D I'll be there...will you?
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I'm hoping so!

-Mark
 
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