Survival Gear - what do you personally carry with you?

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Beefitarian
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Post by Beefitarian »

photofly wrote:
About 6 lighters
Why, do you smoke?
It's to heat the can of beans. The lighter gets too hot before the beans are warm enough.
Through careful experimentation we found if you have four lighters you can cycle them and get a nice warm canned meal without burning your thumb. The other two are spares.

I tape a spoon and a can opener to my can but he called me a sissy because of it. :(
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Spandau
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Re: Survival Gear - what do you personally carry with you?

Post by Spandau »

I flew in the bush for the first part of my career and still fly little airplanes for fun. My two cents:

When flying out into places where I might really need my survival kit I add an axe and tie and duct tape it out on a wing strut. In the event of a crash I don't want that missile flying up the fuselage from behind. If you're unlucky enough to get ramped by some wiener who doesn't like it being out there just take it off, toss it in the back, and then put it back on after they leave. For a knife get a good, solid, quality one. Those Rambo style "survival" knives with the hollow plastic handles for putting extra stuff in don't cut it - they break. Get one where the tang of the blade is the core of the handle. I carry an old USMC Kabar. One of those little Coghlans wire saws (Canadian Tire) weigh nothing and really work, but don't worry about using it for cutting down firewood. For that, look for the dead stuff that has already fallen over and break it into fire sized pieces by swatting it against bigger, standing trees. A couple of small bottles of Repex, triple bagged in ziplocks, a bug jacket, and a roll of toilet paper. Don't waste it, but if necessary Repex makes a great fire starter. The SAS book is good but "Down But Not Out" is probably better in my opinion and is more oriented for flying here at home. I haven't seen it mentioned yet but you can put together a neat little pocket fishing kit with a couple of lures and some basic hooks. Get barbed hooks because you're gonna be fishing for keeps. The instant oatmeal cereal is a good choice. When you're cold you need HOT food, not just for your physical well being but for your morale as well. I like those packages of instant flavored potatoes, too. They hold the heat, are a good energy source, last forever, and you can slurp them down even with a busted jaw or missing teeth. A ziplock bag full of teabags weighs nothing and will keep you caffeinated with hot liquid, and jam all the "cup-a-soups" you can in there along with some oxo cubes (squirrel or beaver stew tastes much better if you start with a decent base). If you think you need a gun (I carry one when three hundred miles from nowhere) I like my 20 gauge side-by-side, short barreled coach gun. You can carry birdshot and slugs, it's light, it's reliable, and at close quarters with Mama Grizz or a wolverine it might as well be a howitzer no matter what it's loaded with. But if you're gonna carry a gun learn how to use it properly. A few days out on the skeet range at the local gun club is a good investment if you're new to the shotgun.

And naturally, a roll of ductape.

But most importantly, file a flight plan or itinerary, follow it, and don't chinse out on the maintenance for your ride.
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Last edited by Spandau on Sun Dec 22, 2013 11:38 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Survival Gear - what do you personally carry with you?

Post by 1000 HP »

photofly wrote:
About 6 lighters
Why, do you smoke?
No I used to enjoy the odd cigar but I thought that if I landed softly enough to avoid bursting into flames I might use them to light a fire. I failed the fire starting with sticks training :rolleyes:
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Post by 1000 HP »

Beefitarian wrote:
photofly wrote:
About 6 lighters
Why, do you smoke?
It's to heat the can of beans. The lighter gets too hot before the beans are warm enough.
Through careful experimentation we found if you have four lighters you can cycle them and get a nice warm canned meal without burning your thumb. The other two are spares.

I tape a spoon and a can opener to my can but he called me a sissy because of it. :(
busted! :mrgreen:
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Drinking lots of coffee lately, at a nice safe jungle desk, wishing I were flying......
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Re: Survival Gear - what do you personally carry with you?

Post by beaverbob »

None, except my cellphone. That's what I like about my present job. I can see me destination from home and home from my destination. It's called a retirement job.
Bob
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Re:

Post by 1000 HP »

Beefitarian wrote:
photofly wrote:
About 6 lighters
Why, do you smoke?
It's to heat the can of beans. The lighter gets too hot before the beans are warm enough.
Through careful experimentation we found if you have four lighters you can cycle them and get a nice warm canned meal without burning your thumb. The other two are spares.

I tape a spoon and a can opener to my can but he called me a sissy because of it. :(
busted! :mrgreen:
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Drinking lots of coffee lately, at a nice safe jungle desk, wishing I were flying......
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Re:

Post by xchox »

shitdisturber wrote:You're missing the obvious survival kit requirement. As I was told when I took ejection training in the airforce, every ejection seat pack contains a deck of cards. Why you ask? Simple, in a survival situation get out the cards and play solitaire; withing minutes somone will appear to tell you "red jack on black queen." :wink:
Funny... I heard that exact same thing with 424s out of Trenton when I was doing my SARTech training. haha

As to answer the question... I will post up pictures at a later time when I get a chance as to what I "have" to carry. I only carry what I may need should the worst happen on that flight. For example: I won't carry my life vest for a flight from CYTZ to CYKZ. haha
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Meatservo wrote:I just slap 'em in there. I don't even make sure they are lined up properly.
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Post by SAR_YQQ »

xchox wrote:Funny... I heard that exact same thing with 424s out of Trenton when I was doing my SARTech training.
You trained to be a ST in YTR? Was Jarvis Lake closed?
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ruddersup?
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Re: Survival Gear - what do you personally carry with you?

Post by ruddersup? »

I'm fortunate enough to have something that I carry with me most of the time while flying floats, wheels or skis. It's something left over from another business I had and eliminates the immediate problem faced with escaping the elements, the bugs, the swim to shore, keeping warm and dry. It's a 4 man inflatable life raft. Weighs about 15 lbs. is small and would be instant shelter in all seasons. Not it's original use but a perfect tent. Mine has a survival kit built-in with basics items. Instant shelter in 5 seconds that is bug tight, water tight and now you can concentrate on helping others perhaps wounded etc. You have solved the biggest challenge to survive, providing shelter.
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47guy's
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Re: Survival Gear - what do you personally carry with you?

Post by 47guy's »

G'Day!

Ok you forget to let your survival jacket in your aircraft (with Knife Signal flare and other GUGUSS etc!ect!) and now your out in the public side and want to go back to the air side!.Did you ever encounter problem with security!?

Guy
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Re: Survival Gear - what do you personally carry with you?

Post by Boreas »

Nothing like bringing back a 12YO zombie thread!


47guy's wrote: Tue May 01, 2018 8:18 pm G'Day!

Ok you forget to let your survival jacket in your aircraft (with Knife Signal flare and other GUGUSS etc!ect!) and now your out in the public side and want to go back to the air side!.Did you ever encounter problem with security!?

Guy
Guess it all depends on what airport(s) you fly out of.
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