Survival Gear

[Illya Kuryakin]

Interesting subject in light of the recent 150 accident, so....

For the small plane owner, and the renter of small planes. 150s, 172's Pipers etc., what should you/do you carry? Not talking gear to explore the Amazon here now.

Let's try to keep it to 10-15 pounds. 7.5 kilos max.
Okay, let's up it to 25 pounds. Still a comfortable back pack full.

What should be in your "bail out" bag.
Illya

[FenderManDan]

Knife, chocolate/multi grain bars, fire starter, flashlight, hand held satellite/com/radio, aluminium blanket(s), clean socks and underwear (same idea if you get hit by the bus).

[Illya Kuryakin]

If I did rent, and I haven't for years, I'd take what I take on my bike when I travel. Tent, sleeping bag, self inflating mattress, Jet Boil cooking system, butane lighters 2 (fire starters? I'm no Scout!) three days worth of dehydrated camp food (some of them are quiet yummy) cell phone (goes without saying, with solar charger) cozy jacket and a dry outfit. Good book, unread. Beef jerky, six bottles of water. I always carry a tie.....I dress for dinner. I kid you not. I'm can rig a pretty good splint with a tie. It has to go with my outfit though.
Treat it like a minimalist camping trip. Might as well be comfy.
Thoughts?
Illya

[iflyforpie]

10-15 pounds? That ain't a lot. Since exposure will be the first thing you will die from if you are uninjured... ... you're going to want a good sleeping bag, tent/tarp, and a method of starting a fire. Add a container to melt snow and heat water with... some broth or tea, some compact or dehydrated food, water purification tablets, and method of signalling and that will pretty much round off what you could carry within those limits.

[CFR]

Here is what I put together from Cabela's and around the house. It weights just shy of 10 lbs.
In the plane there is also a handheld transceiver and a first aid kit. Also a small solar powered cell phone recharger.

- 1 x Bag, Carrying
- 1 x Hatchet, Survival
- 4 x Ultra Warmer Chemical Warming Packs
- 4 x Chem Light - various colors
- 12 x Insect Repellent Wipes
- 1 x Survival Kit In Plastic Case Contains: Fire Starter, Tinder, Hand Saw, Signal Mirror, Whistle
- 1 x Metal Cup
- 1 x Flare Pen w/ 3 red flares and 2 bear bangers in hard case
- 1 x Emergency Food Rations - 9 bars. Total 3600 calories
- 2 x Emergency Bivvy Warming Bag
- 1 x Survival Candle
- 1 x Package “Fire Sticks” Kindling
- 1 x Emergency Shelter
- 1 x Roll Poly Cord 50’
- 1 x Pocket Stove w/Fuel
- 1 x Waterproof Case w/25 Storm Proof Matches
- 4 x White Large Plastic Bags
- 5 Pairs Disposable Gloves
- 4 x Small Resealable Bags
- 2 x Large Resealable Bags
- 2 x Large Garbage Bags
- 10 x Spring Clips

I'm going to have a look for a fluorescent orange signal panel as well. In the crash near Neskantaga there were two aircraft in the area that went to have a look almost immediately after the crash (I think 2 others showed up later). The CFI at the school I use was one of the pilots and neither he or the other aircraft could spot the crash site (from the picture you can see the plane has slid into the trees). I suspect the crew had not had time to put out their panel and/or get a fire going.

[PositiveRate27]

The school I taught at had something along these lines, free of charge for students and renters:

http://www.fl220.com/product/survival-kit-standard-inac


I'd still bring my own bag with a sleeping bag, better boots (I wore dress shoes when instructing) a big ol' knife, water, clothes, food etc...


PR

[Illya Kuryakin]

CFR good one.
Ifly.....Tupperware container full of lemon meringue pie?....missed that one, or would you already have eaten it enroute?
Illya

[ettw]

Throw in a signaling mirror.

I got flashed by some scientists a few years ago when we were given the wrong coordinates. They were about 8 miles away and it was like having a magnesium flare go off in the cockpit. If the sun is bright, they work!

ETTW

[old_man]

Interesting subject in light of the recent 150 accident, so....

For the small plane owner, and the renter of small planes. 150s, 172's Pipers etc., what should you/do you carry?

Don't forget it is, in my opinion, what you carry on you that is most important.

Remember that twin that crashed south of Baffin Island into the water. They had all sorts of cool survival gear...sank with the ship.

North Spirit Lake...only one guy got out with what he had on him, everything else went up in smoke.\

What King Air that crashed short final into Vancouver...same story.

For me the essentials are; knife, lighter, and maybe a PLB. Everything else is gravy. Take a look at what a military fighter/helo pilot wears on his body in his survival vest.

My $0.02

[Big Pistons Forever]

My 02 cents your priority should be as follows

1) Wear clothes appropriate to the weather.

2) Get a SPOT and carry it securely fastened to your person.

3) A full boat survival kit is nice but all you really need is a signaling mirror, a wire saw, a knife, fire starter, some water purification tablets, a couple of heavy duty garbage bags, and some light cord.

[Illya Kuryakin]

Interesting subject in light of the recent 150 accident, so....

For the small plane owner, and the renter of small planes. 150s, 172's Pipers etc., what should you/do you carry?

Don't forget it is, in my opinion, what you carry on you that is most important.

Remember that twin that crashed south of Baffin Island into the water. They had all sorts of cool survival gear...sank with the ship.

North Spirit Lake...only one guy got out with what he had on him, everything else went up in smoke.\

What King Air that crashed short final into Vancouver...same story.

For me the essentials are; knife, lighter, and maybe a PLB. Everything else is gravy. Take a look at what a military fighter/helo pilot wears on his body in his survival vest.

My $0.02

Since most renter pilots probably won't end up in the drink anywhere near Baffin Island, or anywhere near North Spirit Lake, I just can't see the average 150 driver crawling aboard with all his gear strapped to his person. Survival gear wouldn't have been of much use to the Air France Swim Team either. You rent a 172 to fly from YHM to YQA.....you really going to go about it like a fighter pilot?
Illya

[1000 HP]

I got lost in the bush in an April snowstorm a long time ago. We parked in the middle of the lake and walked to the water's edge, jumped an iceberg and pushed it the last 20' to shore. We had 2 tarps, 3 cans of Spork, and axe, hunting knifes and several lighters. We started a fire, cut some pine boughs for flooring, and made a frame from branches. The tarps served as the tent. Note that a full can of fully cooked Spork is the size of a golf ball.
The helicopter crew had to bring me fuel the next day when the weather cleared up because I made the serious error or burning off my fuel trying to find my position. This all happened before anybody had GPSs

[Rookie50]

I have a good kit with most items mentioned, but the essentials to me would be,

Handheld transceiver, spot device, knife / quality multi tool, food, water, firestarter, whistle, mirror, tarp of some sort, rope, compass --- and dress for the weather and terrain --- good boots! I carry an engine cover in winter...that's my sleeping bag, and it's bright colored. Oh, and an obnoxious orange coloured extra jacket. Need to throw a good new book in there....I also carry a mini stove, thermal Biffy bags, mini shelter, purification stuff, heavy knife, zip ties, insect stuff...all in a 15 lb pack strapped in the back seat, or beside me.

And....tell someone besides ATC your route, destination, eta, and how and when to push the panic button. I do, on every trip north.

[photofly]

Toilet paper, and a folding shovel. Wiping your ass with leaves is scratchy, and not burying invites getting sick.

[LousyFisherman]

Let's try to keep it to 10-15 pounds. 7.5 kilos max.
Okay, let's up it to 25 pounds. Still a comfortable back pack full.
What should be in your "bail out" bag.
Treat it like a minimalist camping trip. Might as well be comfy.
Thoughts?
Illya

Exactly, survival, not comfort. Can't do 15, mine is 25-30, summer or winter. I expect to be rescued within 3 days, max 5.
Shelter : Tent, sleeping bag, self inflate mattress, extra clothes as needed (eg: long pants if you are wearing shorts)
Fire: lighters, candles, waterproof matches, barbeque starters, white stuff that burns, cotton with pet jelly, flint and steel, magnesium sticks, more lighters, and I probably have some other things too.
Utility: large first aid kit, rope, knife, flares and bear bombs, TP, multitool/Leatherman, small mattock (shovel/pick cross)

There are areas of Canada I would add water but they are not common.

So, in the dreaded 150, if we are going to go to dinner in Invermere in the middle of winter, returning the next day
480 useful, full fuel 135, pilot 180, emergency gear 30, leaves 140 for the passenger and other gear.

If I don't have a passenger I throw in another 25-30 lbs of camping gear/clothes/food & drinks

I wear hiking boots while flying, have filed a flight plan, have a Spot, plus a detailed flight route with my contact (I'm often in obscure areas).

With regards to the incident that spawned this thread, I am of similar experience to the pilot and I do not believe I would have gone flying over Algonquin Park in that weather during the day, much less at night. PDM is much more important than your survival kit

YMMV
LF

[photofly]

salt, pepper, some soup cubes and tea bags

toothbrush

soap and a sponge

did I say whistles already?

[Rookie50]

Expensive -- but a 406 Elt.

First thing that was a automatic upgrade when I bought my plane.

[Illya Kuryakin]

Expensive -- but a 406 Elt.

First thing that was a automatic upgrade when I bought my plane.

Is that like a EPIRB? Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon. Do they communicate with sat Nav systems? Been using these in sailboats for years. Instant "Who you are, where you are..." Lat n Long.
Can't see why aviation uses what amounts to a non diretional beacon. ELTs should at least transmit on a freq that can be picked up by any aircraft equipped with an ADF???
What good is an audio WEEEEEEWEEEEWEEE, if our equipment can't point to it.
Illya

[Rookie50]

Expensive -- but a 406 Elt.

First thing that was a automatic upgrade when I bought my plane.

Is that like a EPIRB? Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon. Do they communicate with sat Nav systems? Been using these in sailboats for years. Instant "Who you are, where you are..." Lat n Long.
Can't see why aviation uses what amounts to a non diretional beacon. ELTs should at least transmit on a freq that can be picked up by any aircraft equipped with an ADF???
What good is an audio WEEEEEEWEEEEWEEE, if our equipment can't point to it.
Illya

Yes. Those guys in the 206 had one, transmitted everything, they barely had time to set up their shelter -- apparently they had a good kit -- before the Herc showed up.

[Illya Kuryakin]

Expensive -- but a 406 Elt.

First thing that was a automatic upgrade when I bought my plane.

Is that like a EPIRB? Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon. Do they communicate with sat Nav systems? Been using these in sailboats for years. Instant "Who you are, where you are..." Lat n Long.
Can't see why aviation uses what amounts to a non diretional beacon. ELTs should at least transmit on a freq that can be picked up by any aircraft equipped with an ADF???
What good is an audio WEEEEEEWEEEEWEEE, if our equipment can't point to it.
Illya

Yes. Those guys in the 206 had one, transmitted everything, they barely had time to set up their shelter -- apparently they had a good kit -- before the Herc showed up.

Pretty obvious to me. Instead of mandating CVR in aircraft, these things should be standard equipment. Conventional ELT's should be paperweights.
Illya

[Illya Kuryakin]

Dead stick into the bush. Home for dinner. You can't get a better argument than that.
Illya

[Big Pistons Forever]

Only 40 % of 406 ELT's provide a usable signal after the crash. They are 25 year old technology, the future is GPS tracking. You want to be found ? Carry a SPOT on your person.

[Illya Kuryakin]

Only 40 % of 406 ELT's provide a usable signal after the crash. They are 25 year old technology, the future is GPS tracking. You want to be found ? Carry a SPOT on your person.

Good advice. Most of the guys I ride with carry them. They're ligh....and cheap.
Illya

[CFR]

Only 40 % of 406 ELT's provide a usable signal after the crash. They are 25 year old technology, the future is GPS tracking. You want to be found ? Carry a SPOT on your person.

Good advice. Most of the guys I ride with carry them. They're ligh....and cheap.
Illya

I carry a SPOT and it gives a certain amount of comfort, however it needs to be activated and so does not help if you are unconscious or otherwise incapacitated. Which brings to mind the need to brief your pax on how the SPOT works, where the survival and first aid kits are, etc.

Beyond what their site states about their 24/hr "Response Center", does anyone here have more detailed knowledge of how the SPOT alerting process works?

[Pop n Fresh]

If your spot starts sending a signal at the same enroute position every time instead of a new one, that is going to be helpful once you're over due. No spot or ELT less so. Much like you hope the inertial switch functions. If you are conscious you can manually switch it on and activate the SOS feature on a spot. Double reporting, I like that.