Survival Pack

[Head in the clouds]

With the much-too-regular discussions about various incidents and accidents just lately I thought it would be useful for a moment to consider the aftermath of being involved in a crash, or even an outlanding in hostile surrounds.

 

Most of my flying has been in remote areas and so I am very finicky about my survival pack and I always have it onboard even just doing circuits, and I believe for good reason.

 

A few years ago I went for a fly in a friend's plane which resulted in an outlanding about 10 miles from the Caboolture strip on a very hot day and we were very distressed for lack of water before getting to a road. He'd not wanted me to take my pack, didn't want loose objects, and "we were only going for a 10 minute jolly", so we didn't even have a mobile phone with us.

 

Not that long ago I went for my BFR and before we boarded I asked whether there was emergency water in the plane. The instructor looked quite amazed, "we were only going to the training area". I took my flask... bear in mind that the shock from a minor injury can kill you, or your passenger, and if you're in shock you need water to recover.

 

My pack only weighs about 2kg plus whatever water I add to it, usually 1 litre per person on local flying, 2 litres on XC, and my mobile is extra, carried in my pocket. It contains the following, it's more than most might carry, like I said, a throwback to remote area ops -

 

Water

 

Small trauma first aid kit with painkillers

 

Satphone (small, Iridium), cable and battery clips

 

Spare batteries

 

Handheld ICOM VHF

 

PLB

 

Peanuts 250g

 

Jerky 100g

 

Baitline and small handline (fishing)

 

Space blankets - 2

 

Sunscreen - 30g

 

Needles, thread

 

Small knife

 

Lighter

 

Magnifying glass - for 1st aid or making fire

 

Signal mirror

 

Small LED torch

 

Small orienteering compass

 

What does everyone else carry? I'll make this as a poll if I can, choose multiple items you always carry.

 

 

[joeyo68]

I like your kit. One change I would suggest to your kit would be to get rid of the lighter and get a firestick with a small bag/tin of tinder for starting a fire. They are very effective, and create a very hot spark for lighting a fire, even with slightly damp materials.

 

 

[Head in the clouds]

I like your kit. One change I would suggest to your kit would be to get rid of the lighter and get a firestick with a small bag/tin of tinder for starting a fire. They are very effective, and create a very hot spark for lighting a fire, even with slightly damp materials.

Yes, I had one of those magnesium ones and used it for years in the Kimberley when on fishing trips. Especially good in the wet season, I never bothered to carry tinder, if there was firewood available then I could always find something to get it going. We're lucky in Oz with such volatile timbers, eucalypts and similar so you can usually find some dry fibrous stuff under the outer bark. Thanks for the reminder, I need to get another of those...

 

 

[Guest Andys@coffs]

To a certain extent it depends on the flight. For example a flask with 1L of water is fine for circuits but is well insufficient for long distance flight inland. I carry a 10L plastic container (for 1 up) that I hope is strong enough to survive an outlanding (willow one light blue colour plastic designed for camping and water container). (2 x 5L might be a better option for a minimal weight penalty)

 

I carry food but more a s a rsult of being a type 1 insulin dependent diabetic. If I wasnt then wouldnt put so much store in that, you can live for a long time without food, and a short time with no water. I carry space blankets (multiple cause they arent that big in size!!) but not sunscreen...but will inthe future as its logical and sensible.

 

The rest on your list is sensible... perhaps water purification tablets for a few more grams or one of these at 56g http://www.wellingtonsurplus.com.au/showProduct/CAMPING+-+TRAVEL/WATER+PURIFIERS/LS1400/Lifestraw+Personal+Water+Filter+-+Model+282943 ?

 

Andy

 

 

[Riley]

Here-in the current content of my 'home-brew' survival pack which is fixed under the pass seat in the Lightwing. Measures 200 x 450 x 100 and weighs in at 4.5 kg. In the hopes that I never have to use it, I'm happy to spend the rest of my life complaining about the carrying capacity trade-off of about 6 litres of fuel. I also acknowledge that my inventory is an over-kill however, the one way to ensure that you'll never need something is to put it in your rucksack and carry it for the rest of your bleeding life. (a fire starter vs cig lighter will be a modification to my kit once more good ideas come in). Good topic. cheers

 

- first aid kit

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

- 2 litres water

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

- polyester blanket

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

- reflective space blanket

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

- Swiss army knife

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

- 20m X 5mm parachute cord

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

- rain poncho

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

- collapsible water bag

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

- cigarette lighter

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

- 3m snare wire

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

- parrafin candles X 2

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

- mini torch w/ spare cells

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

- basic mechanical tool kit

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

- RAAF 5-day ration pack w/cookpot

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[ayavner]

good thread, i've often thought about this although I haven't done any XC yet, that is supposed to change soon!

 

how about

 

* a few flare sticks for attracting attention

 

* spare tube and hand pump (in case you pop a tyre on landing but otherwise OK)

 

* boots or slip-over rubber shoe covers (in case you are in your thongs and land in snake territory!)

 

 

[Head in the clouds]

good thread, i've often thought about this although I haven't done any XC yet, that is supposed to change soon!how about

 

* a few flare sticks for attracting attention

 

* spare tube and hand pump (in case you pop a tyre on landing but otherwise OK)

 

* boots or slip-over rubber shoe covers (in case you are in your thongs and land in snake territory!)

Good to be thinking but...

 

I wouldn't carry pyrotechnics in a plane, what happens if you are unfortunate enough to have an inflight fire or electrical shorting near your survival gear? Among the other stuff you already have fire-lighting equipt and a signal mirror so that should be enough to attract attention.

 

If you had a forced landing presumably the engine or something won't run so fixing the tyre you burst isn't going to be a priority. And you'd need the tools to remove and refit the wheel and tyre, add your pump and spare tube and it's getting heavy! This is really all about the minimum weight for critically important survival equipment - you've crashed and are a bit injured in bad country and bad weather and it's going to be a couple of days before you're likely to be found, that kind of scenario...

 

In commercial line helicopter ops everyone is required to always wear substantial footwear, long sleeves and long trousers, all natural fibre (wool or cotton because it's fire retardant) and I've kept that up ever since, I've had quite a number of forced landings and always been pleased to have been flying in tough clothing. The last time I flew in thongs was many years ago when I was instructing in Drifters. A student stomped on a pedal so hard and unexpectedly that one thong flew away never to be seen again and fortunately didn't hit the airscrew, the other thong doubled up under my foot and helped jam my toes in the big hole in the cast aly Austflight pedals. Solid shoes for me from then on...

 

 

[octave]

I have carried one of these for a few years now. I bought this from Bunnings for a couple of dollars, it is sold as a shade cloth cutter but it cuts through seat belts quite nicely, it is also very light and safe to carry.

 

 

 

[Downunder]

Here is my basic kit. My aim is to be found quickly and is the foundation of the kit.

 

I purchased a small tool bag from Bunnings for it all to go in. This has a shoulder strap so if you need to travel (on foot) both hands can be free and is closed by a zip so nothing can fall out. If you are injured, carrying anything in your hands maybe difficult (climbing a hill, etc).

 

1. PLB

 

2. Laser Flare

 

3. E Flare (coming soon)

 

4. Torch X 2 (Head and hand with spare batts)

 

5. First aid kit X 2

 

6. Light sticks

 

7. Insect repellent

 

8. Leatherman tool, large (comes with add on tools)

 

9. Space blanket X 2

 

10. Water

 

I always fly with long pants and shoes and make my passengers do the same.

 

I carry my mobile with charged batt.

 

 

[Sapphire]

My addition to the survival pack would be some female company. If too heavy, then an inflatable version would do.

 

 

[Bryon]

I made this kit up after my first outlanding

 

I have added a second emergency blanket, a poncho and a multitool since then

 

This all fits in a bright flourescent pink grab bag with handle ($2 @ Kmart) 250 x 170 x 120 x 2.3kg (I think it was a school lunch bag?)

 

I also carry at least 2l of water plus mobile phone

 

First Aid Kit

 

Dynamo torch

 

CD Signal mirror

 

Solid fuel stove

 

8 Solid fuel tablets

 

50 x 1 ltr water purifying tablets

 

1 x Fire paste tube

 

1 x Firestick

 

2 x Boxes waterproof matches

 

Knife, fork, spoon

 

2 x ex army Mess tins

 

1 x Emergency blanket

 

3 x Freeza bag water containers

 

8 x Sugar sachets

 

6 x Tea bags

 

4 x Snack bars

 

2 x Cup-a-soup sachets

 

1 x Dehydrated Camp Meal

 

 

[Guest Andys@coffs]

I have carried one of these for a few years now. I bought this from Bunnings for a couple of dollars, it is sold as a shade cloth cutter but it cuts through seat belts quite nicely, it is also very light and safe to carry.

[ATTACH=full]20655[/ATTACH]

Great idea!!! Next time at Bunnings (my home away from home it seems...) Im getting one! Probably worth adding to the PLB lanyard.

Do people put the PLB on, or attach to a belt etc.....There have been occasions where after a crash people have survived, with serious injurys, but been seperated from the PLB in the crash and couldnt get to it due injuries to set it off and then perished waiting for rescue.. I always have mine attached to my belt, or sometimes around my neck on lanyard if I dont have a belt on.

 

Andy

 

 

[Riley]

Great idea!!! Next time at Bunnings (my home away from home it seems...) Im getting one! Probably worth adding to the PLB lanyard.Do people put the PLB on, or attach to a belt etc.....There have been occasions where after a crash people have survived, with serious injurys, but been seperated from the PLB in the crash and couldnt get to it due injuries to set it off and then perished waiting for rescue.. I always have mine attached to my belt, or sometimes around my neck on lanyard if I dont have a belt on.

Andy

On that note Andy, a fellow over here put his Sapphire tits-up in a rmote location a couple of years back and was trapped head-down inside but eventually got enough leverage to spring the canopy sufficiently to activate & launch his PLB. It had only hit the ground just out of reach when he woke up that he hadn't extended the antenna. He then spent the next twenty minutes amid the volatile fuel-charged atmosphere wondering if he was gonna be located while the same time doing enough heavy callisthenics to get his knees around his ears and ultimately kick the canopy into pieces to get out. Shortly thereafter the local coppers rolled up having been alerted by Melbourne. I learned a simple lesson from someone else's misfortune in that saga. My old Mum would agree that both the PLB and a web cutter on a lanyard is as essential in a light aircraft as putting on clean jocks before you went anywhere (bless her heart, she reckoned that, no matter what happened, if you were wearing clean jocks you were prepared for the situation??) cheers

 

 

[eightyknots]

With the much-too-regular discussions about various incidents and accidents just lately I thought it would be useful for a moment to consider the aftermath of being involved in a crash, or even an outlanding in hostile surrounds.

Thanks H I T C for starting this very useful thread!

 

 

[dutchroll]

Brings back memories of RAAF Combat Survival course! That was an excellent course, if rather physically and psychologically unpleasant.

 

For those who aren't aware, the golden order of survival priorities tried and tested through the decades and drummed into us until our ears bled were:

 

1) Protection (ie, from severe weather, if applicable)

 

2) Location (ie, detection and rescue)

 

3) Water

 

4) Food

 

If you're going to make a survival pack, you'll want to allocate space and weight according to these priorities. Exposure to severe elements can reduce survival time to 3 hours. But if you take immediate protection steps, then work on priority #2 so someone finds you, it all becomes a moot point. Food is by far the least important, and it's a common myth among many people that they immediately need to start looking for food. As a very rough guide, you'll survive 3 weeks without food, 3 days without water.

 

The #1 location aid is a 406 MHz ELB with GPS. Set this off and literally within minutes RCC Canberra will have your precise location to within 120m. 121.5 transmitters are no longer detected by satellite. 406 transmitters without GPS need orbiting satellite passes to fix the position, and this could take 1 to 5 hours depending on your location.

 

 

[Guest Howard Hughes]

For me a survival pack has:

 

Credit Card, Clean Underwear and Toothbrush!

 

 

[Head in the clouds]

The #1 location aid is a 406 MHz ELB with GPS. Set this off and literally within minutes RCC Canberra will have your precise location to within 120m. 121.5 transmitters are no longer detected by satellite. 406 transmitters without GPS need orbiting satellite passes to fix the position, and this could take 1 to 5 hours depending on your location.

This is quite correct and absolutely the right way to go in event that there is injury involved which was the scenario I suggested initially.

 

Now I'd like to get some opinions on a slightly different take on it all.

 

Back in the 1980s there was one among our ultralight flying group who was more of a maverick than the rest of us. We might all go off in a bunch flying together to some other destination, usually a farmer's paddock for a cup of tea, and quite often this character didn't turn up, then we'd all go off looking for him. Usually he was quite OK and landed somewhere else, chatting to a girl on a beach, checking out someone's plane he'd spotted on a private strip, or sometimes broken down and landed on a road for instance. Only one or two of us had CB radios and they often didn't work well.

 

Once we'd found this character and rendered assistance if it helped a few would take it upon themselves to admonish him for not sticking with the group and for causing the rest of us concern. He'd get quite pissed off then and remind everyone that he'd repeatedly told everyone not to look for him under any circumstances, not even if he happened to be pranged into a tree. He didn't want others risking themselves for him, and if nothing was wrong he wanted his privacy. He certainly didn't want criticism for people having taken it upon themselves to search for him.

 

I always felt that was fine as long as he accepted that he might be in dire straits and perhaps no-one would come looking for him. That was just fine by him. If he needed help he'd find a way of arranging it when he needed it, or he'd accept the consequences of not getting it. To be fair this chap often got in strife and never failed to get out of it.

 

So the question is - we're flying for fun and taking our own risks, right? You're cruising along and maybe well out of mobile range and have an engine failure and then make a perfectly sound landing but the engine won't run, you can't contact anyone to say you're OK but you have a GPS and charts and it's about 40km of rough bush to the nearest homestead. Is it justified to use your ELB (with or without GPS) to get you 'rescued' when you're not in distress and it's not an emergency any more since you're quite safely on the ground? This is a recreational flight and the cost of a search is immense. If you don't use your ELB someone will probably still initiate the search and it would cost more/take longer to find you. The cost of all these searches just adds to the cost of aviating for everyone and to the insurance premiums probably. A satphone is less than $1000 these days and you can hire them for occasional remote area trips. In this scenario your survival pack would need to be aimed at sustaining you while walking out to the nearest help. And bearing in mind that something would need to be arranged to retrieve or repair the aircraft. This is not just a hypothetical, epirbs have been used in very similar circumstances to those described because the crew didn't expect or want to be out overnight and they were afraid others would be worried, so full scale searches got launched.

 

And wouldn't it be better to have ELBs which could send an "I'm OK, no search required" signal?

 

What do you think?

 

 

[Guest Andys@coffs]

"Walk out"

 

Unless things are different i thought the number 1survival rule was dont leave the scene...... In this day and age to be on the ground completely without the possibility of summoning help is almost inconceivable. In other threads we have spoken about SPOT which has exactly the capability you talk about. You can push the SOS button which achieves the exact same outcome as a PLB. It also has an "Ok" button which tells people all is as intended. And lastly a "help" button which goes to who ever you have designated as an SMS, but not to AMSA. The SMS says "help needed" location (lat, long)

 

If you buy the SPOT that has a bluetooth connection you can even specify the exact SMS content, but its only one way, with visual advice that the satellite has recieved and acknowledged the message.

 

To me, the cost of rescue may be high but as i recall there is no cost to you, its a gov service. Better to call early, relieve pressure on family and friends and avoid a hospital stay cause they also arent cheap for society!

 

So, have a PLB as primary oh F! Device and a spot as an ancillary for greater variety in what you can send on to rescuers.

 

Last point. A SAR where the S part is fully covered because they have GPS coords for you has to be heaps cheaper for the gov than a full SAR. Only a single heli, or local copper has to be better than a fleet of fixed and rotary wings burning avtur at a rate you'll beglad you arent paying for.....

 

Andy

 

 

[rgmwa]

It's hard to give a specific answer to that hypothetical sitiaution because there are a lot of variables. Walking out over 40km of rough country may be an option for a fit and experienced hiker with adequate survivial gear and training (but with the risk you could have a serious accident or get lost), but quite a different proposition for your average middle aged pilot. If you didn't come back, sooner or later sombody would notice you were missing (hopefully) and come looking - if they knew where to look. On balance, I think I'd trigger the ELB. The recovery of you and your aircraft is going to be expensive anyway, so you might as well get it over with and put people's minds at rest.

 

rgmwa

 

 

[Guest Maj Millard]

I've carried a survival kit now since I started aviating back in the early eighties across three aircraft that I have owned in that time. I used to do a lot of remote ferry jobs also and also took my kit with me. It has gone through constant improvement over the years and I have given it lots of thought.

 

I am also an ex-RAAF safety and survival technician and used to pack survival kits for ejection seats and multiple-person liferafts on large transport aircraft.

 

My kit allows me to spend two very comfortable days surviving in a remote area, but would probabily get me to four if additional water could be found, or produced.

 

One of the first things to go into military survival kits was chewing gum !!...usually a couple of packets of Spearmint. certainly not a great food source but chewing on a stick of gum relaxes you, and generates moisture in the mouth, the same way a small round rock will. Also included was a large sheet of clear plastic and something to catch water in (paniken mug). If your in an area of vegitation you can get enough water to survive.

 

You dig a hole in the ground and fill it full of green vegitation. Place the cup in the center. Spread the clear plastic over the hole securing it with rocks around the edges, then drop a small rock in the center. When the sun shines condensation will form on the inside of the plastic from the vegetation , will run down and into the cup. You won't get heaps but maybe just enough. The ability to light a fire, and boil water for a cup of tea is important, and also the ability to light a fire for signaling purposes.

 

A small mosquito net is essential if you are going to expect a decent nights sleep, especially in these northern areas. Available from disposals, a suitable one will fit into that paniken mug, and still have room for teabags and other small items. Don't leave home with out it !!....

 

You must have the ability to take care of any injuries sustained in the downing. A small jar of vaseline, 500mg pain killers, band-aids, cloth bandage which can be used for splinting if you've broken something, or for wrapping that nasty wound after you've covered it in vaseline to keep the insects out. A small jar of teatree oil could be handy for infection or insect bites and small cuts.

 

I have suplimented my kit by picking up some sealed vacume packed 2-day army rations (get to know some Army people !). They have already got the survival stuff sorted and these are like gold on the daily food side of things, and are small and compact.

 

I carry a small swedish metho burner set-up in the plane, and use it at fly-ins to make tea or coffee and to cook some food. Rice and dried food packs, are included and one of those aluminum drink bottles filled with enough metho to run the small burner for months !!...they are a high quality unit available from camping stores and pack up about the size of an ERSA. The ERSA will be handy also for the obvious hygene use, and for lighting that quick signal fire.

 

With the advent of the personal beacon and the excellent gps equipped PLBs that we have now, it is my fear that people won't bother preparing any survival kits into the future. That'll be a real shame if the beacon was irepareabily damaged in the crash and can't be used. then you had better have plan B at the ready, to endure those long days and nights until they rescue you.......................................................................Maj...

 

 

[Guest Maj Millard]

Byron, ........where did you source your water purification tablets ?......

 

Octave, .......Great item, I already have one but will now attach it too my PLB lanyard. Could certainly save your life !..

 

HITClouds........Great post ...thank you.

 

Andy at Coffs....where to carry PLB ?..........I currently have mine attached to the frame close-by the door that I would exit by, and I make sure a bit of the lanyard is hanging out of the container. My hope is that as I leave, I'll grab the lanyard and take it with me. I am however now looking at attaching it too a suitable belt, which I can fit around my waste when I enter the plane. I feel the PLB is such an important, and life saving device that I am getting a little paronoid about getting caught without it....................................Maj...

 

 

[rankamateur]

I am however now looking at attaching it too a suitable belt, which I can fit around my waste when I enter the plane. I feel the PLB is such an important, and life saving device that I am getting a little paronoid about getting caught without it

I always carried mine on my belt, a bit of a fiddle to get it comfortable as I strap in, but my instructor had his on the floor next to the door handle, but any decelleration would see it scoot up under the rudder pedals or worse behind the dash panel. There is no certainty that you will be thinking straight after the dust settles, if you wonder off in a daze, when you come to the PLB on your belt will still be close at hand even if the wreckage isn't.

 

 

[Head in the clouds]

With the advent of the personal beacon and the excellent gps equipped PLBs that we have now, it is my fear that people won't bother preparing any survival kits into the future. That'll be a real shame if the beacon was irepareabily damaged in the crash and can't be used. then you had better have plan B at the ready, to endure those long days and nights until they rescue you.......................................................................Maj...

Yah, this is one of the things I was hoping we'd get at. Also - note the reluctance of folks to tick the first 'Nothing' box, and yet I watch, and have seen most folks go flying without any water, rarely even a bandaid let alone a first aid kit, perhaps just a mobile phone in their pocket...

 

 

[Bryon]

Maj,

 

I have got Aquatabs from Anaconda, but you can buy them online

 

Just google water purification tablets aus

 

Cheers

 

Bryon

 

 

[Guest Maj Millard]

Thanks Byron.....I've seen them at the local disposal store but they were a bit on the expensive side..Have a Scotch on me mate !................Cheers Maj...