Single Pilot Unpressurized Aircraft Safety Equipment

Ima Pilot

Ima Pilot

Filing Flight Plan
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Ima Pilot
I'm putting together a list of the safety equipment I should have for single pilot night/IFR operations in unpressurized aircraft up to 12,500 feet MSL (sans supplemental oxygen) carrying passengers including elderly grandparents (90+ years old). Here's what I have compiled so far. What do you use and recommend?
  • Fire extinguisher
  • Digital carbon monoxide detector
  • Pulse oximeter
  • Emergency survival kit
  • Handheld radio
  • Headlamp
  • Backup battery for cell phone
  • Emesis bags
  • Disposable urine bags
  • Ear plugs
 
Depends where you’re going and for how long. If just a sightseeing trip in the area, not much. You should,always have the emergency kit and fire extinguisher, anyway. If long trips, why fly at night?
 
murphey said:
Depends where you’re going and for how long. If just a sightseeing trip in the area, not much. You should,always have the emergency kit and fire extinguisher, anyway. If long trips, why fly at night?
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Cross-country trips from coast to coast. Some flights start in the daytime and finish at night.
 
Ima Pilot said:
Cross-country trips from coast to coast. Some flights start in the daytime and finish at night.
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I’ve done this. Single engine I always planned to land before sunset.


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What aircraft are you flying? If flying a turbocharged aircraft, smoke protection could save your bacon. Like a hood. Appropriate clothing for a night or two of field survival can make a life v death difference with pax like you described. Potable water and signaling devices would make sense. File a flight plan!
 
Sleeping bag is about the most important survival equipment in many environments.
 
Ima Pilot said:
Cross-country trips from coast to coast. Some flights start in the daytime and finish at night.
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Ask the elderly grandparents what they'd like. Probably some seat cushions, frequent stops, and NOT flying into the night.

Passenger comfort is almost as important as safety. Otherwise, you'll spend a bunch of money on safety equipment for people who are never going to fly with you again.
 
I've noticed this since joining POA... And, it's relevant to this topic.

Why is everybody afraid of the dark nowadays?

I always enjoyed flying at night. Air is smoother, it's cooler, easier to see and avoid traffic, nav aids will get you there (wherever there is), skies are less crowded.

And all of my night flying was 20+ years ago. No GPS, not even loran. Just pilotage, en route radio stations and VORs, and a fairly good flight plan before going.

Yes, there are cons, too.
O2 at 5000+
Emergency landing sites.
Less scenery to enjoy below you (above you, only sky).

I was doing it in high time rental aircraft when the airspace was arguably busier with GA aircraft than today.

I just don't understand the concerns expressed here at POA over night flying, flying pax as a newly minted pilot, etc.

ADM seems to be the buzzword used to discourage anything but "straight and level" (metaphorically speaking) flight.

Properly done, GA is a practical (if expensive) means of FUNctional travel with friends and family... There's a whole lot more to it than "hundred dollar hamburgers," boring holes in the sky, and pattern work.

Sorry to derail whilst railing.


fly to the scene of the incident, or be recovered at the scene of the tragedy
 
CharlieD3 said:
I've noticed this since joining POA... And, it's relevant to this topic.

Why is everybody afraid of the dark nowadays?

I always enjoyed flying at night. Air is smoother, it's cooler, easier to see and avoid traffic, nav aids will get you there (wherever there is), skies are less crowded.

And all of my night flying was 20+ years ago. No GPS, not even loran. Just pilotage, en route radio stations and VORs, and a fairly good flight plan before going.

Yes, there are cons, too.
O2 at 5000+
Emergency landing sites.
Less scenery to enjoy below you (above you, only sky).

I was doing it in high time rental aircraft when the airspace was arguably busier with GA aircraft than today.

I just don't understand the concerns expressed here at POA over night flying, flying pax as a newly minted pilot, etc.

ADM seems to be the buzzword used to discourage anything but "straight and level" (metaphorically speaking) flight.

Properly done, GA is a practical (if expensive) means of FUNctional travel with friends and family... There's a whole lot more to it than "hundred dollar hamburgers," boring holes in the sky, and pattern work.

Sorry to derail whilst railing.


fly to the scene of the incident, or be recovered at the scene of the tragedy
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I agree. The aircraft are equipped, legal, capable and safe to fly at night. I'm not sure I see the issue. Of course you have less outs in the case of an engine failure and that's one of my bigger fears, but beyond that I see no issue.
 
Night XC has never bothered me. Just manage the risk. Since getting an IR, I treat all night XC as IFR. Simpler and safer that way. But in very good weather, I have done night VFR XC in the past, but always with flight following.
 
Don’t let the 12,500’ O2 rule fool you. For older people there may be times they need O2 at far lower altitudes due to diminished lung function from old age or other underlying medical issues. A small O2 meter for your finger and a portable O2 setup can be cheap insurance. At night I’d try to fly as high as I possibly could and make sure you can rapidly access the NRST on your gps or other suitable device. If you have ForeFlight I’d have a conservative glide distance programmed in to assist in an emergency


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It's hard to imagine just about any adult peeing in a urine bag in a small GA plane with others also in seats next to them.

My oldest passengers have been in their early 80s. The first issue for some is getting in/out of the plane. If it's a high wing other than Cardinal a small step. Hopefully easier in a low wing with club seating and rear door.

I would add blankets and make sure they have good eye protection if its bright, hazy, snow cover.

No matter what, for that duration, distance and night add a Garmin inreach.

Since you can get get stuck somewhere make absolutely sure they have all their medications which they probably brought for a long trip. But some might need to be taken during the flight.
 
Ima Pilot said:
I'm putting together a list of the safety equipment I should have for single pilot night/IFR operations in unpressurized aircraft up to 12,500 feet MSL (sans supplemental oxygen) carrying passengers including elderly grandparents (90+ years old). Here's what I have compiled so far. What do you use and recommend?
  • Fire extinguisher
  • Digital carbon monoxide detector
  • Pulse oximeter
  • Emergency survival kit
  • Handheld radio
  • Headlamp
  • Backup battery for cell phone
  • Emesis bags
  • Disposable urine bags
  • Ear plugs
Click to expand...
That's a comprehensive list.. but missing is the PLB and pocket tool. They're cheap enough, and if survive a forced landing in the back country somewhere the PLB will basically guarantee your rescue, and a small pocket tool will come in handy

PS.. there's a spectrum of risk tolerance here. On the one side, you could do what many do, and just fly with nothing more than a pen and paper and iPad.. statistically, you are almost guaranteed to have that and be fine. On the other end of the spectrum, you can load your plane with 50 lbs of additional survival gear. Your list, honestly, is more thorough than the night-over-inhospitable-terrain-small-turbo-no-O2 flying I've done. My bare min for slightlier riskier flying is an oximeter, CO detector, and PLB.

Never found the headlamp of use. Your eyes adjust and the panel is lit up. Headlamps always ruin my nightvision. And if you really need to see at night on a dark ramp, your phone has a light

CharlieD3 said:
Why is everybody afraid of the dark nowadays?
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Flying in the dark is smoother, peaceful, less ATC traffic, and honestly, navigating is much easier.. imho. Really, I think what people are scared of, is the near guaranteed death sentence of an engine failure. A road or highway are well list.. but if you're over the AZ/NV desert the chance of gliding onto a smooth piece of sand and not the side of a mountain are very slim

Creekrat said:
Don’t let the 12,500’ O2 rule fool you
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Indeed... I feel a little funny for extended time above 10K without O2.. and the oximeter proves it.. 98-99% at sea level drops to around 91-93%
 
Thanks all for the responses! Comfort will definitely be a consideration for passengers. I'm also considering getting a cargo vest to keep safety equipment like radio and PLB on my person instead of stowed somewhere in the plane.
n2230b said:
If flying a turbocharged aircraft, smoke protection could save your bacon. Like a hood.
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Naturally aspirated single engine piston. Is there the same concern for smoke protection?
Sinistar said:
It's hard to imagine just about any adult peeing in a urine bag in a small GA plane with others also in seats next to them.
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The urine bags are in case of emergency primarily for the kids, not as a standard plan.
 
I don't tend to get cold, so that helps with both higher altitude and night flight (though, our inversions in California sometimes have be sweating up at 6000 when I was nice and comfy on the ground). Despite having lived at sea level my whole life, I've so far handled altitude well - my wife and I hiked Tiger's Nest in Bhutan. While I'm not a runner, I do have steady endurance at altitude. Still, I carry a pulse oximeter and will use it if I'm going high (above 8000) at night.

One thing I always make sure I have is water. Flying is dehydrating and you need it if there is a need to ditch somewhere and wait out S&R.
 
What aircraft? As everyone makes suggestions, start being pragmatic and realistic about weight, where in the airplane this stuff will be located, accessibility, and so on. CAP has a required emergency gear list, then Colorado has an add-on due to the mountains. As the one who sits in the back seat, when we do planning for each flight, I make sure the pilot understands that at no time, and in no way, will I make any attempt to retrieve that bag weighing at least 40# and in the back baggage area.

Kids and the elderly cross country. I ask again, what airplane? Fully loaded, but without the O2 tank, the emergency bag for my cherokee is about 10# in a lightweight but sturdy backpack. By the way, you’ve forgotten emergency signaling gear, day & night.
 
Ima Pilot said:
Piper Cherokee Six. Is this the CAP checklist? http://omahacomposite.nebraskacivilairpatrol.org/?page_id=1537
I couldn’t find a Colorado list.
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No, that’s for cadets for ground training, not the gear in the aircraft. I don’t think the flight emergency gear available on a public website, but I don’t keep track of 50 states of equipment.

A simple search....http://www.cap-es.net/zips/acsurvkits.PDF

https://civilairpatrol.freshdesk.com/support/solutions/articles/33000211146-aircraft-survival-kit

Colorado adds lots more due to terrain.
 
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