Survival gear... what do you carry?

azblackbird

azblackbird

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azblackbird
For those of you here who actually use your planes for extended XC travel, and not for some 100 mile $100 hamburger runs... what type of survival gear do you normally carry?
 
I carry 2 life jackets, a PLB (in my vest pocket), handheld radio, a gallon of water per occupant, a heavy winter coat per occupant (until about mid to late April), blanket, Swiss Army knife, flashlight, first aid kit, a few packs of beef jerky... maybe a few other things.
 
Not much survival gear...pocket knife, credit cards, cash, cellphone, sturdy shoes, heavy denim jeans, cotton shirt.

Camping gear? Lots. The usual stuff ya hope ya never need. Be able to start a fire, build a shelter, attend to minor medical needs, hydrate, stay warm, attract attention.

Survival gear is on your body. Camping gear is just that.
 
I learned about emergency gear the night I slept,on the floor of the Holiday Inn in Frisco when the Eisenhower Tunnel was closed and I couldn't get home. It's not fun sleeping on the floor in ski clothes with hundreds of your brand new, closest friends. Good reason to ski at Loveland.

$10 in quarters
$100 in cash
Amex card
Visa card
Clean underwear & toothbrush
Fleece blanket
If I need anything else, I'm flying in the wrong area.

But seriously folks, it really depends on the weather and where I'm flying. If I'm going any direction but west, the list above is just fine. There's always a box with a small tool kit, oil, paper towels, couple bottles of water. The PLB and a battery strobe are in the bag on the seat next to me (if alone) or easy to reach by the door. Let's not argue about "if it's not on you, it's not useful". I have a similar bag in the trunk of the car.

Going west from Denver is a completely different story. Again, depends on the weather. I do a smaller version of the CAP gear (I was trained by a survival expert) with shelter, fire and common sense. There's usually either a 4 or 8'gal tank of water in the baggage area of the cherokee for W&B.

There are any number of websites that list recommended gear, even sell it to you, etc. But you can always find better, cheaper when you do it yourself.

Reminder.... check the batteries every 6 months.
 
DesertNomad said:
I carry 2 life jackets, a PLB (in my vest pocket), handheld radio, a gallon of water per occupant, a heavy winter coat per occupant (until about mid to late April), blanket, Swiss Army knife, flashlight, first aid kit, a few packs of beef jerky... maybe a few other things.
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Sounds like you're well prepared. I'd suggest maybe a couple MRE's, pack of bic lighters, tarp for shelter, gloves, extra socks, extra batteries or a power pack for whatever electronic gear you carry. Keep the winter coats or at the very least add more warm blankets. Looks like you're in Reno, even in the summer time, parts of the Sierras can still get below freezing. Something happens, could be a few hours, or a few days before you're picked up. You never know.
 
Survival kit contents check. In them you'll find: one .45 caliber automatic; two boxes of ammunition; four days concentrated emergency raisons; 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 a nylon stockings. Shoot, a fellah could have a pretty good weekend in Vegas with all that stuff.

Seriously though, agree with above. Biggest thing that will kill you around Reno/Sierras is lack of warm clothing/blankets, lack of first aid supplies, and no ability to drink water, though there are a lot more lakes this year than in my years past out there………I was blown away by the drive from Reno to Susanville yesterday……..looked like the Lahontan from the history books. Unless it is dead middle summer, I always wore undergarments under my flight suit and gear when I went flying in Fallon. It gets reliably damn cold at night outside of the June-Sept timeframe, especially once to take wind chill into account. Those are the things I'd worry about. Just about anything can be a signaling device, and if you get flight following or otherwise make contact with ATC, there is going to be someone looking for you in your general vicinity if the weather cooperates. Getting through a night at high elevation on the north face of a mountain in a snowstorm should be the scenario you plan to, including solo first aid of potentially serious injuries incurred in a crash.
 
azblackbird said:
Sounds like you're well prepared. I'd suggest maybe a couple MRE's, pack of bic lighters, tarp for shelter, gloves, extra socks, extra batteries or a power pack for whatever electronic gear you carry. Keep the winter coats or at the very least add more warm blankets. Looks like you're in Reno, even in the summer time, parts of the Sierras can still get below freezing. Something happens, could be a few hours, or a few days before you're picked up. You never know.
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I forgot to add that I do have a few things from your list - extra batteries, matches, gloves, socks, sleepwear (basically an overnight bag if we get stuck somewhere). I also tend to follow roads. I turn down an IFR clearance if it involves FMG-SWR-anywhere SW... that takes you over very rugged and unlandable terrain.

There is water everywhere this year - Black Rock desert is full of water and so is Lake Winnemucca... flew over it yesterday KMAN-KRNO.
 
406 GPS enabled EPIRB, leatherman, couple basic tools, spare tube, blanket.

Camping or hunting, all of the above plus equipment for the stay.

Occasionally a dog too
 
35 AoA said:
Survival kit contents check. In them you'll find: one .45 caliber automatic; two boxes of ammunition; four days concentrated emergency raisons; 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 a nylon stockings. Shoot, a fellah could have a pretty good weekend in Vegas with all that.
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Brilliant! I wonder how many will get it
 
Alaska law requires survival gear in my planes. I comply with the list but have added more to it. Being forced to land at a remote LZ and stay put for a few days changes your gear list. No emergency, no requirement for rescue. Just cold and wet and hungry. And bored. Live and learn.

The things you need? Water, heat, shelter, in that order. You can "survive" for a long time with those. First aid in case there's minor injury. Granola bars, Spam, and Snickers bars last forever in a gear bag. Hypothermia is best battled with lots of drinking water and calories. I usually have a Wiggy's sleeping bag but always have thermally improved survival bivy sacks vacuum packed and ready. Water purifier, small gas stove or Esbit survival stove, etc. What most of you would dream of having for backpack camping. Standard stuff for most Alaskans. I do "back country" flying every flight I make so a sat phone and a 500 mag pistol or 45-70 Guide Gun are always with me. With Spidertracks in my plane my family will know where I landed before I turn the engine off so a sat phone allows me to call to say its not an amergency, just an inconvenience.

http://preparedpilot.com/info_pages.php?pages_id=7
 
My longest flights to date have been DFW to OSH.

A bit further than a hamburger run, but no need for survival gear since there is usually a landing site in reach and worst case I'm on FF anyway so the SAR would go quickly.

If I were to cross mountains or significant water I would pack up differently. Maybe misguided but I'd worry most about staying warm and dry with plenty of water.
 
A credit card and cell phone. I added lift vests when we flew to Key West. In the summer I generally have a bottle of water with me.

The vast majority of my flying is east of the Mississippi River, and mostly in the southeast. I'm pretty much in cell phone range anywhere I'd land. The phone and iPad have GPS, so I wouldn't wander around or walk in the wrong direction. Cruising at 9-11k I'm largely within glide range of a paved public airport. Unlike flying out west or in Alaska I'm not far from civilization at any point in time.
 
azblackbird said:
Sounds like you're well prepared. I'd suggest maybe a couple MRE's, pack of bic lighters, tarp for shelter, gloves, extra socks, extra batteries or a power pack for whatever electronic gear you carry. Keep the winter coats or at the very least add more warm blankets. Looks like you're in Reno, even in the summer time, parts of the Sierras can still get below freezing. Something happens, could be a few hours, or a few days before you're picked up. You never know.
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Lighters are not recommended for non-pressurized altitude flying. Waterproof or plain matches are more practical. Some sort of tinder is required...dryer lint mixed with candle wax.
 
murphey said:
Lighters are not recommended for non-pressurized altitude flying. Waterproof or plain matches are more practical. Some sort of tinder is required...dryer lint mixed with candle wax.
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WetFire cubes and a Blast Match will make a fire in blowing rain. That's generally when you'll need the fire so being prepared for it is a good idea.

So many guys so willing to rely on others for their well being. No wonder I live in Alaska. People there still prefer taking care of themselves.
 
Acrodustertoo said:
Brilliant! I wonder how many will get it
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Folks who've been here for a while.

The OP's question is one of the perennials, including What do I take to Oshkosh? High wing/Low wing? No one does a search for previous threads on the exact same topic.
 
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Stewartb said:
WetFire cubes and a Blast Match will make a fire in blowing rain. That's generally when you'll need the fire so being prepared for it is a good idea.

So many guys so willing to rely on others for their well being. No wonder I live in Alaska. People there still prefer taking care of themselves.
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Along with the company required 90 pound survival bag, In Alaska I carried fire starter stuff like lots of dryer lint and water and wind proof matches next to my Zippo.

That's what I liked about northwest Alaska. People will drop what they are doing to help anyone that ask for or needs help.
 
Many good ideas listed here..., but I'm wondering where you put it all? It seems like 2/3 of the plane will be filled with survival gear.
 
My MEL is a basic tool bag, three quarts of oil, two bottles of water and an empty Gatorade bottle.

I asked the same question once planning a flight from FL to CA along I-10 and some of the responses were entertaining like I needed to be a doomsday prepper and carry enough gear for a Rambo special forces mission into the deep jungle.

Now if you are doing mountain flying expeditions...different story. Flying populated routes credit card will be your best survival tool.

Pack appropriate for your trip, not for every worst case contingency unless you have useful load and space to spare.
 
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Kritchlow said:
Many good ideas listed here..., but I'm wondering where you put it all? It seems like 2/3 of the plane will be filled with survival gear.
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Just the usual book bag. I keep the Ipad there. Still have an old Lowrance GPS unit in it as well. In the front zipper areas I also have:

1. Small tool pouch and knife
2. Two of those thin survival blankets in a pouch smaller than your wallet
3. Hand held radio/ matches/batteries/ steel wool/ fire starter
4. Several "flashlights" (actually hat lights)
5. Small first aid kit (also a pouch system) with sutures
6. A couple of maxipads for above kit
7. I wear a belt always for a tourniquet (make sure it isn't too fat for use)
8. I keep a small mirror on board (Tiger checklist for nose gear cotter pin)
that can be used for signals
 
I just fly. I mean, everyone says the engines only go kaput on takeoff or landing, so I"ll just walk back to the airport.
 
Lighters, matches, a para-cord bracelet, fish line and hooks, a protein bar and enough knives to to be able to work as a knife thrower in the circus.
Since gun laws are so wildly idiotic, state by state, I would never, ever, carry my old Air Force over/under survival rifle hidden in the plane.
I also dress like I'm going to have to walk home. That has happened, more than once, btw.
 
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