Survival vest

alaskaflyer

alaskaflyer

Final Approach
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Alaskaflyer
Someone a while ago was asking about a source for a nice survival vest, can't remember who. Anyways, this is what we are using at work and what I purchased for my self and my passenger not too long ago. It's based on the Stearns CO2 inflatable sportsman's vest but is colored orange and is manufactured from Nomex IIIA. The guy who sells them will also equip them w/various survival items but I prefer my own. From Eagle Enterprises in Anchorage. You can jam the pockets with darn near everything you need to survive for a couple days at least, including a "real" survival space blanket (not one of those $^#&$ foil thgingies that fold up to the size of a matchbook) in the "game pocket" in back, and a small water bottle in one of the front pockets.


ultimategear_1927_3195267


Even though I'm not on floats many times water is/might be my safest emergency landing spot up here, when I'm not IFR (I follow the roads.) In the winter I take everything out and put it in the military winter weight coveralls I wear when flying, since there isn't likely to be much open water up here then, at least away from the coast :eek:
 
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Great post. Thanks. I've been looking for a vest for mountain flying. Is there something similar without the flotation option?
 
Interesting topic...

I use a Nylon version of the SRU-21/P Survival Vest.

It has, in my humble opinion, 3 drawbacks:

1. It's made of Nylon - not Nomex ( the USAF uses the Nomex version)
2. No integral flotation device
3. Doesn't have enough storage pouches

The orange vest Alaska Flyer is using would be too hot for the Middle East (has to be manufactured with mesh fabric).

The second type looks nice but, again, it's made of Nylon and doesn't have an integral flotation device.

I'd like to get the Israeli Air Force model but it's really expensive (above $ 500
)
 
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The only thing I currently have attached to me is a small Fallkniven F1 survival knife. I keep it attached to my belt as if the Tiger's canopy gets stuck I can use it to get out in an emergency. Its also a great survival tool for other tasks.
 
This is the vest we use.
http://www.mustangsurvival.com/products/product.php?id=541

We keep an EPIRB, knife, signal mirror in the pockets too all attaches with string. Theya re not too uncomfortable to wear in the cockpit.

The one thing with a life vest and an airplane is that you do not want it to inflate in the aircraft. When that happens, if you are in the water, you may have too much lift to swim down and out.
 
21 pounds isn't much floatation in choppy and/or fridgid water.
It's 40# or more for me, please.

alaskaflyer said:
Someone a while ago was asking about a source for a nice survival vest, can't remember who. Anyways, this is what we are using at work and what I purchased for my self and my passenger not too long ago. It's based on the Stearns CO2 inflatable sportsman's vest but is colored orange and is manufactured from Nomex IIIA. The guy who sells them will also equip them w/various survival items but I prefer my own. From Eagle Enterprises in Anchorage. You can jam the pockets with darn near everything you need to survive for a couple days at least, including a "real" survival space blanket (not one of those $^#&$ foil thgingies that fold up to the size of a matchbook) in the "game pocket" in back, and a small water bottle in one of the front pockets.


ultimategear_1927_3195267


Even though I'm not on floats many times water is/might be my safest emergency landing spot up here, when I'm not IFR (I follow the roads.) In the winter I take everything out and put it in the military winter weight coveralls I wear when flying, since there isn't likely to be much open water up here then, at least away from the coast :eek:
Click to expand...
 
smigaldi said:
This is the vest we use.
http://www.mustangsurvival.com/products/product.php?id=541

We keep an EPIRB, knife, signal mirror in the pockets too all attaches with string. Theya re not too uncomfortable to wear in the cockpit.

The one thing with a life vest and an airplane is that you do not want it to inflate in the aircraft. When that happens, if you are in the water, you may have too much lift to swim down and out.
Click to expand...

I agree you do not want the vest inflating inside the plane. You might not be able to get out. OTOH the vest in your link is an automatic inflation model. Seems that if water gets into the cockpit before you get out, it inflates and you could be stuck. Can you 'splain?
 
Lance F said:
I agree you do not want the vest inflating inside the plane. You might not be able to get out. OTOH the vest in your link is an automatic inflation model. Seems that if water gets into the cockpit before you get out, it inflates and you could be stuck. Can you 'splain?
Click to expand...

That is the civilian version and comes with the auto hydrostatic inflater, you can order it without that inflater as the only means to inflate.

Firther down in the item description you will see this
Optional Manual Conversion Cap

Optional Manual Conversion Cap
The Hydrostatic Inflation System uses an automatic inflator that can be converted to a manual only system. The optional manual conversion cap (MA7219) can be installed on the water inlet port preventing the automatic operation. This manual conversion cap provides for optimal mission planning and allows the operator to select the inflation capability (manual or automatic) prior to the mission.
Click to expand...

That is why I mentioned not using the hydro-static inflater in the plane, so that anyone who would get this model would also order the option.
 
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