"remember if you are not wearing it, it's not survival gear"
Outstanding point. When I had a Yak-50 and went "cross country", I would wear an old military issued survival vest with some items that would life better if I found myself on the ground after a crash or bailing out.
Two things to think about when packing a "bailout kit":
1.) Surviving (food, water, protection from the environment, ect.)
2.) Effecting a quick rescue. (signaling device for both day and night. Mirrors, chem stick on the end of a piece of 550 cord and swung over your head is visible for miles at night under NVG's) whistle for the ground party, handheld radio or SPOT, PLB ect. Cell phone!!
Always file a flight plan and if you are doing just a local and do not want to file, let someone know what and when and when you will be on the ground. Call them when down. Have a checklist for them in the event they do not hear from you: Standard flight plan stuff: fuel, souls, color of a/c..ect.
Also, if you carry survival gear, make a list of what you have and leave it with them. They can tell rescue forces what to look for and also give us an ideal how long you can stand to be isolated. (we will look for you)
Stay near the airplane...a whole lot easier to see an airplane than one or two people. Trust me. Plus the airplane can provide survival gear (canopy glass can make a good "mirror". Seat belts make good tourniquets if things go badly.).
Know some basic survival and first aid. It will save your life. Lets keep the "rescue" in rescue instead of "recovery".
Lastly and most important: keep a very positive attitude. Giving up will kill you dead in a heartbeat. People WILL come looking for you.
Last edited by Pave Tim : 02-05-2011 at 12:36 PM.
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