>>BTW, the matches and firestarting gear is likely to cause no concern. I believe the law is intended to prevent canisters or containers of flamable liquid, gases or powders that may cause an explosion on board.<<<br><br>Certainly that’s what was intended. I’m not sure how an ignition device and fuel would be interpreted, though.<br><br>>>What should one carry onboard a commercial airline flight for emergencies. Obviously, there will be soom differences between your wilderness kit and an airline kit, as well as some similarities.<<<br><br>I think this is a change in direction- I think “MVS” was concerned with transporting a kit intended for wilderness use- but it’s an interesting one, and I’d be happy to hear opinions on it. Obviously, there’s an excellent chance than no one will survive a commercial plane crash… don’t know what the actual odds are, perhaps someone here does.. but, on the other hand, for many of us it’s the only time there’s a reasonable chance of ending up in practically any terrain, any circumstances. Even if the odds are very long, it does seem silly to have nothing at hand. I'll never forget those poor folks in the '70s who were suddenly facing alligators in the Everglades<br><br> >>2. A folding pocket knife.<br>Big enough to be useful but small enough to not represent a threat to security.<<<br><br>“Craig” and I were discussing this off-line recently, and I’ve seen some discussion on other forums. I think you could probably have an entire thread , and an interesting one, on just where this line is. <br><br>A friend of mine was denied permission to carry a pocket knife with about a 2-inch blade from Ireland, because the blade locked. I’ve also seen it mentioned that US security apparently doesn’t like serrated blades, for some unexplicable reason.<br><br> I stumbled upon one on-line discussion where a person claimed to have carried a Victorinox “Huntsman” on board flights with no problem. He made the point that security seems disarmed by the familiar Swiss Army Knife logo and red handle. While I haven’t tried anything that large in an airport, I have noticed the effect. I sometimes carry a Victorinox “Picknicker”, which is a larger-than-normal SAK (111 mm closed) with a longer, locking blade, and people react to it far less than any comparable folder I’ve carried. Just looks “friendly”, I guess. <br><br>>>3. Bandana or hankechief<<<br><br>Good idea- and causes no security concerns.<br> <br>>>4. Meds.<<<br>… So I would guess that antibiotics would not be needed, but pain meds would…<<<br><br>Not qualified to say much, but, as someone who was a teenager in the ‘60s, I’m extremely cautious about carrying any drugs of any kind. The penalty for illegal drugs in Singapore is death, and in many places it can get you at least an overnight stay while the drugs and/or prescriptions are examined.<br><br>>>5. Firestarting<br>In cold conditions, providing heat may be necessary, especially since survivers may suffer from shock. Lifeboat matches and Spark-lite & tinders, etc., should sufice and not present a problem with security. If you pack several alternatives, you'll have backup if you need to surrender one form, such as the matches.<<<br><br>Again, personally, I’d carry a lighter. It causes no raised eyebrows at security, and it gets you straight to fire without the Daniel Boone act (and I’m pretty good at flint-and-steel, so I can say that). I’d consider everything else a possible backup.<br><br>Just my take on it…<br><br><br>

I've heard that there is a simple rule on blade length which I think is 4 inches in the US. It would probably vary internationally. <br><br>Of course your are right that it all depends on how it is enforced and image plays a big part in that. It's a crap-shoot.<br><br>

>>I didn't realize that transporting items in the cockpit was an option.<<<br><br>It might not be any more- it's been many years.. both times it was "suggested" by security, they wouldn't let me carry the items on.<br><br>>>What was it that had to go that way?<<<br><br>Sigh. You had to ask.. :-)<br><br>The first time it was a walking/hiking stick, about 4 feet long. I was going backpacking in California, and I figured people must take their walking canes on, didn't expect a problem... this was the 70s, and things weren't as tight then.. some airports were still only spot-checking with x-rays and metal decectors. Security went down the entire length of the stick, an inch at a time, twisting it, trying to find some hidden way it unscrewed, and then told me I couldn't carry it on.<br><br>The second time it was a set of juggling clubs- hollow plastic things that look like bowling pins, but only weigh a few ounces. I think you'd have a hard time killing a chipmunk with one, and it honestly didn't occur to me that they'd object. They were just too bulky to go in a suitcase, so I had them in a tote bag. The bag didn't close, so I couldn't check it.<br><br>In both cases, security took them away at their checkpoint, and they were returned by a flight attendant as I disembarked from the plane.<br><br><br>

>>>Of course your are right that it all depends on how it is enforced and image plays a big part in that. It's a crap-shoot.<<<<br><br>You're right on here. Aside from federal regulations, airlines have a huge amount of discretion in applying their rules. I have friends who will travel the country to exchange rare tropical fish. Some airlines will let them carry them on board, others will not. Some that allow it one time will not on another. Often, it's the folks at the gate making interpretations on the spot.. and their decisions become spotty.<br><br>Willie Vannerson<br>McHenry, IL

Clothing can kill. Wear natural woolens and cottons and sturdy. leather shoes. You dont need polyester hawaiian shirts and tennis shoes melting, or burning your skin. Many crash victims may survive the initial crash, only to succumb to shock or injuries waiting for emergency responce crews. Remember that bad weather is often a contributing factor in accidents, and that distills down to one word-cold.Seating can also determine survival. The wing area is usually considered the safest, and if intact provides an egress platform if escape chutes are inoperable. I always sit directly by a door. Women and children first is a marine tradition that doesn't work in a plane wreck. Survivers will stampede over each other to escape. lastly , a few in flight survival tips. That mini bottle of rum may dull the screaming kid in front of you, but in a emergency you may as well be drunk. The safety belt isn't just for takeoffs and landing either. Sudden wind sheer, power loss, structural failure etc. can send passengers flying without notice.<br><br>

>>Obviously, there’s an excellent chance than no one will survive a commercial plane crash… don’t know what the actual odds are, perhaps someone here does.. <<<br><br>It's a good question. Why plan for the aftermath of something you can't live through? A plane crash makes good news because it is so catastrophic and seems like something that couldn't possibly be survived. <br><br>I don't know what the actual stats are, but I think that they are relatively survivable. I always take note of the number of deaths and number of survivors whenever I hear about a crash. Often there are numerous survivors. <br><br>The 747 that blew up over the Atlantic Ocean near Long Island and the ValueJet that caught fire and went straight down into the everglades are two examples of everyone on board being killed. Also the Concorde accident. <br><br>However you often hear about a hundred or so deaths and just as many survivors. Remember the hijacked plane that ran out of fuel and ditched into the ocean near a resort beach? There were many survivors. Based on my informal observations, I think that with a little luck, you stand a decent chance of surviving a plane crash and it would be worth planning for.<br><br>Another way of looking at it is that you will either be dead or you will be alive. There's no point in preparing to be dead, so you might as well prepare to be alive.<br><br>

here's the smoke hood link $62.50<br><br><br><br>

from AirSafe.com:<br><br>(The way I read this is you have about a 1 in 3 chance of surviving a fatal accident on a large airliner. Forget about surviving on a propeller aircraft.)<br><br>"If the plane crashes, don't most people die? <br>One can argue this question several ways. Based on a review of accidents between 1978 and 1995 with at least one fatality to a passenger, there were a total of 164 fatal accidents involving large jet transports designed in western Europe or the U.S. In 68 cases, all passengers died and in 15 others between 90% and 100% of the passengers died. In 37 cases less than 10% of the passengers died. Among propeller driven aircraft, there were 178 events involving aircraft designed outside of the former Soviet Union and eastern Europe. Of those, all were killed in 108 cases, between 90% and 100% in six cases, and less than 10% in nine cases."<br><br>

>>>However you often hear about a hundred or so deaths and just as many survivors. Remember the hijacked plane that ran out of fuel and ditched into the ocean near a resort beach? <<<<br><br>That was just off the coast of Cameroon, if I remember correctly. It seems to me that most survivable jet airliner crashes are at take off or landing at or near an airport. Remember the Iowa crash in a cornfield adjacent to an airport the pilot where the pilot flew the disabled plane. And in crashes such as that, the key factor was escaping from the burning wreckage.<br><br>To that end:<br><br>1. Make sure you know where all of the exits on the plane are, not just the nearest. The nearest exit may not be accessible following a crash. Whenever I fly, which is not often, I make a point to locate all of the exits as well as read the instructions on how to operate the door. I usually do that while I'm standing in in line at the doorway upon entry.<br><br>2. If the flight goes over water, one or more of the overhead bins will have an inflatable raft. Locate that bin.<br><br>3. A pocket knife to remove seat belt should the latch get stuck.<br><br>4. Some type of breathing protection (maybe?). If a bandana is not useful, what would be a good replacement, short of the hood mentioned earlier.<br><br>5. Photon LED light on a key chain or lanyard.<br><br>6. A little luck. :-)<br><br>Of course the advice on natural materials and seating over the wings still stand. I've tried to get exit row seating, but that's reserved for better customers who value the extra leg room and I don't fly enough miles to qualify. I suspect that an aisle seat would be better than a window seat as well.<br><br>The odds may be stacked against surviving such a crash, but there's nothing wrong with trying to improve the odds.<br><br>I would also carry the other, allowable survival items, especially if I know the flight was to be over remote terrain. There was that one flight in the Andes where several passengers survived a crash in the mountains. So it is possible.<br><br><br>Willie Vannerson<br>McHenry, IL

No blade whatsoever will be allowed in a Federal Building. I had to leave a treasured spot in line at an INS building to put my Gerber Mini EZ Out back in the car. The only alternative was they would throw it out. Then they scrutinized the tiny wire cutter in my keychain SeberTool and brought over another key to see if that tiny plier qualified as an "Edged Weapon." They let me keep it.<br><br>