Doug already mentioned the PLB. He's not joking.

In order of what you mentioned...

In your match case you've got thread- you're probably a lot more likely to need a needle or two than you will a single fish hook.

How are those water purification tablet packed. I see too many kits from people who should know better where they just roll a few PA iodine tabs in Saranwrap and call it good. *shudders* I'm hoping couple of chlorine dioxide tabs in their origional packaging?

The mylar space blankets are OK. A Heatsheet is stronger, quieter, and makes a better signal panel, but is a little bigger. The Thermolite bivy is better still, but you need to be really, really skinny and very friendly to get two people into one.

Signals. PLBs are good, but everything can break. Whistle, with a spare for the student. Signal mirror. I like the little strobes that Egear makes, they aren't much bigger than a watch. They have short range ,maybe a mile from the side, but they can be used as a constant on light to.

And a dedicated flashlight.

And that's the on person stuff.



I have, over the past few years, become very much a fan of wool blankets. For one thing, they don't burn very well. Is there space for one, maybe rolled up with a tarp, a few contractor bags (expedient ponchos, among a great many other things), two watchcaps, and more P-cord, in your aircraft?