Southern California, 7/10/2015

Hang glider ran out of lift and landed at the base of Keller Peak. No cell reception, no response on 2m amateur radio. He triggered his PLB, but after a while, concerned the mountains might have blocked the signal, tried to hike out (with PLB still transmitting). When the helicopter showed up ...

"I continued backtracking as the helicopter flew back out and over my head as I waved in plain sight.
I reached for my glass signal mirror with retro-reflective aiming center and lit up the chopper with reflected sunlight ...
Once we exited the helicopter, the pilot showed me his own, well-worn signal mirror and thanked me for using mine along with the PLB."

Full story here: https://www.acrartex.com/survivors/stories/2015/dietch-long-beach-ca

Good assist to PLB from the signal mirror!

Also, had cell phone, 2m radio and SAR equipment, despite the fact he was <heh> flying light.

One spooky coincidence ... 8 days later, for the Scouting event Operation On-Target, I was at Crestline just up the road from where he launched his glider, exchanging signal mirror signals with a Scout team on Keller Peak, the base of which is where he was stranded!