Hi James,<br><br>This isn't an authoritative response, because I'm just a guy hanging around here, but here are my answers.<br><br>short version:<br><br>Heck, it's an uphill climb just trying to convince the average weekend pilot to carry some basic tools, let alone trying to convince them they need to learn how to make those same tools!<br><br>long version:<br><br>I'm just taking a stab at this here, but I'd guess that the reason is because of the original basic thrust of this website, which is to focus on ways the average pilot could be better equipped to survive in the short term should they ever have to make a forced landing in an inhospitable locale. Trying to sell the average private pilot on keeping a basic two person survival kit in their plane is hard enough. Tring to convince that same pilot that in order to safely fly they need to practice friction fire starting methods also is a little off the original focus of making sure you have the right gear to suvive until SAR can get you out of there.<br><br>I'll get a little silly here, in order to hopefully explain better than I did above. To extend your question, "what if you lose your firelighting equippment"... what if you lose your cutting equipment? What then? Why is there no mention of basic knapping skills? It is a hugely important teqhniqe. So, in order to fly your single prop two seater anywhere, you need to study, practice and learn how to go into the wilderness bare handed and barefoot, twist bark fiber into thread and cord to make a snare to catch a small animal to skin with the flint or obsidian knife you need to learn how to make by hand so you can sew leather & fur moccasins with the bone needle you need to learn how to make... all so you can fly your single prop two seater on the weekends. That would be awesome, but try to convince the average guy who just likes planes that he needs to invest that kind of energy into it... not likely, I think.<br><br>The list of genuinely important skills, even what we all may agree are indeed "hugely important" skills, can be extended still further, but Doug would likely very quickly find he was no longer talking to the private pilots he originally started out trying to reach. I'm only assuming here, from other things I've read on his website and this forum, but I'd guess that Doug doesn't focus on primitive skills because he has a hard enough time convincing the average General Aviation pilot to even carry a decent radio or proper knife, let alone sufficient water.<br><br>The website has extended and expanded its original focus over time, and we on the forum have extended that basic thrust quite a bit , but the basic principle above remains operative. Trying to convince the average homeowner that they, yes, really DO need to shell out the money to buy a gas gock wrench to keep by their gas meter is going to be a lot more likely than convincing the same average homeowner that they need to give up their lazy relaxing weekends to go practice making a fire bow in the downpouring rain, just to make sure they can if they ever need to. I mean, it sounds like fun to me, but I doubt the average guy who just wants to watch TV by his fireplace and wait for the rain to stop is likely to join me. Heck, it's probably hard enough just trying to convince them to keep a couple of days of water in their pantry. This website if as much for them, to teach them what they can do to live a more prepared life, as it is for the gung ho ones who next want to learn how to carve their own fire pistons.