Let's not scare folks off from this technology with irrelevant regulatory BS. While technically correct regarding the legalities, NOBODY bothers with an FCC license these days for aviation handhelds and for use in an emergency it would not be relevant in any case. There's at least one marine case I am aware of where someone died rather than use a ham set for which they had no license. Darwin at work, perhaps, but...

Moreover, these handhelds are used everyday by pilots and others in ground to aircraft communications and if you can find an instance of anyone using it properly in such manner (not boosting the signal or using it fraudulently posing as ATC, as has been done) being violated, I'd be most interested in seeing the cite, because when I researched this a few years ago there were none.

Having said all that, they also have some notable drawbacks. Not all take regular AA batteries, some can only be used with proprietary rechargeable battery packs. That's a problem for survival use, from my POV, so if you have one, be sure it takes regular batteries or you carry a spare charged battery pack. In addition, their range is generally limited and being VHF is line of sight only. Sometimes they will reach that 757 flying overhead, but other times we've had difficulty communicating with aircraft in the landing pattern. Lot depends on antenna location on the aircraft and other related issues.

Also, a point to make that some may not be aware of. The naive user often points the antenna at the aircraft they are trying to communicate with, which puts it in the antenna's cone of silence and significantly reduces the chance it will work. When trying to communicate with such devices, do not aim the antenna at the object with which you are trying to communicate.

If already carrying a handheld for communications with an aircraft, as is often done in places like Alaska, then use what you have to save your butt. Otherwise, For the weight involved, you would do far better carrying a 406 MHz PLB and the cost is not far off. Just my opinion, of course.