The American Airlines Boeing 757-223 that crashed on approach to Cali, Colombia - there were a half-dozen survivors who had to wait for over a day on a mountaintop in bad weather, most of them badly injured, before rescuers got to them.

An Airbus that crashed in the Alps when the pilot mistakenly programmed the flight computer for a descent of 3000 feet per minute instead of an approach glide slope of 3.0 degrees - a number of people survived and had to wait several hours for rescuers to find them. Not all of them lived that long. The first ground personnel on the scene was a newspaper reporter who was sent to cover the crash; he had to give rescuers directions to the crash site via his cell phone.

The JAL 747 that crashed after the tail separated due to a faulty repair job a year earlier - there was one survivor found in a tree, badly injured. It was several hours before she was found, IIRC.

If the crash happens on or near a major airport, rescuers will be on the scene in minutes. Otherwise, the survivors could be in for a long wait.

Many accidents involving major airlines have less than 100% fatality rate. The United Airlines flight that crashed in Sioux City exploded on impact into a huge fireball, yet almost two-thirds of the people on board survived. (That was one of the accidents where rescuers were on the scene within seconds - they were sitting there ready to roll as the plane made its approach.)

I've heard the statistic that if you hopped an airliner at random every day of the year, you would have to fly for 12,500 years before you were involved in a fatal accident. And even then, you'd probably survive. I'm not exactly sure how they arrived at those figures, and I don't believe them, but assuming that only 1 commercial airline flight in a million has a fatal accident (which I think is pretty close to the actual statistics), and you took 693,000 such flights, your chances of being involved in a fatal accident would still be just under 50%. (That's one flight a day for 1,897 years.) It's not something I lose sleep over. <img src="/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" />

But in the extremely unlikely event that you *do* crash, do not assume that (a) you will die, or (b) you will be rescued within the hour.

"Lawyers. No one pays attention during the briefing, no one looks at the card showing the exits and such."

Your attitude to air safety saddens me. If you can't hear the safety briefing, complain. There's plenty in it which you need to know. For example, if you put down on water and have to don life-jackets, it really is important that you don't inflate them too early. They will get in the way and block the exit. You should know where your nearest exit is.

Thinking about it and making a plan in advance is one difference between the people who freeze in place and the people who survive. There's a recent thread here which links to a Times article which talks about this. Read them. You can take some responsibility for your own safety even when on a 'plane.

"Something tells me you aren't going to need to start a fire, and if you do, well... there's probably lots of stuff still burning... pick something."

If you crash somewhere cold you might well need a fire. You can't assume the plane will be burning and even if it is, it may not be safe to approach.

"(thanks TSA!)"

Well, that's kinda the point of the discussion, isn't it? What useful stuff is the TSA preventing us from bringing? What can we bring anyway? Giving up is rarely the best choice. Whether your PSK would be any good rather depends on what you put in it. If your attitude is, "Disasters only happen to other people", why bother carrying one at all?

I didn't say I didn't listen (although I don't, past the "here are the exits" part, I've flown
a LOT. Have the silly briefing memorized), I said "nobody listens". And it's true.



This isn't my attitude, though.

All I'm saying is that the chance of needing something like a PSK on a commercial flight is so low
that I can feel a little better about not having one.

Let's make this a little more productive...

Instead of debating whether or not we need a PSK, what are a few (three? five?) items that:

• No stranded passenger should be without
• will be guaranteed to make it past airport security
• can be carried ON YOUR PERSON (since all bags are to be left behind when you abandon the aircraft, and you can't assume you'll be able to get to the baggage once you've crashed).

Here are mine:

• Appropriate clothing. I've seen people take off jackets and coats and stuff in overhead bin. I always have my (leather) flight jacket on. If it's colder, I have a heavier coat over that.
• Flashlight (two of 'em, actually :-)
• Bandana (darn thing is kinda useful, and might help with smoke / fumes, etc.)

Just because something happens rarely shouldnt be an excuse to not prepare for it. I mean if we only prepared for what is likely to occurr then why prepare at all? Granted, I do realize that we must draw the line somehwere or we walk arround constantly with 50# of gear. I guess the question is (as always) where that line is drawn.

I would add some paracord, a mirror, a whistle, a cell phone, some water purification, and some steel wool (for starting a fire with the batteries out of my flashlight.) I dunno what else--maybe some ice skates? <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Regards, Vince

I have read so many of the "TSA-Friendly Kit" threads and have come to realize that you can actually make a pretty effective kit and still be TSA-friendly. It just takes a lot of a creativity and little extra skill. By creativity I mean things coming up with alternatives to edged tools like implements for creating an edged tool in the field (blunt file and blunt piece of metal for example). By added skill I mean things like knowing how to start a fire with TSA-friendly materials (steel wool and a battery for example). Your kit may not be as capable and easily usable as the one you take camping which includes a lighter, matches, sparklite, firesteel, a 6" fixed blade and a 4" folder, but it will still be miles ahead of having not kit at all.

don't forget the basket ball (or is it "the basketball ball" ??)
<img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />

Norad45:

You might want to take a short dress along so that you can "skirt" any issues that come up.

Bountyhunter <img src="/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" />

I carry 5 lighter flints Krazy-glued to a small key blank and secured in place with a clear plastic piece of shrink tubing. It's possible that it might be confiscated, but so far no airport security person has ever given it a second glance. If they ever do - well, I paid less than $2 for the components and could probably do it cheaper next time.

I also have a key fob with a stainless steel "logo" attachment that will strike a spark from said lighter flints.

In my wallet I have a first aid certificate with a cotton ball laminated to the back of it. You can easily make luggage tags out of business cards the same way. Even if I don't have a knife to cut it open, I'll bet I can punch a hole through it with my car key and rip it apart. Because it's laminated, it will even keep the tinder dry if I go for a swim.

I also have a Princeton Tec LED light and a mini CPR one-way valve (for first aid rescue breathing) on the same keychain.

And of course, the obligatory Fresnel credit-card lens. <img src="/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />