Can somebody post these signs?
Does somebody know a reference?
Some examples: [img][IMG]http://img172.imageshack.us/img172/3599/naamloosip0.th.png[/IMG][/img]

Rather than posting copyrighted material...

V = Require Assistance
X = Require Medical Assistance
N = No or Negative
Y = Yes or Affirmative
-> = Proceeding in This Direction
++ = We Have Found Only Some Missing Personnel
XX = We Are Not Able to Continue, Returning to Base
l = Require Doctor, Serious Injuries
ll = Require Medical Supplies
F = Require Food & Water
K = Indicate Direction to Proceed
LLL = Operation Completed
LL = All Well
LL (underlined) = All Missing Personnel Found
L = Require Fuel & Oil
_IL (two Ls back to back) = Not Understood
I> = Will attempt takeoff
W = Need Repairs
SOS - International Symbol of Distress
triangle = Probably Safe to Land Here
square = Require Map & Compass
square w/opposite corners open = Aircraft Seriously Damaged

I left out a few: request for firearms & ammo, requesting signal lamp, operation completed.

Other signals:

Distress:
At night, 3 fires in a triangle about 75 ft apart, on highest clear ground (international distress signal) [If you can't keep 3 fires going, 1 is better than none]

During day, 3 smokey fires in a triangle (" "). Green leaves, moss or some water will create white smoke; oil or rubber will create black smoke. Smoky fires only work on calm, clear days.

Setting fire to one isolated tree (do not set a forest fire)

Mirror flashes: aim at planes or the horizon, preferably from a high area.

Whistles - three separate blasts with a pause between each set. Whistles have been heard a mile away.

Gunshots - either in sets of three, or one blast every minute.

If a pilot sees you:

He will fly low over you to acknowledge you.
At night he will flash a green light.
He waggle his wings if he understands your signal.
If your signal is K, he will fly low over you in the direction you should go, possibly repeatedly.

If he does not understand your signal, he will make a right-hand (to him) circle over you. At night he will flash a red light.

You can warn off a helicopter that is attempting to land in a bad place by waving both arms over your head.

thanks, do you have also this kind of info presented in a picture , to use in a powerpoint presentation?

The only ones you really need to know are V, X and and the arrow for proceeding in this direction. All the rest is going to be wasted effort. The difficulty is only those involved SAR or a military/retired military pilot will recognize them as distress signals. The advantage of SOS is that everyone knows what that means.

Not really copyrighted material, that shown in the link is right out of a number of government documents and publications and is public domain.

I was going to say that. I doubt most civilian pilots understand all the symbols... The thing you must remember though, in a rescue situation : make your symbol BIG ! LARGE ! HUGE ! Make those lines thick and long so the aircraft can actually see them.

Two or three downed trees placed in "X" are not sufficient enough to attract pilot's attention.

I do not recall learning any of these symbols in my Private Pilot training in New England. Maybe they teach this type of thing to Alaskan pilots? but there is nothing in any private pilot curriculum that I have seen that describes these symbols.

I think, that as a private pilot, I would use a big smoky fire with a huge SOS written out somehow near it to get the attention of other private pilots who are not specifically looking for me.

Are Search and Rescue personnel taught these symbols? If they are, and you know a team will be looking for you, then these symbols would probably come in handy, but I'm not sure Joe pilot just doing some sight seeing would know how to interpret them.

My $0.02... I defer to the experts of course.

I wasn't taught any of them in Florida either. I took it upon myself to learn them. To actually see them though, they'd have to be in just the right spot, and they'd have to be really, really contrasting with the terrain. Actually, around here, they do a TON of controlled burning, so even smoke doesn't always get a checkout from me. If I saw a ton of black smoke though, like from a tire or something, that'd warrant a checkout.

Long story short, don't rely on the symbols. Make big smoke. Black smoke. Flares are your friend, they'll get ANY pilots attention. (Unless it's Fourth of July) <img src="/images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" />

Happy Flying
Kyle

look at Pub 102; International Code of Signals for air, sea, & land for Distress Signals. Some of the officially recognized distress signals will surprise you.

Hi drodge_tondel,

[Edited from my original reply.
My apologies, I just realized that you're in Europe which would be why you might not be aware of the publication that I'm referencing below. It is so easy to overlook that this is an international forum.]

Please go back and review a copy of the U.S. Aeronautical Information Manual. It is an important information source for aviation and I typically quiz my flight students on it during training. It is amazing how much information is included in this publication.

You should be able to purchase one from A.O.P.A. (Aircraft Owner's & Pilot's Association) and further information may be found at www.aopa.org/safetycenter. Their phone # is 1-800-638-3101. They also have an international organization.

The book is convienently combined with the Federal Aviation regulations as a bonus. With reference to your question about the ground to air signals, please turn to section 6-2-7 on page #763 of the 2006 edition.

I would encourage all pilots to join A.O.P.A. for many reasons, not the least of which is that Doug has worked with them and presented seminars at some of their events.

Regards,
Comanche7