I am pretty new to all this, though a lifelong backpacker and outdoor oriented individual. I would like the board members help in assembling a "crash kit" to carry in my airplane on my frequent x-country flights, that take me over much unpopulated terrain between Twin Falls, Idaho and Chino, CA. I am usually either flying down through Nevada or a more populated Owens Valley. As a combat trained medic I have some pretty good ideas about medical supplies, (but still open to others suggestions) however in combat situations, comprehensive medical care isn't that far away. Military evac times improved greatly in Nam, and have continued to. A controlled crash in a remote area would mean no immediate evac, even with an EPIRB, and a rethinking of medical ideas. For instance in a combat unit, tourniquets are common, but they are not advised for any kind of protracted period of time. Medical aside, I have never given much thought to survival issues, shelter, nutrition/water, signaling, communication, and so much more. While there are survival kits out there for sale, ones I have seen are often stocked with items that make them appear to have lots of stuff, (some of relative value) but much of it I would not choose, or is a lesser quality than I would purchase. When all said and done, it needs to consider one person, a potential 5 days w/o help, fit into a relatively small backpack, and be within some reasonable weight as that is a function of reduction of useful load of the plane, and mobility once on the ground should I need to leave the crash site. Some help putting together a list would be greatly appreciated. This board has already been a valuable source in my lurker time of many good places to make purchases... I need to now make the choices and do the purchasing.

To start, I would begin at a PLB. Check out ETS article: http://equippedtosurvive.com/shot_show_2007_gear.htm#microfix.

Aeromedix has a nice Aviator Survival Pack at: https://www.aeromedix.com/product-exec/p...ks_#productINFO if you are os inclined. Its comprehensive and fits into a backpack.

I would also suggest checking out these:
http://equipped.org/survlkit.htm
http://equipped.org/avsrvtoc.htm

Welcome Newguy!

If you look here you will get a pretty good idea of what you might want to carry along.

What type of aircraft and how many pax are we talking about here, that could/will have a bearing on what you might want to pack...

Welcome newguy! You are right about most prepackaged kits being crap (Doug Ritter's excluded!). It took me a while to realize my life is worth more than a cheap Chinese Multitool. Get the good stuff. To learn what is "good stuff" just keep reading this site.

-Blast

Thanks for the links, there is some good info there. Most of my flying is solo. If I am in a hurry, I am in an RV 6 which is an experimental aircraft with cruise speeds of about 200 mph on 6GPH fuel burn. If I am just going for the enjoyment of the flight, I will be flying low and slow in a 180 hp super cub, which is when it is about the journey and not the destination. Either one of them can be put down without power at pretty low airspeeds, meaning that given a not that big flat spot, if you have to put them down, you can walk away from a forced landing. The operative issues are that its only the hamster in the cage that has quit turning the prop, (the plane is unpowered but still in one piece) and you are not over really rugged terrain, like the mountains, which means it is going to really hurt, since there is no flat place within gliding distance. Hence the less direct route down to Las Vegas and then a dog leg into SoCal... No mountain crossings.

Having flown into the LA area in a Maule more than once, I do not envy you doing the same in a Super Cub. I hope you take another set of eyes along, lots to watch out for.

Kinda off topic, going to SFO in a Beaver is fun too...

Oh, the RV 6 sounds tres cool, where can I get more data on it? That one sounds like PLB and a kit the size of a bread loaf is in order.

Flying in the LA basin has been a weekly routine for me for decades, and I've gotten used to the traffic and airspace restrictions. It's a function of being in it all the time and knowing what to expect and where. But you're right, there are too many birds in the air, and too many people you've got to talk to to have it be real fun. Combine that with flying a complex fast bird (T6, L39 or other fun old warbirds) and you have to balance a lot of demands. But in general I think the kinda person attracted to aviation, aerobatics, or IFR ops, thrives in this kind of environment.

But as the years have added up, I've spent more time in low and slow birds like the super cub. You can get in and out of a small dirt strip in the middle of nowhere, fish where others don't, ( http://youtube.com/watch?v=FRCyoZdXneE )and enjoy plain old stick and rudder flying, with the window open if you like. There is nothing quite like flying without a time table, dropping down to wave at passengers in a train that you are following, making circles around a friendly worker on a piece of farm equipment who waves back, to relive a taste of what aviation used to be all about. If I really have to be somewhere... I'll fly commercial rather than dicy IFR or night work. Winter brings it's own challenges as well.

Vans RV has more kits in the air than any other plane. Fast and fully aerobatic, it's a fine little machine. http://www.vansaircraft.com/

But all in all flying is something you love or not. Being upside down and on the edge of control in some complex maneuver is either an adrenaline rush or terrifying depending on the person. And I fall into the first group. Even if it's in a Decathlon or something with some horsepower like an Extra, there's no place I'd rather be. Having said that, even the best pilots can have things go wrong. (hours of sheer boredom sprinkled by moments of sheer panic) Hence my showing up on these boards. Chance favors the prepared mind and all that. And I don't have the I'm invincible and going to live forever mentality of my youth.

Doug has written quite a bit about this -- a good place to start. My addition would be to always take a parka and 0 degree bag in cold weather.

Teacher