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#39297 - 03/24/05 11:32 PM Aircraft survival equipment
Anonymous
Unregistered


I am a private pilot based in Wisconsin. I am part owner of a Cirrus Design SR22 4 seat airplane, the one with the whole airframe parachute. For most of our longer trips there will be 1 to two people in the plane. Rarely will there be 3. 4 people would be highly unlikely for weight reasons. This year we will be expanding our flight profile to include flights over the Rockies to destinations in Arizona, Nevada, and New Mexico. In addition we would like to reduce flight times for other trips by flying over the Great Lakes (Michigan and Superior in particular) instead of around them. These changes provide some obvious survival challenges. I have done a lot of reading on equipped.org and have come down to the following list (not all inclusive) of equipment:

+ Winslow Super Light Island Flyer Plus (including insulated floor and other options)
+ Switlik HV-35C Helicopter Crew Life Vests (for pilot and front seat passenger)
+ Switlik HV-35P Helicopter Passenger Life Vests (for back seat passengers if any)
+ ACR Aerofix 406 GPS I/O PLB
+ Wiggy Ultima Thule FTRSS Sleeping Bags (2) (will zip them together if more than 2 people)
+ Bibler Bombshelter Tent

I also want to get immersion/exposure suits. I know Equipped.org prefers Multifabs suits. What particular model would be best for our situation? Does anyone have a ball park cost per suit?

I would also welcome comments on the above list and suggestions for changes or other items...

--Galvin

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#39298 - 03/25/05 12:47 AM Re: Aircraft survival equipment
GoatRider Offline
Old Hand

Registered: 08/28/04
Posts: 835
Loc: Maple Grove, MN
Welcome to the forum. I'm in a flying club in MN that has an SR-20, and if I loaded all that crap, I would be able to take my wife, but probably not much luggage. But then again, an SR-20 won't make it over any serious mountains. But it's stll a real nice plane.

One thing that's occurred to me is that if I have to "land out", and I didnt' have to use the chute, I'd consider deploying it if I needed a supply of cord or tenting material, especially if the plane was totalled. Keep that in mind when packing survival gear.


Edited by GoatRider (03/25/05 12:50 AM)
_________________________
- Benton

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#39299 - 03/25/05 02:01 AM Re: Aircraft survival equipment
Anonymous
Unregistered


Useful load left after me, my wife, and full fuel is about 167lb. So weight is an issue, of course, and I would taylor what I brought to the terrain we were going over.

Winslow Life Raft = 41lb
ACR PLB = 1lb
Bibler Tent = 9lb
Switlik HV-35C @ 3lb = 12lb
Wiggy's FTRSS @ 9lb = 18lb

Total so far = 81lb

--Galvin

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#39300 - 03/25/05 04:34 AM Re: Aircraft survival equipment
stormadvisor Offline
Journeyman

Registered: 03/14/05
Posts: 87
Loc: Ohio
First off, I am not a pilot and have never been a passenger. (probably never will) I also am new to exposure suits. I only know what I have read here.

I do have a question. Wouldn't you have to be wearing the exposure suits during flight for them to be useful?
_________________________
Stormadvisor

Can't change the weather. Might as well enjoy it.

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#39301 - 03/25/05 10:26 AM Re: Aircraft survival equipment
rbruce Offline
Member

Registered: 05/25/04
Posts: 153
Loc: California
Quote:
One thing that's occurred to me is that if I have to "land out", and I didnt' have to use the chute, I'd consider deploying it if I needed a supply of cord or tenting material, especially if the plane was totalled. Keep that in mind when packing survival gear.


Going off what what Goatrider said, I would consider picking up one of the Air Force survival manuals. It discusses how to make various shelters out of a parachute. Of course, using the aircraft's chute will make much bigger shelters than the ones displayed in the book. Could be useful for making a 2 person shelter, but you don't want to make them too big.

Another thing to remember is that for one reason or another you may only be able to make it out of the plane with what you are wearing. I would consider going down to the surplus store and picking up a military flight suit, they have a lot of pockets for storing useful stuff. You could also get a vest of some kind for storing additional items. (Get flight suits and vests for both you and your wife) Load up the flight suits and vests with suvival essentials. Beyond that I would try and limit your additional survival gear to a daypack (maybe 2, 1 for you and 1 for the wife) filled with a first aid kit, water, shelter, and food.


Robert

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#39302 - 03/25/05 04:50 PM Re: Aircraft survival equipment
Anonymous
Unregistered


Yes you would have to be wearing them during the flight. So fo a flight over Lake Michigan we would have a life raft and PLB on board and we would be wearing exposure suits.

--Galvin

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#39303 - 03/25/05 07:23 PM Re: Aircraft survival equipment
bountyhunter Offline


Registered: 11/14/03
Posts: 1224
Loc: Milwaukee, WI USA
Is the "Land Shark" a viable alternative for an exposure suit in warmer climates?

Would it work for the cold waters of the great lakes if you have regular insulating clothes on when you ditch?

Is there any data on how hard it is to don a "Land Shark: while in the water?

Bountyhunter

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#39304 - 03/25/05 08:50 PM Re: Aircraft survival equipment
Anonymous
Unregistered


Galvin, I'm a pilot in British Columbia. I think you would be wise to dispense with the tent unless you plan on going down in a camp ground. If you go down in the mountains, I can almost guarantee you will not find a suitable spot to pitch a tent. You'd be better with one or two Siltarps by Integral Design. They are super light weight fabric tarps that you can make skelter with, no matter what type of terrain you are in. A Siltarp and 100 feet of paracord would be a about 8 pounds lighter lighter and a lot more practical.

I'd also carry and axe or hatchet, a couple of good knives, multiple firemaking devices and tons of warm clothing. In the Rockies, even as low as 8,000 feet, the nights can be well below freezing during the summer.

Build your mountain survival kit around survival for at least a week. If you go down in the Rockies in bad weather it could be that long before any aircraft can fly. When it really socks in, even if SAR knows where you are, they won't be able to get to you.

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#39305 - 03/25/05 09:04 PM Re: Aircraft survival equipment
Chris Kavanaugh Offline
Carpal Tunnel

Registered: 02/09/01
Posts: 3824
Doug is on the road, but you may want his direct expertise. Email him a line asking to respond here. The caveat with an exposure suit is wearability in the aircraft. These things keep you alive in the water. In normal conditions you will easily become overheated and uncomfortable. You are assembling real world, premium kit here. You will need to become a premium user with their real world parameters too.

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#39306 - 03/25/05 09:40 PM Re: Aircraft survival equipment
Burncycle Offline
Addict

Registered: 09/16/04
Posts: 577
Check this out (air race survival on this site) http://www.equipped.org/simon_t.htm

This guy has to fly over mountains, bodies of water, and deserts throughout his flight, so it's pretty similar. Doug does a really good job packing things down to something small enough to fit into a seat.

I agree you should make use of your aircraft's ballistic parachute if you ever go down. The parachute and shroud lines are your friend in the mountains or deserts. As mentioned, refer to USAF survival manuals to learn how to make use of them.

As far a seperate shelter is concerned, you probably don't need one (with the exception of an emergency water landing). You have your parachute, and you also have the cabin of your aircraft, which is better than any tent assuming it's intact and safe to stay (not burning, etc).

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