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RV Survival Kit

Laird

Well Known Member
What's in your survival kit? (Kinda like the credit card commercial...what's in your wallet?). The latest AVweb article about the guy who crashed in Europe got me thinking.

Mine is probably lacking with just a PLB, flashlight, lighters, some space blankets, first aid kit, and a couple bottles water. Really only enough to survive until help arrives and assuming you're not really injured.

What's your rational for what you carry vs what it weighs?

Laird
 
My kit

I put together some stuff in a small-ish pelican case:

Signal mirror
Thermal/mylar blanket
Fire starter
Compass
Advil
Shock Cord (10')
Ruger SP-101 in .357
.357 bullets, .38 rat/snake shot
Glow stick
Ice pack (water + sodium nitrate variety)
Water purification tablets
Leatherman "Surge" multitool
Bandaids (variety of sizes)
Bug spray (small size)
Nitrile Gloves
Mini mag light with the "SOS" feature


Always looking for other good ideas.
 
WOW I was just researching this same item night before last, Because my youngest daughter got her private license a couple months ago and is now working on her instrument.
I says, Do you have yet? She goes no.
So her birthday is coming up and I was a lookin and found the better ones are out of stock and not to be in stock anytime soon. I'm gonna get her a Personal Locator Beacon now.
So the answer to your question is. Get a backpack or vest, Look at what they advertise that they are supposed to have and make your own.
Mine cost $980.00 about 12 years ago. It needs updating every 3-4 years to keep food, stuff, batteries, etc. viable.
You can get something that will work for $500.00 or so.
But, may find junk you do not need.
I could go on about what it should have But you can make your own mind up about that.

My three cent worth Art
 
Keep in mind that if there's a handgun concealed (or even in open sight) in your emergency kit, there are a lot of states in the Union you'd best not land in or risk serious prison time. The whole USA is NOT Texas, though I hope that day comes soon.
 
Picked up a couple kits from Amazon and added power bars and water as well as a couple water filter “straws”.

Some items:

Thermal/mylar blanket and tent
Fire starter flint and cotton fuel packs
Compass
Shock Cord (10') and a couple bracelets made of them with compass as well
4 Glow sticks
Small first aid kit with basics, and a tourniquet
Leatherman like multitools, 2 different sizes
Nitrile Gloves
Small flash light one battery one hand crank powered
Survival knife
Small axe/pick doubles as a canopy breaker
Cable saw for cutting large wood branches
A couple lightweight ponchos
Small finishing kit

My guess is they come in at about 14 lbs, and if it were 20 I’d still have it all on board.
 
Keep in mind that if there's a handgun concealed (or even in open sight) in your emergency kit, there are a lot of states in the Union you'd best not land in or risk serious prison time. The whole USA is NOT Texas, though I hope that day comes soon.

Excellent point -- I check for reciprocal agreements in the states I might be flying over...If none, I either re-route or leave the weapon at home.
 
Survival Equipment

Well, I carry a lot of stuff and it is there every time I strap the plane on. I try to make sure I can reach most of it if I am pinned in.

Survival Gear

406 Elt with GPS wired in
Back up charged handheld radio
Phone
Quick pull pins on canopy
small Aircrew survival guide
life jackets
canopy breaker tool
Gun & 2 extra clips(1 clip SBR tracer rounds) & ear plugs - can get to if stuck in seat (also a canopy breaker tool)
chem lights
knife & razor blade
sunscreen
mosquito repellant
small butane stick lighter
Fire starter (magnesium)
Firestarter cubes
Life Straws - H2O
Compass
NoCry Flashlight - great for taxiing in unlit taxiways/waterproof floats
Flashlights & extra batteries
Small hand/bone saw (will cut tree limbs)
Signal Mirror
Pretty extensive First aid Kit - can reach this if stuck in seat
small hatchet in tool kit
Gum & hard candy (chocolate melts)
2 Small bottles of Jack Daniels in First Aid kit(1 for drinking)
2 vacuum sealed granola bars (First Aid kit)
2 space blankets
Parachute cord
2 parachute panels
mosquito repellant
cigarette lighter
TP & tissues
large zip lock bags (also use these to put stuff in within pouch)
Fishing kit (Line, lures, etc.)
Lithium battery backup - phone/light
15 feet of Duct tape
2 plastic ponchos
booney hat
fire extinguisher
2 bottles of H20
I know it seems like a lot and I hope I NEVER use it! It's nice to know it is "there". I hope my 406 has rescue coming very soon. You will be surprised by how small these can be. People have asked why no flare gun and it is just a matter of space. Tracer rounds if you are looking at them get your attention. Of course you probably cant find them these days. And Jack Daniels is better than Jeremiah Weed and they don't sell weed in "airline bottles" :)
 
Trauma kit

Good ideas on a survival kit for the plane. I also add, beyond rations and protection from the weather, a trauma kit that can support basic lifesaving efforts.

PPE to include gloves, glasses and masks
SAM splint
CAT (tourniquet)
Israeli bandages
Tape and gauze
Scissors
Some good out back medical training

This kit is always with me at the range and is also good in the trunk of your car. More skills means more equipment, but this is a great start.
 
I put together some stuff in a small-ish pelican case:

Signal mirror
Thermal/mylar blanket
Fire starter
Compass
Advil
Shock Cord (10')
Ruger SP-101 in .357
.357 bullets, .38 rat/snake shot
Glow stick
Ice pack (water + sodium nitrate variety)
Water purification tablets
Leatherman "Surge" multitool
Bandaids (variety of sizes)
Bug spray (small size)
Nitrile Gloves
Mini mag light with the "SOS" feature


Always looking for other good ideas.

I forgot to mention/include the most important survival tool of all --- A corkscrew with bottle opener.

:)
 
I put together some stuff in a small-ish pelican case:

Signal mirror
Thermal/mylar blanket
Fire starter
Compass
Advil
Shock Cord (10')
Ruger SP-101 in .357
.357 bullets, .38 rat/snake shot
Glow stick
Ice pack (water + sodium nitrate variety)
Water purification tablets
Leatherman "Surge" multitool
Bandaids (variety of sizes)
Bug spray (small size)
Nitrile Gloves
Mini mag light with the "SOS" feature


Always looking for other good ideas.

Hi Brian, What's a "shock Cord??"
 
Had a thought about architecture of the survival kit. Might be worth having two kinds. One would be the master one that would always be in the plane but would only really suffice for the pilot. The other would be an add-on that you'd carry when you had a passenger, with appropriate consumables and other necessary things for another person.

Dave
 
Had a thought about architecture of the survival kit. Might be worth having two kinds. One would be the master one that would always be in the plane but would only really suffice for the pilot. The other would be an add-on that you'd carry when you had a passenger, with appropriate consumables and other necessary things for another person.

Dave

And I’d expand on Dave’s idea with this common survival adage “If you’re not wearing it when you go down, you don’t have it!” Which translates into a survival vest with the essentials (PLB is always at the top of my list) that you wear any time you might be over inhospitable terrain. Then you can have a survival bag in the airplane with the rest of the stuff that you want. Many survival lists read like a complete expedition outfit, which is OK if you have the room/payload. But have the bare minimum essentials with you all the time.

At least, that is one common survival gear philosophy…..
 
Alaska Survival Kit

Here in Alaska we have to carry required gear:

https://dot.alaska.gov/stwdav/akfly.shtml this page lists what is required.

"Alaska Statute 02.35.110i Emergency Rations & Equipment Exit Site requires that an airman may not make a flight inside the state with an aircraft unless emergency equipment is carried as follows:

The minimum equipment during the summers months is: food for each occupant for one week; one axe or hatchet; one first aid kit; an assortment of fishing tackle such as hooks, flies, and sinkers; one knife; fire starter; one mosquito headnet for each occupant; and two signaling devices such as colored smoke bombs, pistol shells, etc. sealed in metal containers.
In addition to the above, the following must be carried as minimum equipment from October 15 to April 1 of each year: one pair of snowshoes; one sleeping bag; one wool blanket for each occupant over four."

A very good starting point. They removed the requirement for a weapon, instead a 24" handle on a hatchet or axe will work.

Mine accidently fouled at KPSC when trying to close the canopy, had to change its location after that.

Learned in a class that the most important thing to have is a signal device.

One thing learned years ago: You have a hand controlled pyrotechnic signal device, you say pistol flare gun in Canada: get ready for a very serious look and conversation.

In my kit:
Snares
Water purification tablets (iodine)
Water Purification Filter
Gill net
Signal mirrors
Flare gun
Waterproof/Windproof matches
Flint
Magnesium Fire starter
5-different kinds of fire starter plus the two above
Duct tape
Visqueen 10ftx10ft rolled real small
100ft of 1/4 braided nylon rope
Fishing gear to include an ice fishing pole (small lightweight)
Plenty of lures I know work in Alaska
Bear Spray
Wyoming Saw
8" folding saw (broken arm some of my other saws won't work-hoping this one will)
Dimond grit Finger saw (also doubles as a snare)
Hand operated chainsaw chain (Daughter bought this for my last birthday-it cuts fast)

I have more. The big thing is it isn't in one waterproof bag.

I have different size backpacks that can be easy to grab vs., one big one. Each of those backpacks has a little bit of everything. The one big is a waterproof bag with tent and sleeping bag, plus big 1st aid kit instead of the small ones in the backpacks.

Lots of Mosquito repellant (100% Deet: anything else doesn't work up here) Good headnet with ring that keeps net off of body parts. Some are just a net. these can collapse onto your neck and the Alaska State Bird learned real quick how to get food through the big openings in the net. It's bad enough with the dark cloud hovering around your head with a very hungry sounding buzz.

Usually fly with 48lbs of survival gear/tools. Weighed as things change.


I purchased a military survival vest from eBay. It has plenty of pockets to fill. Where my Sporty's handheld radio is. The ARMY helicopter version is the best.

For the food, used to carry Mountain House. Not any more. I made some Hardtack. Plenty of recipes on the net. I chose the one that uses oats. In the process of making a batch of pemmican, finally found a source locally for the grass fed beef tallow needed. With this tallow, pemmican supplies 100% of human daily requirements. It tastes bad for a reason, it is true survival food. Vacuum bagging on the hardtack will keep for 50-years. All of my survival food now weighs less and takes up less room than the mountain house I used to carry.

A final thing I did: Took an elective class when getting my AA Degree from the UAA (University of Alaska Anchorage)-Wilderness First Responder, this training was very impressive. Once certified-you can do some things in the Wilderness that paramedics can't do in a town.

Mike
 
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And I’d expand on Dave’s idea with this common survival adage “If you’re not wearing it when you go down, you don’t have it!”

This is from post 16, Ironflight. Paul, (or anyone else), do you know if one can buy an already made "airplane" survival vest?? Or is it something you make on your own. Yeah, I agree, if it ain't on you, you are probably not going to have access to it. I'm "always" over the north Georgia mountains. Had a friend crash and get killed there about 10 years ago.
 
I have a fishing vest that I put things into and sometimes use. But I don't use it much since it's fairly bulky, especially if I have any survival water containers in it. In fact I wonder how hard it would be to get out of a wrecked plane with it on. Something to consider....

There's got to be a happy balance (I haven't achieved that yet), but on the other hand, there's got to be the right equipment for where you'll be flying.

Dave
 
In a former life I was a SERE instructor, went to the SERE instructor course at Fort Bragg in '82 while Nick Rowe was commandant. You need a good knife, a couple of ways to make a fire. Bic lighters are cheap and effective but don't work when wet but will work again once dried out. Life boat matches and vaseline soaked cotton balls make a good second source. The crashed plane will likely be a good source of shelter and other useful stuff. Paracord can make lots of useful stuff like fishing line from the guts. A few small fish hooks can come in handy. Food is way down on the list of priorities as most folk can last a month or more with no food. Water! A little to get you started like a quart plus a way to treat and store it. Military water purification tables (iodine) and regular household bleach both work. Put the bleach in one of the little plasic food coloring bottles that will give you a really tough container plus a means of measuring drops. Platypus makes some nice folding bladders for storing/treating water. Space blanket. Compass. Signal mirror. Put it all in a small backpack. Dry Ducks make lightweight rain gear/ponchos that is cheap and light. The poncho is probably the most versitile.

We carried a SERE kit on our person, small enough to fit in a pocket. Mine was in a taped up Sucrets container. Mine had a small knife, Gerber LST mini, small Bic, button compass, bone saw, Lomotil, water purification tablets. Braided fishing line and a couple of very small hooks.

Look at what the military puts in their aircraft survival packs. Military pilots generally don't have a broke airplane to work with.
 
In a former life I was a SERE instructor, went to the SERE instructor course at Fort Bragg in '82 while Nick Rowe was commandant. You need a good knife, a couple of ways to make a fire. Bic lighters are cheap and effective but don't work when wet but will work again once dried out. Life boat matches and vaseline soaked cotton balls make a good second source. The crashed plane will likely be a good source of shelter and other useful stuff. Paracord can make lots of useful stuff like fishing line from the guts. A few small fish hooks can come in handy. Food is way down on the list of priorities as most folk can last a month or more with no food. Water! A little to get you started like a quart plus a way to treat and store it. Military water purification tables (iodine) and regular household bleach both work. Put the bleach in one of the little plasic food coloring bottles that will give you a really tough container plus a means of measuring drops. Platypus makes some nice folding bladders for storing/treating water. Space blanket. Compass. Signal mirror. Put it all in a small backpack. Dry Ducks make lightweight rain gear/ponchos that is cheap and light. The poncho is probably the most versitile.

We carried a SERE kit on our person, small enough to fit in a pocket. Mine was in a taped up Sucrets container. Mine had a small knife, Gerber LST mini, small Bic, button compass, bone saw, Lomotil, water purification tablets. Braided fishing line and a couple of very small hooks.

Look at what the military puts in their aircraft survival packs. Military pilots generally don't have a broke airplane to work with.

Probably the best summary I could give in terms of what is in my vest…plus the PLB, of course! I look at food as something to just give my mouth something to do - not really trying to keep me alive, because the PLB should be getting me long before I need to worry about calories! Water is in all our planes, and whether I carry it in my vest is dependent on the terrain over which I am flying.

In answer to questions, my vest is a very rugged fishing vest - not too small, not too large, and I wear it even when I have a parachute. And yes, I have practiced egresses with it, and it doesn;t hinder me for ground or air egress. YMMV, so practice with what you’ve got.
 
I just updated my personal SERE kit. Altoids tin, slight larger than the old Sucrets tin. Inside: Leatherman Micra (scissors, knife, tweezers, screwdrivers, etc) mini-Bic wrapped with 50' 10lb Spiderwire fishing line (very tiny, very strong, can be used to fish or sew or anything in between). high quality liquid filled button compass, 3' 1" Gorilla tape on a bic pen body cut down to 1", 2 needles treaded with Spiderwire, pint Ziploc bag for water treatment, 8 Aquatabs, 20' of small diameter braded line about 100' test, 2 soda straws about 2" long with the end melted containing Neosporin and Betadine, 2g Celox (stops massive bleading) and a mini LED light.

Not much in the way of food or shelter. In a survival situation you should have what you have on and maybe a crashed airplane. You can do without food for a month, without water for maybe three days.

I have a much larger survival kit in the RV-4 that is in a backpack. I might go into that later
 
Survival gear

Was in the Army dental corps in the past. I have carried Dental floss with me into the wild any and all the time.
It is very light, strong, and useful. I once used it to tie a deer to a pole to drag out of a canyon and a mile back to the truck.
Good stuff. Yes paracord is strong and I have it cause I have done rock climbing. But, I can carry a lot more dental floss for the same weight. And you can even floss your teeth with it.
To bad my .357 magnum weights so much, But, that is a must carry. Bears give me shudders. I like to eat not be eaten.
Another great idea. Art
 
Spyderwire is much smaller, much lighter, much stronger and you can use it for dental floss. I have a Glock subcompact in .357 Sig that I keep in the survival pack.
 
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