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Date: Thu, 05 Nov 1998 21:52:12 -0600
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Subject: Re: Basic Survival Gear (was Re: Tips for Organizing Cockpit for XC)
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Victoria Deaton wrote: 

> I usually have several flashlights, cell phone (I just landed in a
> cornfield...come get me), serrated knife, and some sort of jacket. 
> I'll probably be adding a basic first aid kit, signalling mirror, and > I'm considering gloves (one poster in another ng said that he doesn't > fly w/o gloves and a knife after he crashed and had to cut and pry his > way out of a hot smoldering a/c--which burned and sliced up his 
> hands).  Any other suggestions?

Y'know, I'd tell you I don't carry survival gear.  But when I
read lists of "survival kits" I usually find myself saying "well
I carry that anyway".  A lot of the stuff I do carry could certainly 
be used for survival.

The only things I normally carry which are specific to disaster
are a prybar to help extract myself from planes like Pipers
(I'm serious--renting Pipers I used to keep a full size heavy
duty Craftsman prybar with both ends razor sharp in my flight
bag), a section of PVC pipe to hold the canopy of my Grumman
open, and a halon fire extinguisher (I had a small one in my
flightbag as a renter pilot now I've got that and a bigger one
permanently in the plane).

My husband gave me a titanium prybar for Valentine's Day so
it wouldn't be so heavy, wasn't that sweet? :)  OK, so I used
to be an EMT and I have nightmares about extraction problems.

I try to carry enough water to last a day; a couple gallons in 
the back of the luggage compartment help the CG anyway. Over 
regions where I'd anticipate more than a day's walk to get to people
(rare E of Miss.) I carry water purification tablets if I'm not 
camping; over desert I carry a solar still (very cheap to assemble 
and light).  When I'm camping I have a lightweight water filter.

I also carry enough clothing to be comfortable all day outdoors
in the prevailing weather.  In winter this sometimes means a
duffle full of extra clothing on the back seat: windpants,
windbreaker, neoprene face mask, ski goggles, thick mittens and
hat, gaiters etc.  Sometimes it all goes on while I'm preflighting
the plane or before I get out to tie down!

Everything else which I'd use for survival is carried for
some other purpose.  Radio and GPS of course.  Other examples:
	three sections of rope; small airports near interesting
          destinations don't always have FBOs and tiedown ropes
          though usually there are tiedown points
	two tarps; keeps frost and snow off the wings overnight
	bright red pile blanket (pile stays warm when wet) for
          keeping pax toasty at altitude
	soft leather gloves, I wear 'em when preflighting but
          yeah, they're handy where I could put 'em on if time
          allowed in impending forced landing or fire
	a few tools, plastic wire ties, duct tape, safety wire etc
	  various rags
        bug repellant, I'm not kidding, I carry a bottle in the plane
          after being attacked by the Hordes from Hell while tying down
          at one airport. 
 	metal bandaid box full of bandaids, tampons, various pain
          relievers, tums.  Tampons and a rag or bandanna make an
          excellent pressure bandage, what are they designed for
          after all?  Also small tube of liquid soap.
	another metal bandaid box full of crackers and peppermints
          for queasy tummies
 
I always have a knife, a leatherman tool, a minimaglite, several
kinds of matches and additional asprin, tylenol, etc in my purse.

But you know, that's really not survival gear, any of it, even
though if I couldn't build a toasty dry shelter just about anywhere
with two tarps rope the seat cushions from a plane and a pile blanky
or get and keep a fire started with matches oil and gas, I'm in
serious trouble.  If I get out with my wits intact, not too
serious injuries, and I use somewhat what I've learned, I know
I'll be fine, the rest of that stuff is just for convenience.

Survival is a state of mind.

Snowbird	

PS
If you carry any gear, practice until you know how to use it readily.
Signal mirror, for example; takes practice to aim the flash just where
you want.  Make sure you can really start a fire with the matches you
carry, really make smoke with the smoke canister or whatever.


