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Survival Vest

stewartb said:
I choose my jacket outer layer based on the performance as a piece of clothing since that jacket is probably the most important piece of "survival gear" on me. That has nothing to do with pockets. Dress like you'll have to walk home. That's 75% of the survival gear package right there. Assuming you have communicated your position, and that's the other 25%.

Personally? When I winter fly I dress the same as I would to go snowmachining. My reason has to do with surviving being wet, injured, and out in the cold. Been there, done that. And I have walked home, too. More than once. ;)
Click to expand...

I agree with this.

I have two different vests. One for summer when on floats, a float vest with several types of fire starter, EPIRB, bug head net, insect repellent, water filter straw, several paper towels sealed in plastic (better than TP, works as fire tinder, and bandage), signal mirror, flash light, and probably a couple granola or candy bars. I should add reading glasses. I have another float vest with gear for a passenger to wear. The survival/camping gear that stays in the back would be enough to sit tight for quite a while,...but that doesn't count.

The other is an blaze orange cotton duck surveyor's vest bought from Forestry Suppliers. That's for wheel or ski flying. Same stuff, though it's larger and I add a blaze orange knit cap in one of the side pockets, and an extra large, heavy duty extra large garbage bag (again bright orange,...don't remember where I got that), in the back pouch. Probably a few more candy bars.

Neither are comfortable to wear, but what about flying a Cub IS comfortable? Most of my flying the past couple years has been down in Indiana, so I have to admit I haven't been wearing the orange vest. If I have an unplanned landing, if able, I'll just walk to the nearest farm house. But I still wear work boots, jeans, shirt/jacket, etc. I really cringe when I see photos of pilots wearing shorts and sneakers.

Jim
 
Modern day pilots crack me up the way they dress even for Winter flying..... The first two things I would never leave without when flying over remote country is a lightweight axe, and snowshoes....... The next is proper clothing. How we all dressed 40 years ago, looks odd to the modern "cool kat"
Standing around the airport lounge, in his chinos and oxford shirt wearing that Orvis "Ultimate" jacket........
However 30 mins outside in -10 below with a 15kt wind will fold that crowd up in a hurry! There has been plenty of guys crash Cubs in cold weather and get pined in the plane or hurt too bad to get out, Bunny Boots saved their foot from freezing, the guys with their $400 Goretex hiking boots get theirs amputated. An Inreach will get help on the way BUT when the worst happens just before dark and its way below ZERO then YOU are the survival vest.......and Warm n Dry are the two big ones. It is common in Alaska for guides to have their sleeping bag be the cushion in the front seat, I still do. The old trapper that spends all day outside all winter, used to dress in felt boot pacs,wool socks, insulated underwear, WOOL pants and shirts, Down Parker. He can survive brutal weather, and keep himself alive till help arrives or walk out if he isnt hurt. The "Sporty Pilot" look
wont save you. But a Hudson Bay axe, a Bic lighter and your sleeping bag probably will.
E

Sent from my LM-X210 using SuperCub.Org mobile app
 
Floats or skis, my missions are over very remote country. If the 'plane goes upside down in the water SOP is to swim to shore right f****n now. No use clinging to a float, nobody is coming to rescue us before we secumb to hypothermia. All we will have is what's in the survival vest and in the floating "bug-out bag" beside my seat.

Choose carefully!
 
TurboBeaver said:
Modern day pilots crack me up the way they dress even for Winter flying..... The first two things I would never leave without when flying over remote country is a lightweight axe, and snowshoes....... The next is proper clothing. How we all dressed 40 years ago, looks odd to the modern "cool kat"
Standing around the airport lounge, in his chinos and oxford shirt wearing that Orvis "Ultimate" jacket........
However 30 mins outside in -10 below with a 15kt wind will fold that crowd up in a hurry! There has been plenty of guys crash Cubs in cold weather and get pined in the plane or hurt too bad to get out, Bunny Boots saved their foot from freezing, the guys with their $400 Goretex hiking boots get theirs amputated. An Inreach will get help on the way BUT when the worst happens just before dark and its way below ZERO then YOU are the survival vest.......and Warm n Dry are the two big ones. It is common in Alaska for guides to have their sleeping bag be the cushion in the front seat, I still do. The old trapper that spends all day outside all winter, used to dress in felt boot pacs,wool socks, insulated underwear, WOOL pants and shirts, Down Parker. He can survive brutal weather, and keep himself alive till help arrives or walk out if he isnt hurt. The "Sporty Pilot" look
wont save you. But a Hudson Bay axe, a Bic lighter and your sleeping bag probably will.
E

Sent from my LM-X210 using SuperCub.Org mobile app
Click to expand...

I agree. Even in most parts of the lower 48, there are lots of places where, if you were to crash, it could be a long wait for assistance. My agency's policy was that everyone flew wearing clothing which would permit them to survive in the environment over which the flight took place. The key word being WEARING. That is key to survival. The vest is just the few additional items which will make survival that much simpler and safer.

MTV
 
I wear the Switlik X-back in the summer......

I’m from Mississippi and live in Minnesota so.......I don’t fly in the winter....

All kidding aside, I asked a MN DNR pilot once “what do you wear and carry in the winter?” his response was “Dress like you will need to walk home and carry what you would need if it will take 2 days to get there”

Good advice and simple.
 
PLB good device as much i know with GPS. Always carry Pocket Knife with blade lock, Best pocket knife and the multi tool serves other purposes.
Never forget some items to help you stay alive long enough to use the survival kit items.


I love multi tools, small compass is small and best to stay with aircraft and easy to carry.


Tools help to survive during survival time but skill must important and best weapon survival time.


Byron Cook
Author of Outdoor Zen
 
There's a good thread on survival vests and gear over on the backcountrypilot.org website. Some food for thought over there...
 
I realize this is an old thread, but curious. For float planes, when on the water you are supposed to comply with USCG boat rules. How many use inflatable vests vs. actual USCG approved life preservers. Just as a note, many years ago the CG caught me while landing a Lake on the Hudson River and I got a citation for not having PFDs on board, or a fire extinguisher.
 
If you WEAR a "Coast Guard Approved" PFD in your floatplane, you'd better have your funeral arrangement in order because you'll likely be trapped inside the upside-down aircraft fighting against the flotation of those things. I wear an INFLATEABLE fishing vest as does my wife (or other passenger), with explicit directions on how and WHEN to inflate it.
 
I wear an old Sterns inflatable vest with gear in pockets, but one of these Type IV cushions might be good plus to sit on.

Gary
 

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JWE said:
There's a good thread on survival vests and gear over on the backcountrypilot.org website. Some food for thought over there...
Click to expand...
is that the video with the guy who wears a vest so big and full he has to wheel land his Cessna everywhere he goes because he can't pull the yoke back far enough to 3-point.
 
A quick Google turns up several inflatables that are “CG Approved Type III.” Does that mean something different than “Coast Guard approved?”
 
OLDCROWE said:
is that the video with the guy who wears a vest so big and full he has to wheel land his Cessna everywhere he goes because he can't pull the yoke back far enough to 3-point.
Click to expand...

yes. There is no way a person would wear that vest more than 1 flight. Can't possibly be comfortable nor safe to have than much crap wrapped around you. Good gear to have in a survival bag in the plane, but not the vest for emergency emergency use. The vest is much more sparse but has high value items in it for immediate use (fire starting and communication) and perhaps some type of battlefield dressing / tourniquet and a good knife. If its not comfortable and easy to wear, it will never be worn.
 
StuBob said:
A quick Google turns up several inflatables that are “CG Approved Type III.” Does that mean something different than “Coast Guard approved?”
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Coast Guard Approved is good. A CG Approved Type 3 vest is an inflatable type, that provides 22 pounds of buoyancy when inflated. This is the type generally preferred in seaplanes.

MTV
 
dgapilot said:
I realize this is an old thread, but curious. For float planes, when on the water you are supposed to comply with USCG boat rules. How many use inflatable vests vs. actual USCG approved life preservers. Just as a note, many years ago the CG caught me while landing a Lake on the Hudson River and I got a citation for not having PFDs on board, or a fire extinguisher.
Click to expand...

Seaplanes are specifically exempted from the requirement for PFDs, UNLESS it's a commercial operation operating offshore. If the Coast Guard cited you, you should have contacted the FAA. Right of Way rules apply to seaplanes on the surface, but a seaplane on the surface is NOT, by regulation, a "vessel" subject to CG regs.

It is possible the STATE you were in has a requirement for PFDs in seaplanes.....maybe.

Look up AC 91-61A: Here's the pertinent part:

12.FLOTATION GEAR FOR SEAPLANES.As stated above, one of the
purposes of this AC is to suggest that seaplane operators who are not engaged in
for-hire operations provide flotation gear for occupants any time a seaplane operates
on or near water. The following paragraphs will discuss the various requirements of
the FAA and the USCG for the types of flotation gear.Operators must bear in mind
that seaplane operations pose unique ingress/egress situations in which a non-
inflatable, USCG-approved PFD, because of its bulkiness, could restrict or impair
exiting the seaplane.For this reason, the FAA recommends the use of FAA or
USCG-approved, inflatable PFD in not-for-hire operations.For-hire operators must
use FAA-approved PFD.

a.USCG Requirements. Title 33 CFR part 175, section 175.15 (USCG
regulation), requires a PFD for each occupant on all vessels, but this does not include
seaplanes.A seaplane is exempt from the USCG safety equipment requirements,
including the requirements for USCG-approved PFD's.Requiring seaplanes on the
water to comply with USCG equipment requirements in additiontothe FAA
equipment requirements would be an unnecessary burden on seaplane owners and
operators. However, many states have statutes requiring PFD's to be carried on board
vesselsoperatingonany inlandbody ofwaterforwhichtheUSCGhasno
jurisdiction.Navigable bodies of water may come under Federal, State, or local
jurisdiction or, in a few cases, may be privately owned.

b.FAA Requirements.Section 91.205(b)(12) requires approved flotation
gear for aircraft operated for-hire over water and beyond power-off gliding distance
from shore.FAA approves life preservers under Technical Standard Order (TSO)
C13f and individual flotation devices under TSO C726.In addition, section 91.509
specifies the requirements for survival equipment for overwater operations for large
and turbine-powered multiengine airplanes.

MTV
 
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