Bailout and survival kit

Does anybody wear a paracord belt? Big, functional version of a paracord bracelet, with about 30 meters of paracord.

Not paranoid but amsteel (1800 lb breaking strength) with a Ferrocenium buckle (fire starter). And my Leatherman wave and flashlight attached to it. All I need is some of that dehydrated water and I'm all set...

Look at it this way:

What will kill me the fastest:
1. Severe injury (might bleed out in minutes)
2. Exposure (cold water/weather: hypothermia minutes to hours)
3. Dehydration (a day or so in a hot desert, not a factor in a wet place even if the water is "undrinkable")
4. Starvation (we all hope we a never stranded this long!)

Now, Are you with your ship?
1. Landout. Yea, lots of stuff here! (Or there should be) Well, maybe. Did you landout in a very bad way? See #1 above)
2. Bailed out? Maybe or maybe not (assuming you did not break your legs landing in the rocks and can reach it.

So what is REALLY important to have on your body?
1. A method to signal (A PLB is my choice, DUCT TAPED to your body! I want the full force of all my tax dollars coming to get me) And this is in addition to the ELT in the glider. Give S&R multiple reasons to come play in the woods)

1. (Yes A second #1) A good whistle (Fox 40). Yelling just does not travel far. A good whistle will not be missed by S&R. And someplace you can get to it while hanging in your chute in a 100 ft tree. Mine is tied to my chute harness and tucked into the riser covers.

2. A basic severe trauma kit (i.e. tourniquet and strong narcotic pain killers)

3. Some basic shelter: chute+mylar/polycro (window film at big box store, strong, light, small, cheap) will protect you from wind/rain

4. A way to start a BIG fire. Really. Burn the forest down. S&R is too slow (Sorry S&R guys, you do some amazing work, but often you have no idea of where the victim is). Start a big fire and the WILL showup to investigate/extinguish it. Yea, a bit extreme, but keep it as an option. Oh, and can you actually start a fire (a small one to keep warm) if you had to? If you are not absolutely sure you can in really crappy weather, now is the time figure it out. A BIC lighter will be really nice to have as will #5 below)

5. Bonus: A knife (small folder, geeze, no fixed blades to stab you in the crash). BTW: this is in addition to the HOOK KNIFE ON YOUR CHUTE unless you like the ride for life across the Nevada desert behind you chute you cannot collapse in 40 KT winds.


My 2 Cents worth.

On Monday, May 4, 2020 at 8:09:11 AM UTC-5, wrote:
I attended Dave Nadler's presentation at the 2020 SSA Convention about his bailout in Utah and its aftermath https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v8I3A3dqsu0&t=3s

It got me thinking about my own preparedness, and I have to admit that I am not carrying enough on my person if I ever "have to go for help." (As our ex-Air Force airport manager describes a bailout.)

I've been thinking about fishing/photographers vests with a lot of pockets, but the parachute and seat belt harness straps interfere with comfort and safety. Small kits like the SMAK PAK are a good start, but I'd like to carry more stuff, like a hat, spare glasses, water etc. I am thinking of an Air Force type flight suit with leg pockets, at the risk of being called a fighter jock wannabe.

Possibly a thin pocketed backpack that could fit between the 'chute and your body, if it could be made comfortable and not interfere with the seating position in the glider would work. But what to put in it and how to you pack it to avoid lumps and stuff digging into your kidneys?

Any ideas or suggestions? What works for you?

Long ago, I attended an AOPA "after the crash" seminar. As a result of that seminar, I purchased a fly fishing vest for xc flights. It's cotton, short-waisted (more comfy for sitting) and has loads of pockets. More recently, the Dan Bass interview on General Aviation newstalk emphasized to me that anything that is not physically attached to your body at the time of crash/bailout/whatever, will never be found again. I also bought a garmin in-reach (which I have yet to activate since i havent planned any xc flights so far in this season).

To be fair, I havent tested my vest under my bailout chute, but it should fit.

Also, don't forget spare glasses! Odds are pretty good that I'd lose my glasses during a bail out and I'm pretty handicapped without them. I actually just added disposable contacts to my bail out kit because they're a lot smaller than my spare glasses.

I always fly with spare bail-out reading specs in a zipped pocket. Very narrow ones that fit in a hard case not much bigger than a fountain pen. Without specs nowadays I wouldn't be able to text, or work my mobile or InReach.

On Thursday, May 14, 2020 at 8:08:43 AM UTC-7, wrote:
On Monday, May 4, 2020 at 8:09:11 AM UTC-5, wrote:
I attended Dave Nadler's presentation at the 2020 SSA Convention about his bailout in Utah and its aftermath https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v8I3A3dqsu0&t=3s

It got me thinking about my own preparedness, and I have to admit that I am not carrying enough on my person if I ever "have to go for help." (As our ex-Air Force airport manager describes a bailout.)

I've been thinking about fishing/photographers vests with a lot of pockets, but the parachute and seat belt harness straps interfere with comfort and safety. Small kits like the SMAK PAK are a good start, but I'd like to carry more stuff, like a hat, spare glasses, water etc. I am thinking of an Air Force type flight suit with leg pockets, at the risk of being called a fighter jock wannabe.

Possibly a thin pocketed backpack that could fit between the 'chute and your body, if it could be made comfortable and not interfere with the seating position in the glider would work. But what to put in it and how to you pack it to avoid lumps and stuff digging into your kidneys?

Any ideas or suggestions? What works for you?

Long ago, I attended an AOPA "after the crash" seminar. As a result of that seminar, I purchased a fly fishing vest for xc flights. It's cotton, short-waisted (more comfy for sitting) and has loads of pockets. More recently, the Dan Bass interview on General Aviation newstalk emphasized to me that anything that is not physically attached to your body at the time of crash/bailout/whatever, will never be found again. I also bought a garmin in-reach (which I have yet to activate since i havent planned any xc flights so far in this season).

To be fair, I havent tested my vest under my bailout chute, but it should fit.

A better option is an aviation flight suit.

Another pant choice is those for sailors that have zippered pockets.

Helly-Hansen Mens HP Foil Pant https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07LFWMR4X..._ysZWEbZ5GJMPQ

On Tuesday, May 19, 2020 at 2:23:56 AM UTC+1, John DeRosa OHM Ω http://aviation.derosaweb.net wrote:
Another pant choice is those for sailors that have zippered pockets.

Helly-Hansen Mens HP Foil Pant https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07LFWMR4X..._ysZWEbZ5GJMPQ

check out special Glider Pilot clothing at


https://www.milvus.aero/english/

Muttley

On Tuesday, May 19, 2020 at 10:03:15 AM UTC-7, Muttley wrote:
On Tuesday, May 19, 2020 at 2:23:56 AM UTC+1, John DeRosa OHM Ω http://aviation.derosaweb.net wrote:
Another pant choice is those for sailors that have zippered pockets.

Helly-Hansen Mens HP Foil Pant https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07LFWMR4X..._ysZWEbZ5GJMPQ

check out special Glider Pilot clothing at


https://www.milvus.aero/english/

Muttley

I own plenty of lightweight synthetic clothing for hiking/climbing. This has always been great for flying sailplanes as well.

I'm currently fixing up a Pik-20E. I'll be sitting against a 40 year-old fuel tank, with no firewall, while the 2-stroke engine slowly rattles things apart and occassionally cracks the exhaust. This has made me rethink my clothing. In the event of a fire, my normal synthetic attire would melt to my skin! A Nomex flight suit would provide a bit more fire protection and there would be plenty of pockets for survival gear. Does anyone know if Nomex will keep you warm if it gets wet?