A few days ago, I posted a story where an Alaskan Trooper in an R44 responded to a Cessna 185 that had crashed into Cook Inlet, in rough seas. The Trooper, alone in the 44, managed to drop a raft to the three passengers of the 185, as they stood on the tail section of a sinking aircraft. Absent that action, it seems likely they would have perished.
As I often end up flying over the water up here in Alaska, in a pop-out float equipped 407, besides wondering how I can be rescued
, I think about what assistance I could provide to others. There is generally a Winslow raft in the left rear facing seat, although I couldn't imagine be able to reach and drop that when alone in the right front seat.
Any ideas of what one could do, without wrecking their ship in the process? Close to shore, I could see getting someone over a skid, but that seems unlikely to be successful further out. If you popped the floats, could you get people into the ship as a single pilot?