Standards for Life Jackets

[PlankBlender]

Can anyone shed light on the standards required for life jackets?

CAO 5.1.6 just says "comply with a standard approved by CASA", and the associated CAO 103.13 was repealed in November 2007..

Is there a technical standard that a jacket has to comply with, or can I take any inflatable one with a whistle attached?

[Lasiorhinus]

As long as it has a light for attracting sharks, and a little mouthpiece for "top-up".

Top up? I dont want "top up", I want "stays-up!" Its got a hole in it in the bit where you top it up......

[Islander Jock]

There are a number of TSOs for Aviation life jackets and EAM, Hoover and RFD seem to have these. Normally TSO C13. Some jackets do get marketed as aviation or helicopter life jackets without a TSO approval.

The best ones for continuous overwater use are either the yoke type or the ones you wear with a belly band in the pouch. I get pretty frustrated when I see people coming into places like Rottnest on a weekend with jackets pulled out of the pouches and flapping all over the place. Inspection certification is void once the packet is opened.:ugh:

[ForkTailedDrKiller]

Standard 1 - Its gotta float!

Dr :8

[mypilot]

I really don't know how some of these life jackets are supposed to save passengers lives. When I was doing the my wet drill my mouth was barely above the water with the life jacket inflated. That was in a calm pool so even though they technically float I think your chances of surving a ditching are slim with the common life jackets found in GA.