Survival kit

[stiknruda]

Was pondering about taking my single seat biplane to Ireland later this week and looked at the 60 odd miles of Irish sea and had second thoughts!

I don't have room for a dinghy, would wear a life vest and then I recalled that when I was in, years ago - we were issued with mini-flares and a very neat heliograph.

Given that my mobile would probably be u/s after it was dunked, I wonder where I could get hold of heliograph and flares.

Any suggestions?

Thanks

Stik

[John (Gary) Cooper]

Try your local ships chandler, loads of these people up in Norfolk

[chippy63]

Stik,

You could try a yacht chandlery.
You may find a link on

www.passion-4.net/yachtchandlers/[/URL]

Sorry, don't seem to be able to get the link thingy working.

(edited: well the link did appear after all.)

[ExGrunt]

I recommend the old infantryman's solution - stick your mobile in a couple of ziplock freezer bags. :ok:

Also texts use a lot less power than a voice call, so your battery will last longer. If you get an Irish cell you will need to use the full international number eg +44 or +353 etc.

I also have a hazy memory of a helo pilot who ditched in the Irish Sea years ago and found the water REALLY cold and was only saved by his survival suit (which people laughed at him for wearing) -perhaps someone with a better memory could give you more details.

Regards

EG

[topcat450]

try looking at McMurdo (http://www.mcmurdo.co.uk/)

They do all those flares & signals thingies..I had a quick look and they've got flares, smoke sticks, & distress packs containing combinations of flares in waterproof containers.

[chippy63]

Stik,
Go the whole hog and get some surface marker dye as well...

[Pilgrim101]

Stik

Take everything you can with you - one short dunk in freeeeezing water can really shorten your odds (!) and anyway, I note you have a spare set of wings so you are on the right track already ! Have you ever practised ditching drills ? Even in a swimming pool, it's effing freezing !!

The drill is to open all plastic wrapped gear as soon as possible because your fingers are basically useless after only minutes in the Irish Sea.

Oh and by the way, as soon as you are over water you will hear very unusual engine note changes, experience vibration at various frequencies and generally feel the hackles rising at the back of your neck for no apparent reason at all. This of course, is usually self induced ;)

[Amateur Aviator]

Marker dye isn't a bad idea, however i've heard that it does a good job at attracting sharks. Feel free to tell me to wind my neck in, but with great whites spotted in UK waters............

only an amatuer

[Memetic]

How about a beacon?

Unless you are pretty close to the shore if the worst happened your mobile would be useless - especailly from sea level.

http://www.flightstore.co.uk/category/use.dept.190.dept_l2.191.dept_l3.0/


P.S. Enjoy the flight!

Edited to add optimism!

[IanSeager]

You could buy a one man ex military liferaft with beacon etc. from

http://www.ejectorseats.co.uk/ses.html (http://)

or

http://www.adamsdirect.co.uk/cat6_1.htm (http://)

http://www.adamsdirect.co.uk/usrimage/h.e.l.p.jpg

It all fits into a very small package

Ian

[B9]

To ensure your speedy rescue in the event of ditching don't forget the pack of cards. Before the aircraft sinks, start a game of patience. Within two minutes somebody will look over your shoulder and say 'put the red 8 on the black 9'.

[Gainesy]

Stik,
Take all of the above and you'll probably not get airborne. :)

[rivetjoint]

Surely thats the best survival aid there is - not being at to get near anywhere dangerous in the first place?

[6nandneutral]

The most important item second to a flotation aid is a thermal and waterproof suit. The RAF and Navy use what they call a once only, in British waters it would be a necessity even in summer. Even better is an immersuion suit used by fast jet crews and chopper boys a bit like a dry suit which sport SCUBA/Sub Aqua divers use.

[BoeingMEL]

I used to fly Coventry to Kilkenny regularly in a Pitts. Carrying adequate survival and resue kit was a nightmare! Sometimes had a friend fly alongside in a Cherokee 6 until coasting-in, (Well, this little gem had 2 engine seizures in the previous 45 hours! )Good luck bm

[AerBabe]

Since no-one else is taking this seriously...
Take some soap, to wash yourself ashore.

Sorry. :O

[jimgriff]

Give Del a ring at SES Ltd at Kemble. He will sort u out with all the survival kit u need.

01285 771171

tell him Jim told you.

[Incipient Sinner]

Obviously you'll need some map and fablon. If you ditch (naturally while fingers not too cold) start fablonning the map. Half a dozen people will immediately com along and tell you how to do it better.

IS

[LunchMonitor]

How about fitting some floats converting your biplane to a floatplane, then the landing on water thing isnt so much of a problem?
Taking off might be though, as somebody did tell me once that to rotate on a floatplane you put almost full aileron on to unstick one float at a time. Sounds very silly to me!!!

[Arclite01]

But change your will to leave the half share in the Pushpak to me though before you go............ oh and your house, car and hangar (but not overdraft)

Seriously though, I've dealt with the guys at Kemble and they are very good - all ex RAF Squippers I think



Arc:D

[maninblack]

Apart from the obvious issue of dealing with the cold (borrow a dry suit and thermal undersuit or even hire one from a dive shop)the things that are most visible according to recent tests done by the RNLI/Coastguard/Diver are.

A green or orange inflatable surface marker buoy. (£20.00 from a diving shop) Tie it to yourself with a bit of string.

A waterproof strobe light. (£20.00 from the same shop)

As for sharks, there is no significant shark threat around the British Isles, regardless of what the newspapers would tell you. Great White and Mako have probably always been around the coasts here in small numbers but when was someone last eaten by one? More chance of being struck by lightning.