Best lifejacket?

[liam548]

I have done a search but not found any recent threads. I am after a decent quality lifejacket to buy and own.

The GA1 looks impressive and seems to tick all the boxes, spray hood, light and whistle with a crotch strap.

The GA 2 is suppose to be better but AFE no longer stock it.

What is the best one out there for light aircraft use?

[Pilot DAR]

I don't know what a GA 1 or GA 2 are, so I cannot comment.

For general water flying, I wear a Mustang inflatable, which suits my needs very well. (though it is an automatic inflatable, and when I got to the amphib yesterday to go for a fly, it had deployed itself. Perhaps a bit to damp in there on the previous rainy day! It's reset as a manual now!)

For my cold overwater flying, I have a Mustang Ocean Class floater suit, and more recently a Helly Hanson floater suit. Both excellent, but a little cumbersome and very warm in a heated cabin.

While flying in Hong Kong last summer, I was provided a Switlick inflatable with all the bells and whistles (literally!). Super product, but probably rather expensive.

It all depends what kind of flying you're doing, and your budget...

[liam548]

GA-1 Professional Aircrew Lifejacket £99.99
and
Parmaris 150N GA-1 Advantage Aviation Lifejacket

AFE GA-2 aircrew lifejacket

GA-1 is made by a UK company called Parmaris and is a widely available model over here.

All that it will be required for it short hop GA trips mainly in summer.
Budget is under £100.

I just wondered if there are any other ones out there which are better and arn't sold in the usual aviation stores (which should obviously make them better value and cheaper)

cheers.

[MFC_Fly]

though it is an automatic inflatable

Is that a sensible idea

Think about it, you ditch and the aircraft starts to sink with you in it. The LJ auto-inflates whilst you are still inside the aircraft. One of the main reasons why you do not inflate your LJ inside an aircraft is that if it is filling with water then you will float to the top of the cabin and struggle to get out.

It has happened. In one accident off Australia (I think it was) all on board survived the ditching but those that ignored the "do not inflate your LJs until outside the aircraft" drowned inside the cabin because it was filling with water, they floated to the ceiling and could not get out. All those that did not inflate their LJs inside the aircraft survived!

[gasax]

I'd be interested to get more details of that incident if you can supply them. I carried out some research fairly recently <24 months ago, concerning LJ use in commercial flying service. There were virtually no incidents where it could be proven that LJ had made any positive contribution.

There was one in the US Gulf where a liferaft had inflated in the aircraft and trapped the purser (IIRC) but nothing like the incident you describe.

[Vizsla]

Look on line at any yacht chandlery safety equipment and you should get a decent life jacket for around £50.00 but DON'T get auto-inflate

[IO540]

There is only one life jacket worth getting and that is a life RAFT.

But on jackets, nearly all those on UK sale are made by a firm called Remploy, and they make them up to slightly different specs of external fabric according to what each aviation shop wants to pay for it.

I recall, from years ago, that the Transair ones were slightly more expensive because they used a less sweaty kind of fabric, and having 3 of the latter and 1 with the sweaty fabric I would say that they are worth the extra tenner or two.

Currently, I would consider contacting SEMS in Basildon; I believe they sell this stuff too (they certainly overhaul them) and they should offer various options.

There are some very classy US made jackets but are hard to buy here in the UK - check out Svitlik

[Katamarino]

I have just been given 3 good quality jackets, with one problem; they have both manual and auto inflation. However, it seems that the auto-inflation is a seperate module that screws onto the bottom of the mechanism inside the jacket; and, I can unscrew it! Does anyone see any problem with doing this, and then using the jackets as standard manual ones?

I am tempted to throw the bit I unscrewed into the bath, and see what happens...

[Katamarino]

Well, that was definitely the autoinflation device

[The Fenland Flyer]

Well, that was definitely the autoinflation device

What happened...?

[Katamarino]

A very, very strong spring was released; I guess if in position, it pops the CO2 cylinder seal.

[Pilot DAR]

Think about it, you ditch and the aircraft starts to sink with you in it. The LJ auto-inflates whilst you are still inside the aircraft.

This is a very valid point, and generally I agree. In the particular amphib, in which I do much of my water flying, this is not an issue, as entry/exit is a quite large space of side and roof on both sides of the aircraft. An inflated lifejacket won't slow things down. That said, in most "cabin" type cockpits, an inflated lifejacket inside is undesireable, for all of the stated reasons.

I have just been given 3 good quality jackets, with one problem; they have both manual and auto inflation. However, it seems that the auto-inflation is a seperate module that screws onto the bottom of the mechanism inside the jacket; and, I can unscrew it! Does anyone see any problem with doing this, and then using the jackets as standard manual ones?

The most common type I see (Mustang brand is the example I have) involve a heavy spring held back by a small yellow plastic disc with something like sugar or salt in it. When wet, it dissolves, and the spring is released. It punctures, the CO2 cylinder, and boof, you're bouyant! (and have to spend $30). Unscrewing this part is a non-event. When flying Cessnas on floats, or the helicopter, I'd change to manual all the time. When I take my six year old out on the boat, automatic, in case I go overboard. The manual is just a screw on protective cap, that allows manual only operation (and can't go off when left alone in the plane!). Mine's manual now!

There were virtually no incidents where it could be proven that LJ had made any positive contribution.

I surely agree! But listen for the cries when you go public with a plan to remove them from airliners! False security, left over from "Titanic" mentality!

On the other hand though, I vote that wearing a life jacket be mandatory for any occupant of a "small" vessel, or other device operating on the water. There are many too many drownings where the victim would be with us, were they to have been wearing a life jacket, or at least the search for the body would have been very much quicker. I have done many of these searchs over the last 20 years. Outcome was always negative for those not wearing life jackets. Always positive for those who were. Absolute statistics!

If going into the water is a possibility, wear a life jacket. If you go in, you won't have time in the water to go in the back to try to find it!

[gasax]

It might be an invesment to purchase this magazine!

Video except from their testing is good to watch - Group test: Lifejackets | Yachting Gear Test Videos | Yachting Monthly