Survival Kits
Gatvol
Joined: Jun 2000
Posts: 4,197
Likes: 1
From: KLAS/TIST/FAJS/KFAI
Having an unwritten agreement about your boss looking for the black smoke column after the third day works too...helicopters make very nice signal fires. Granted there is not left to overhaul or sale if done right
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 900
Likes: 26
From: The Wild West... and Oz
Sat-phones are now quite affordable, see here: http://www.satellitephonestore.com/i...lite-phone.php
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 18
Likes: 0
From: Czech republic
Check this. Thuraya seems to be quite cheeper. But coverage is limited.
http://store.ustronics.us/bthursatphon.html
http://store.ustronics.us/bthursatphon.html
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 330
Likes: 0
From: St Johns, Newfoundland,Canada
Currently moving drills in N.Ontario with B2. It is at the moment -36C with wind chill of -47C Brrrrrrrrrrrrrr!!. 
I never leave camp for shift changes, drill moves, without full survival gear on aircraft. This includes standard 6 man, 5 day survival kit with all usual goodies, plus snowshoes, axe, saw etra food, ie granola bars and stuff that wont freeze and most importantlly far as i;m concerned, sleeping bags. and a couple of good quality lighters I also carry my Snowgoose winter coat (although too bulky to fly in) a good pair of gloves and personal pack with a change of clothes and small luxeries, ie spare couple packs of smokes. Even if shift change is only a 10 minute flight I carry everything. Once spent 6 hours on the ice with a broken machine in the Artic at -50, no fun but survival kit made it bearable and was a real moral booster (even the chicken noodle soup was starting to look good) 
I never leave camp for shift changes, drill moves, without full survival gear on aircraft. This includes standard 6 man, 5 day survival kit with all usual goodies, plus snowshoes, axe, saw etra food, ie granola bars and stuff that wont freeze and most importantlly far as i;m concerned, sleeping bags. and a couple of good quality lighters I also carry my Snowgoose winter coat (although too bulky to fly in) a good pair of gloves and personal pack with a change of clothes and small luxeries, ie spare couple packs of smokes. Even if shift change is only a 10 minute flight I carry everything. Once spent 6 hours on the ice with a broken machine in the Artic at -50, no fun but survival kit made it bearable and was a real moral booster (even the chicken noodle soup was starting to look good)
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 74
Likes: 0
From: Wiltshire
Chaps,
Surprised no one mentioned this so far, the basics of any survival are:
Protection
Location
Water
Food
So much of what you take depends on what you are doing, where, when, how much space in helicopter have you got, who's side you are on etc. Always pack for that unscheduled landing.
In another life I remember being distinctly happier with 20 heavily armed soldiers down the back, that covered the first two quite nicely. Nowadays don't think you can go too far wrong with a company credit card and a mobile phone.
Surprised no one mentioned this so far, the basics of any survival are:
Protection
Location
Water
Food
So much of what you take depends on what you are doing, where, when, how much space in helicopter have you got, who's side you are on etc. Always pack for that unscheduled landing.
In another life I remember being distinctly happier with 20 heavily armed soldiers down the back, that covered the first two quite nicely. Nowadays don't think you can go too far wrong with a company credit card and a mobile phone.
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 198
Likes: 0
From: London
Here's Doug Ritter's Equipped To Survive, Aviation Survival webpages.
Well worth reading. Thoroughly!
ETS also reviews and tests lots of aviation survival equipment.
Doug Ritter is also a pilot whom designs, builds and uses the ETS survival kits.
Best Glide, here, also specialize in aviation survival kits.
If over water, perhaps consider this.
Hope this helps.
Well worth reading. Thoroughly!
ETS also reviews and tests lots of aviation survival equipment.
Doug Ritter is also a pilot whom designs, builds and uses the ETS survival kits.
Best Glide, here, also specialize in aviation survival kits.
If over water, perhaps consider this.
Hope this helps.
Last edited by heli-cal; 16th December 2009 at 23:45. Reason: To add info.
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 645
Likes: 0
From: Center of the Universe
Doug Ritter is also a pilot whom designs, builds and uses the ETS survival kits.
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 17
Likes: 0
From: Austria
created an own kit
We do mostly fly external cargo in the Alps. Probably not so remote as most of you guys are but still hostile area. As most of the kits I found were based on over water operations I created an own kit with compass, knife, waterproof matches, vitamin bars, water disinfection pills, Light signal guns, and some other small stuff all together in a waterproof box. That should do it!
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 409
Likes: 0
From: Toledo, OH
When talking about survival kits, IMO what you put together yourself may actually be superior to what you could buy. Mostly because you can tailor it to your locale. But it does need to be small and light enough for you to carry it on your person. If you need it, it is quite likely that you will have to leave in a hurry. One of the most important things to carry is a good knife. It doesn't need to be a Crocodile Dundee type of knife, but it does need to be sharp. Plus you need to wear practical clothing. Way too often you see guys wearing just shorts, a T shirt and flip flops. In a survival situation this type of clothing will degrade your chances of survival. Sturdy pants or jeans, good practical footware and strudy shirt will help increase your survival chances.
