Safety

Safety and Survival Equipment


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Cirrus SR22 fitted with a CAPS whole aircraft parachute system My Royal Navy training and a lifetime of involvement with the sea (including being in it and under it in extreme conditions around the world) have resulted in my paying great attention to the safety and survival aspects of flying. Most of my flying to date has been in South East Asia, over remote jungle or ocean, and I have always worked on the premise that if you make good plans to survive, then there is a much greater chance you will when the unexpected happens.

Planning for survival in emergency has been a considerable focus during the planning of this trip which presents a number of new challenges for me. The planned route crosses several different extremes of terrain and climate from Ice Caps and the extreme North Atlantic Ocean to deserts, mountains and tropical jungles.

My survival philosophy for this trip can be summarised as follows:

  • A Cirrus SR22 is fitted with a CAPS whole aircraft parachute system. If used properly in an emergency according to a practised drill, the CAPS should ensure any emergency over virtually any terrain is survivable.
  • On that assumption, the challenge is to be properly equipped and prepared to ensure survival for a period of several days on the ground and to summon Search and Rescue assistance.
  • N238JG will carry sufficient quality and quantity of survival equipment to do this and we will practice use and deployment of the equipment in advance.

The following Safety Equipment will be carried onboard N238JG:

  • Winslow Ultra-Light FA-AV (UL) Type One Liferaft
  • Doug Ritter Ultimate Aviator Survival Pack (& Plus 2 Add-on Module)
  • Survival Dry Suits (with undersuit, gloves, Balaclava hats)
  • Aviation Lifejackets
  • Jotron Strobe lights (on each Lifejacket)
  • Hi-Visibility 40' marker streamer (on each lifejacket)
  • Arctic grade sleeping bags
  • 406 MHz ELT in aircraft
  • McMurdo 406MHz / GPS Personal Locator Beacons
  • Jotron 125.5 Personal Locator Beacon
  • Iridium 9505 mobile satellite phone
  • Airband VHF Hand Held Radio