honestly, I thought I was prepared after the first rescue. This survival course was a massive eye opener. Survival is a skill that must be practiced. My entire plan around survival has changed once again because of this weekend. Really appreciate Ryan, Stevie and the SAR Techs for putting it on and including me!
I'd love to do a course like this. I used to love being outdoors when i was a kid. Then, i'd have been bullet proof. Now, in my thirties and unfit... not so much. It was really informative seeing how all the little things can throw you off just when you thought you were set. Things like the smoke issue, the rain creeping up on you, kicking the pot into the fire... I felt for you on that one dude, i was like Did he just... Nooooo! Can't wait for part 2 to see how you all get on!
I've thought about going camping a few times along with my younger brother, but just haven't got around to it yet. I used to spend most of every summer hill walking and camping when i was younger. I really want to get back into it it. It would make a change from being stuck indoors all the time :D
Cool vid, If I ever have to crash land in the Bahamas I have an exotic tropical beach as my runway, an airplane stocked with Corona and Rum, and fresh fruits and vegetables as an appetizer to the Mahi-Mahi which will be served for dinner. Come down and film a survival video with me!
Just this week I flew a C172 from San Diego to Lake Tahoe KTVL. Looking down at the Sierra Nevada Mountains I thought I better build a kit. A couple days later FlightChops posted this video. Good food for thought! Thanks FlightChops!
Watched Bradley's story and that was as close as you can get to desperate trouble. Can not even imagine 20deg below zero. Looking forward to the finale.
Something my mom taught me as a kid. Bread loaf wrappers. Put your socks on, then a wrapper on each foot, (make sure you take the bread out first), then another pair of socks or tie the bag up with a piece of elastic or spare boot lace. Anything you can wrap and tie with. You may be freezing but your feet will be warm and dry. Warm dry feet can haul you down off that mountain. Thanks mom.
Flight Chops at about 15 minutes when you started your fire with the ferrocerium rod it would have been better if you used the back of the knife as opposed to the blade. Otherwise it dulls the knife out. Keep your flight chops and your blade sharp! Great video!
Steve, not only does the content of your videos continue to get more and more diverse, the quality of your cinematography and editing continues to truly impress me. Fantastic video!
This video, alongside the older videos from the mountain flying series, has not only opened my eyes to the practical survival aspect of what happens after the forced landing, even if performed perfectly, but also made me a better pilot to always think of the mission ahead and how it is never over until everyone is safe and sound at their destination. An important lesson of responsibility as the captain of your own ship and the safety of whoever is on board.
Hey! It's Phil, one of the SAR Techs that assisted on this excursion. Great video! I am happy to have been a part of everyone's learning process! Stay safe!
This is really relatable having to do this myself in the woods but just for fun. Watching people survive one day on limited supplies gives you a real good insight on how people think and are prepared. I think it was great to see how all the pilots made camp differently, very nice, and great work once again!
Great video! I'm looking forward to the second part for sure. When I was learning to fly, I always wore a military surplus flight suit with lots of extra pockets and such. Even a good pair of coveralls with extra pockets would be a great regular wear item to keep a primary survival kit with you..
Great training exercise and video. I noticed when using the knife with ferro rod one of the guys was using the blade. This can compromise the edge of your blade. If the "spine" of your knife has a 90° angle use it instead to strike. If it does not, I would recommend buying a striker to use on ferro rod. These are very cheap. You could even buy another rod that comes with one then you would have a spare ferro rod as well. I would use a pocket knife to strike with before the big knife. One rod produces something like 10,000 sparks. If you can learn to use only half of the rod when striking you will now get 20,000 strikes out of one rod, and if you use 1/4 of rod you'll get 40,000 spark producing strikes. Conservation of resources is a very important key to survival. Your large is knife is your primary survival tool. That tool is what you will be counting on for many situations and you never know when your rescue will be. Also I would carry a good pocket knife for widdeling and such. It sucks processing food with a pocket knife so conserve your big knife for that, cutting shelter, and protection. A dull knife is a worthless knife. WARNING: Do not count on navigating with a "button compass"!!! They are only good for allowing you to orientate yourself in a single position, that's all! These things are dangerous, leading people to their own death since they are not a true orienteering compass they cause people to wonder away deeper into the wilderness lessening your chance of being found which results in death. And don't buy paracord or 550 cord from Walmart! Your paracord should have a minimum of 7 inner strands inside and usually multi colored inner strands or one strand is a different color than the rest. These are "maker marks" so the cord can be tracked back to the manufacturing company who produces true paracord. The cheap stuff leads people to be expecting it to hold 550 pounds with a working load of 200 pounds to find out they only hold 50 pounds.....MAYBE! That paracord should be labeled "faux paracord" or "bracelet cord" so those people who do not know the difference don't get hurt. These tiny, cheap objects give false impressions that can kill a person who does not know any difference. Keep up the good work. Fly high my brothers!
Titan survivorcord is an excellent cordage, and one of my personal favorites! I opt for the safety orange, as it stands out a lot more in most environments. www.titansurvival.com/collections/survivorcord
This video is an eye opener. Good info regarding survival. It's one thing to go camping & have everything you need but in a survival situation where you have the bare nesesities it is vital that you know what to do. A good Survival courses & practice are essential to staying alive.
LOL "Ok, so I just went in real time from an 8 to a 4!" Survival training is so important to practice if you are a GA pilot that regularly flies in tricky terrain. Great vid! Here in Arizona we practice both desert and high forest survival skills and it's no joke!
Classic, man! You need a MSR stove and an REI Half-Dome, Thermarest and a light down bag. They'll all fit in an Ortlieb waterproof bag. Maybe 25 lbs. Room for some Black Velvet.
I have a large poncho in my kit. your can wear it or make a shelter under it and its available for use instantly. Flight Chops has rekindled my desire to fly again. I recently got back in a Citabria and I'm back. Thanks Flight Chops!
I loved seeing this. I fancy myself as a pretty durable guy who is prepared for stuff like this but I am rethinking my gear based on this as well as Brad's account which was fascinating. This is some really great work. Thanks for making this. I'm really looking forward to part 2.
The sequence should be 1.Check the immediate area for hazards that you might not see in the dark. 2. Shelter build (the weather can go bad in minutes) make a bed OFF the ground to be warmer, brushwood/branches and twigs will do it . 3. Fire build. 4. Search for water if needed. 5. Prepare a smoke signal with anything the will burn well such as Rubber items. Rehearse (in your head) lighting the signal in case you do hear SAR aicraft.. And if a plan is not working out dont spend precious hours on it - make a new plan. Survival outdoors is all about mental attitude and being able to adapt to your sitaution.
Different hazards down here, but the principals of the seven Ps remain the same. Really enjoyed this, and looking forward to the next part. Cheers - Jim (VH-AHU, Australia)
Loved the video, and looking forward to part 2. I know you guys were struggling, but I kept finding myself laughing and the crud that kept getting tossed at you. This and several of your previous videos have definitely got me rethinking the survival equipment I take with me and what it'd do if stranded overnight. Thank you!
This is the best video yet! I can't wait for the next one! I've grown up camping and spent time flying and camping around alaska but always over prepared and not with just a survival kit (which i have very rarely opened) I can't wait to get some of my pilot buddies together to simulate a survival situation so we can assess what we have in our packs!
I saw a video on survival kits back in the 80's. I think it was a King video, but I can't find it. They said to ignore the stock kits you can buy off the shelf, they are usually worse than useless. They then went on to describe what you should include. The one item that really stood out in my head was to include a carton of cigarettes. I grew up Mormon so of course I've never been a smoker. But even if you don't smoke, you'll want cigarettes for two reasons. First the tobacco can be used in first aide. Tabasco has antiseptic properties and it can help stop bleeding. It's not ideal, but it's better than bleeding to death. The other reason is something that a non-smoker would ever consider. Imagine you have a passenger who may not be terrible fond of flying (Maybe your friend MJ). They have just survived a plane crash (or forced landing) and they are facing a night, or longer, in the wilderness. On top of everything else on this bad day they are having, now they have to quit smoking on one of the most stressful days they've ever had because they have no cigarettes. You'll have enough to worry about without having to deal with a person going through nicotine withdraw.
Great video. The folding saws are great, but for me if I was going to be long term in a survival situation I'd prefer the hatchet. It if more versatile in the long run. If you have the room you should throw one of each in!
I noticed you used the blade of your knife on the fire striker. Best to use the spine and save your edge IMO. This is a great video and really brings to mind how fast things can go sour! I gotta train more.
Knowing the 5 "C's" of survival is one thing. Being in the woods and putting it to the test is a completely other thing all together. glad to see you out there finding that out. I do hope you practice some more, and share the experience, Although not entirely flight related, it's certainly an aspect of flying that should be documented and discussed. Maybe a review of the kit you started with, and what you modified and why would be a nice follow up.
I used to fly a Mooney on business throughout Northern Ontario. Since I was always alone, I had no problem carrying a fairly large survival kit. I got forced down in bad weather in South Dakota (landed in a field) and had to wait 3 days for the rain/fog to clear. So I got to use my kit. My kit was in a hockey bag, and filled it. Pup tent, sleeping bag, freeze dried food. Single shot 12 ga shot gun, with barrel cut to 20". This takes down and was not very long. It was carried inside the rolled up sleeping bag. A fluorescent hunting vest with slugs, birdshot and 12 g flares. My saw was a 24" bow saw. Very, very effective and fast saw. You want a fast saw to save time and energy. A big fat candle with a Bic lighter taped to the side. This provided light and a lot of heat inside the tent. A Gortex one piece ski suit. Light, waterproof and warm. Snowmoble boots, wool toque and wool gloves. Steel signal mirror (which I had practised with) and a spare ELT. (The old one from the plane after a new one was installed.) I had a box of water. A one gallon wine box, rinsed and filled with water. Not filled to capacity so it would not burst when frozen. Bottle of bug juice and a Vapona bug strip to hang inside the tent, in case black flies were a problem. And a thick pocket book, to read while waiting for rescue. If you fly at less than gross weight, there is a lot of stuff laying around your house that would be handy to have in the plane.
I was flying at about 800 AGL under 10/10 and light rain. Suddenly I noticed little mountains going into the clouds and the ceiling was dropping. The prairie below me looked better than the cumulo granite, so I landed. I was low on fuel, so plane was light. I landed into the wind on rough ground, but prop did not hit anything. Touch down speed was slow. Turned out the big problem was the bison. It was spring and they were rubbing their old fur off on trees. If they tried to rub my plane, it would have looked like a pop can that got stomped. The rain turned to fog that lasted for 3 days. I stayed with the plane and set up my tent. I read "Rise and Fall of the Roman Empire." For take off I scouted out fairly smooth path and did a good short field take off. Plane was light. Within minutes I passed a strange sight - Mount Rushmore.
Not a big deal. The smart move was landing. Even without any gear, I could have waited 3 days for the fog to lift. But, thanks to tent, I was quite comfortable, but bored. Also in my kit was: a spare pair of glasses (my old ones). I would be near blind without glasses. 3 road flares. First aid kit. In my youth I flew on a few RCAF search and rescue missions. As I looked down and woods and snow I thought that unless the pilot got out without a broken wrist or leg and had a kit, he was doomed. The ELT has gone a long way to solve the problem of finding the plane, but sometimes it fails and often the rescue is delayed by the same weather that caused the plane to go down. If I was still flying, my kit would have a portable transceiver so I could call for help and talk to rescuers. Give some thought to pro-active signalling. In the winter, snow quickly covers a plane. I carried 12 ga flares, a spare ELT and a 10" steel signal mirror. A mirror is terrific. I once gave a cub pack a bunch of mirrors and showed them how to aim them. They went camping and I buzzed them with my plane. They signalled me and the results were fantastic. I air dropped them a big bag candy bars on a small parachute. They loved the whole exercise.
awesome vid. buddies and I practice this stuff for fun too. It's hard in Utah, we have hot summers and cold winters, high mountains and high deserts. So with that my kit changes with the flight. also a recommendation, don't use your knife's edge to strike the fire starter, use the spine. Will still work just as well and keep your blade sharp accidentally cut yourself.
Perfect video, thanks! These kind of trainings must be awesome - would love to attend. It's a pity there are none where I live. Terrain seemed good enough for camping ; but yeah, it's different to go camping and be ready for it or crawl from the airplane and try to survive.
Ever hear of CASARA, I volunteer with them and it was eye opening to see the least. I went from people can survive anything to holy crap you stand a good chance of dying.
You and Bradley totally planned the release of these videos, didn't you? Awesome video Steve, this is a really interesting topic that a lot of pilots probably don't think much about. We think so much about simply surviving a crash that what happens afterwards can easily be overlooked.
Great video. Great class! It occurred to me that many things done like maintaining a fire and even eating within the first 24 hrs of forced isolation are probably more about maintaining morale(which can turn into the will to live)than a direct survival need. If you are cold and wet, a fire probably won't make you warm. We know you can survive a long time without food. I suppose for the sake of the video, all of the priority items like accessing the situation for rescue/self rescue, contacting the outside world, being seen, etc have been skipped for the hands on of experiencing the isolation. In such a situation after the other priorities have been addresses I would be managing my clothing needs, particularly for hands, head, and feet.
I have put go bags together for a long time. I lived in Alaska for a while. Im not a pilot yet but im convinced that i could last longer than some if i were stranded. I had a mentor tell me that its just as important to stay positive as it is to have actual skills. I did some survival stuff in the army. im buy no means a pro.
Nicely put together video as usual. I live in the desert of Arizona but I want to do some extensive flying in the mountains of Northern Arizona. It would definitely be a good idea to get some survival training.
OMG Steve! Amazing experience (to watch!). 'Real' on the ground efforts to survive the 'unplanned'. Important stuff. Thanks! Blood, wet wood and smoke! You had it all. Definitely worth watching and learning, even for those of us who might camp in the back yard in good weather! Looking for more, as always!
Great video Steve. It looks well worth taking that course but watching your documentation of it was the next best thing. I'll definitely sign up next time it comes around!Thanks!
Keeping warm is critical. In my plane (and in my cars) I carry a fat candle (Dollar store) in a ziplock bag with a BIC lighter. If I sit in the plane or car with the lit candle, it throws off enough heat to keep me warmish. I had to use it once when I was forced to land just before dark at an untended remote airport. the weather was closing in. I was able to call on my cell phone for pick up, but it was winter and the plane heater does not work on the ground. With the candle I was not only kept warm, but had enough light to read a newspaper. A fat candle will burn for several days.
From personal experience (and now you've had some too) lean-to shelters SUCK! I replaces the .5kg tarp that came in my kit for a .45 kg TENT. Found it at a bicycling store of all places. Wrap up in your reflec blanky and stay warm AND dry. Just a bit of advice from and old bugger who's been in bad places... get a wooby.. keep your wooby... luv your wooby! (wooby= USMC speak for poncho liner) IT WILL SAVE YOUR LIFE .... god knows mine did. There is nothing so succulent as being cold,wet and tired w/ no chance of improving any of the three.
Ironically enough, Cycling shops tend to have lots of really light weight camping/survival gear because of the number of people who take mountain bikes out into the trails. Some folks camp like that, some folks just know how quick the weather can turn (and you do NOT want to be caught ten miles up a muddy trail without portable shelter, I think I'm preaching to the choir there, though). I'll back up Mr. Nobody's endorsement of poncho liners from my time in the Boy Scouts. Those things are life-savers. At the very minimum, they make things less miserable. And I'll add 550 cord. You don't need 500 feet of it, but a good 20-foot loop doesn't weigh much and has a ton of uses. (You can cut it open and use the strands inside, too). And more then one way to start a fire. a ferro-rod weighs nothing and will probably work even if your Zippo doesn't. I think I have three or four of these things attached to various articles of outdoor gear just in case.
When I was working SAR (USN) there was a litany... Wet I can handle IF I'm warm. Cold I can handle IF I'm dry. Hungry I can handle if I'm not thirsty. A wooby(poncho liner) gives the one thing utterly lacking in a survival situation... comfort, emotional and physical. You can cope with just about anything nature can toss your way if your comfortable. edited to add: Ok armchair survivalists I know there are extreme situations that no E-kit is going to cover. Kits are/should be made up for specific areas/environments. Previous/Proper Planning Prevents Piss Poor Performance. Words to live by... now go get a Wooby!
Wow, I've taken a few winter survival courses but this really was an eye opener how lax I've become about flying. Some things I took away: 1) Even though I mostly fly over populated areas that's not 100% true. I can easily go down well away from civilization. I need to carry a survival kit starting now. 2) I wear leather work boots flying mostly. Sometimes sneakers. I will always wear boots from now on. 3) Survival kit needs work gloves, knife saw, and first aid kit. That cut after a few days could have been deadly if infected. 4) I live in the woods and should take a day and try "surviving" in my backyard with it. 5) Bring clothes for night temperatures on every flight. 6) Don't put water near your fire if there's any risk of said water putting it out.
This Video was "The Shit"! I do my second Cross Country this afternoon to KOLM, this video got me thinking about building a survival pack now. Thanks Steve!
Both myself and my CFI are SAR Tech's for the same rescue outfit. We have been to many crash sites in our time, and conducted many searches for down aircrew. One of the things about flying in Africa is that if you crash, you probably going to die! At best rescue will be activated an hour after you crash, then still take 2 to 3 hours to group, and if you lucky be at location to begin search at earliest within 6 hours. One of the interesting points, is that my CFI doesn't carry a pack at all... I on the other hand don't leave the house without my urban pack ever, never fly without my flight pack etc... However I still think if I had to take up one of these challenges I would be dealt a wake up call - knowing how to survive doesn't mean you can survive...
Flight Chops, You really know how to bring some cool stuff together. I'm looking forward to part 2. Wonder if the wife would like to join me on such a survival mission. See if through all the stress, we don't end of killing each other. One thing for certain, she would put up a great shelter.
Holy Crap!! The information is sooo good. I am picking apart all the little things in this video to create a list of things to do and not do if in a survival situation. Good work!! I love the content!!
It's much different here in Finland, if you crash land for example in lapland, when it's -20 C on the day and - 30 C on the night. The chances of survival decreases when it's that cold, and you really have to know what to do.
As an Eagle Scout here's what I think of for my top things to have in a survival kit. In no specific order 1: Shelter (such as a camping hammock with rain tarp) 2: Fire starters (I recommend matches wrapped in dryer lint and then coated in paraffin wax. They last a good two minutes and are waterproof.) 3: 100 feet of paracord 4: A knife 5: A first aid kit (for the inevitable trouble you get with the knife) 6: A MRE (Meal Ready to Eat). They come with an integral water activated heater and are nicely compartmentalized for later snacks. 7: A brightly colored handkerchief (useful for signaling SAR and wiping your nose when you inevitably cry) 8: A rain coat 9: at least two extra pairs of socks 10: a whistle Remember this last word of wisdom, you are most likely to be found at the position you became lost. If possible do not leave the aircraft, if you do make an indication on it (if it remains available to SAR teams to find) of your direction of travel. Do not go further than you have to. You waste time and energy bypassing an acceptable spot for a superior one that you might not find.
In the UK, we don't even have any survival kit on board. Just a beacon, flight documents, and a first aid kit. I suppose the POH is great for starting a fire...
All I know is, every pilot who flys in the bush, no matter how far in the bush needs to practice this with what they bring. It will literally change your look at what you bring. My story, while not what I would considered a need for rescue, forces me to use my kit. I did what was planned as a 1 day deer hunting trip to Montague Island in Alaska, late fall, temps 28 to 45. Equipment added to the trip sleeping bag, a 8x8 tarp and a few mre type food packs. While hunting weather changed rapidly, (weather predictions are never accurate there). By the time I got to the plane, fog rolled in to the ground. 7000 foot ceilings to zero visibility in about 30 minutes. It began raining and didn’t stop for 3 days. A day trip that turned into a forced 3 day stay, with not near enough food for that. It was cold, wet and one hungry event. I did have a deer, which I picked off of to supplement the mre food. I did have an inReach device so I was able to keep it to self rescue and not significantly worry my family. Needless to say. Things I absolutely require when flying in the bush that is beyond the faa requirements: #1 Clothing that exceeds worst case weather. #2 extra wool socks no matter the time of year. #3 bare minimum a light weight firearm (380 auto, 22Lr pistol, etc) #4 a tarp for shelter and keeping firewood dry. #5 a waterproof sleeping bag. #6 a 2 way communicating satellite device. #7 extra food for at least 2 days. That can be rationed to a week. #8 multiple ways to start a fire with one on you all the time. Don’t rely on just one method. #9 this one needs to be in your e-kit... TP... not only for your hi-gene, but also makes great kindling. #10 the most important, your brain... stay calm, don’t take risks that will get you hurt, do not expel non-necessary energy. keep it in your head that you can in fact survive, our ancestors survived with much much less. never give up, always have a plan. From speaking with friends that have crashed in the bush, carry on your person what you absolutely need to survive. Don’t expect to have your kit.
It's supposedly smarter to place the tip of the flint rod directly on the firestarting material, then briskly shove the striker or knife down the rod. It creates more sparks, making ignition more likely.
+Scowler - cool thanks. I appreciate the additional insights. Someone else pointed out that I should have used the back of the knife to avoid dulling it.
FlightChops I don't know if they told you, but that only works if the back ("Spine") is ground at a 90-degree angle. If anything, it's more practical to get a self-contained firestriker like the Aurora, and tie it to the lanyard of the knife. Maybe ditch a small knife for something burlier too, like an Ontario SP8, which even has a rasp on the back for making notches. A Silky-type saw is perfect, but it doesn't mean anything if you can't properly quarter the firewood by batoning the cut logs, which is safer and generally faster than using a Hatchet. You still need a flat rock or a stump, though. (Any type of field sharpener should work with an SP8 or similar tool) It should still stow away easy behind the Pilot's seat or between the Pilot and passenger, which is important for Bush Pilots to my knowledge. Definitely less convenient than belt-and-pocket gear, though. Having to move a bag around probably gets old quick, occupation notwithstanding.
Another tip is to do exactly what you said, but instead of moving the knife down towards the tinder, move the ferrocerium rod away from the tinder, holding the knife as still as you can. If you do it this way, you don't have nearly as high of a risk of accidentally hitting your tinder and "spilling" your setup.
@@baron8107 Fantastic advice, I just want to add that you can safely baton with a hatchet, and also use it to split wood into kindling without running the risk of having to bust out the Quickclot lol. It's a lot easier for me to use this video as an example instead of trying to describe it with words, but at the end of the day, it all just comes down to personal preference, and trying different methods to find what works best for you. Based on what you've said, I can tell you know a lot on the subject, so it wouldn't surprise me if you're aware of this method, but I just thought I'd include it to help out anybody else reading these comments :) th-cam.com/video/3TkP-K9GUVk/w-d-xo.html
Check out the "Silky" brand saws on Amazon. They come in many sizes and are razor sharp. Not too expensive, come in many lengths from pocket size to "katana" length that can easily cut through a tree. The blade design makes cutting almost effortless, and I've used it to process a lot of firewood (even hardwood) quickly without even breaking a sweat.
"Mans flight through life is sustained by his knowledge." This video presentation is a very good start to a subject vital to anyone involved in any type of bush or remote flying. But there is much more to the subject of pilot survival considerations and the knowledge and skills necessary for an event that will hopefully never happen. I invite anyone in Alaska or interested in spending January through April in Alaska to enroll in my "Flying The Alaska Bush" class offered at the University of Alaska Anchorage during the spring semester. This classroom course covers virtually every aspect of bush flying not just in Alaska but worldwide. Thanks to Flight Chops and The BC "Survival Shakedown" for an excellent training program. Keep up the good work and fly safely!
I think every pilot should take a couple of hours in their week to look up some bugout bag videos on TH-cam and ditch the off the shelf "survival kits" that you get from the manufacturers; you can tailor your own kit to your environment, your personal survival and general wilderness/camping experience, and to the specific tasks you would normally do, because you may be more proficient processing wood with, say, a hatchet than you would be with a folding saw and survival knife etc. As a little addition, my list of the 5 most important things in a kit (not to make up the kit entirely) are a good hatchet/camp axe, a solid tent suited to your area's climate, a single walled steel water bottle (single walled is very important so as you can boil water in it), a fire starter (preferably one which you can store some tinder in), and a first aid kit that includes various bandages, antiseptic ointment, and medicines for things like aches and pains and digestive system issues. Thanks for the awesome video!
4:31, oh look. It's Frank Sclichting from Exploring Abandoned MInes. He crashed his 3rd plane and doesn't fly (as far as i know) anymore. :( But his videos on abandoned mines in Canada are nothing short of amazing. Hear his hearth setup was pretty noice.
Couldn't help but notice a huge mistake with your survival blanket. The way it works, either up against you or as a tarp shelter, is to reflect heat back towards your body. With it angled away from your seat/bed it was reflecting the heat of the fire to the brush behind you. With it angled like that, you were also blocking some of the radiant heat from the smoke away from you by the top of the blanket. Also, had you kept the shelter in the original spot, you could have built a reflecting wall of logs behind the fire to help the smoke not drift towards you until it was above your shelter, this would have the added benefit of reflecting heat towards you and not to the snow.
Great vid - some hard learned lessons from seconds into the exercise onwards. Forget almost everything you've seen on TV about "survival" :) Most of that is staged for the cameras in a perverse soap opera of organised scenes :( And yeah, saws save lives. I can highly recommend the Survival Russia TH-cam channel for no-BS approach to backcountry survival and equipment. It's run by a former Danish military guy Lars who is fluent in English and is a great laugh too. He lives with his family in rural Russia ( in typical Siberia - though not the bleak permafrost wastes you may associate with northern "Siberia" from movies - it's mainly wooded and relatively flat wet forest though with a long-ish snowy continental winter ) He tries many techniques and it dramatically contrasts "TV" survival shows with real living. He seems to spend one or two nights a week out in the woods year round and has a great no-nonsense approach to it all. Real survival can be brutally hard even if you aren't injured beforehand. Rain can kill. So can wind. It's scary but not until you've seen it up close because we all assume we can just do it. Camping out in your backyard or out of your truck or cabin is a long way from an enforced survival scenario.
Super interesting and informative! I think I might spend a few days of vacation outside in the woods just to get used to the feeling. Aaaand probably so that I do not end up like Travis (on my way to working as a software developer as well :D ). Thanks for sharing the experience!
It seems that nobody at my flight school knows what type of survival gear is in the red box.When filing a flight plan for PPL long cross country we just say we have basic survival gear. In BC we probably need all 4 types (POLAR/DESERT/MARITIME/JUNGLE) listed on the ICAO flight plan sheet.
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It seriously nice to have tampons with you. They are basically really nice compactly packed cotton balls that you can pull apart so you have more than enough to start a fire.
So I watched some of this, then the comment about having gloves! I couldn't go on. Well on my adventure bike, I have nitrile l gloves for dirty work, motorcycle gloves for riding, leather gloves in case I need them. I have a compact first aid kit with Tegaderm Film, analgesics and so, so much more, weighs maybe 12, 14 oz? I carry a nice folding saw, survival blankets (more than one) plenty of fire starting tools, battery and chemical lights, cordage, and waterproof and warm motorcycle gear. Also giant garbage bags are awesome. Four maybe five more pounds? I really carry this for others that might need this more than I,(seems like having all this caca prevents needing it?) however it works for all of us. I cannot imagine ever flying recreationally in a remote hostile environment with less. I carry some of this on commercial flights, not expecting to need it but I can always just go home and put it up with thanks that I didn't use it! I had a friend who survived two shoot downs in Vietnam in helicopters during the war. He carried more in his wallet, back in the states years later, than you do. Oh I didn't watch all of your video, maybe I'm wrong? Be safe and be like a boy scout, prepared!
honestly, I thought I was prepared after the first rescue. This survival course was a massive eye opener. Survival is a skill that must be practiced. My entire plan around survival has changed once again because of this weekend. Really appreciate Ryan, Stevie and the SAR Techs for putting it on and including me!
Agreed on all counts Brad! And as hard as this was at the time, I look back on it as a fond memory - you were a good crash site neighbor!
I'd love to do a course like this. I used to love being outdoors when i was a kid. Then, i'd have been bullet proof. Now, in my thirties and unfit... not so much.
It was really informative seeing how all the little things can throw you off just when you thought you were set. Things like the smoke issue, the rain creeping up on you, kicking the pot into the fire... I felt for you on that one dude, i was like Did he just... Nooooo!
Can't wait for part 2 to see how you all get on!
John Marston, find time to go camping. It would be a good first step towards outdoor survival.
i'd need food around 8 hour mark
I've thought about going camping a few times along with my younger brother, but just haven't got around to it yet.
I used to spend most of every summer hill walking and camping when i was younger. I really want to get back into it it. It would make a change from being stuck indoors all the time :D
Cool vid, If I ever have to crash land in the Bahamas I have an exotic tropical beach as my runway, an airplane stocked with Corona and Rum, and fresh fruits and vegetables as an appetizer to the Mahi-Mahi which will be served for dinner. Come down and film a survival video with me!
+steveo1kinevo - haha - yes let's TOTALLY make that video :)
steveo1kinevo hahahaha Steve 😂😂😂😂
Hahahaha, at least you have the important stuff on board... Corona and Rum! :)
steveo1kinevo hahaha this gave me a pretty good laugh.
I'm in!
Just this week I flew a C172 from San Diego to Lake Tahoe KTVL. Looking down at the Sierra Nevada Mountains I thought I better build a kit. A couple days later FlightChops posted this video. Good food for thought! Thanks FlightChops!
+jato72 - glad to help :)
Watched Bradley's story and that was as close as you can get to desperate trouble. Can not even imagine 20deg below zero. Looking forward to the finale.
Something my mom taught me as a kid. Bread loaf wrappers. Put your socks on, then a wrapper on each foot, (make sure you take the bread out first), then another pair of socks or tie the bag up with a piece of elastic or spare boot lace. Anything you can wrap and tie with. You may be freezing but your feet will be warm and dry. Warm dry feet can haul you down off that mountain. Thanks mom.
Flight Chops at about 15 minutes when you started your fire with the ferrocerium rod it would have been better if you used the back of the knife as opposed to the blade. Otherwise it dulls the knife out. Keep your flight chops and your blade sharp! Great video!
+Harrison Morgan - excellent tip! Thanks! I am a total newb ar this survival stuff.
I have enjoyed your flight videos immensely. Being a bushcrafter this was painful to watch.
Steve, not only does the content of your videos continue to get more and more diverse, the quality of your cinematography and editing continues to truly impress me. Fantastic video!
+Taylor Fox - thanks! Shout out to Treven for shooting this one!
Taylor Fox. Yes these videos are awesome, Steve's level is the level I aspire to be on haha
This video, alongside the older videos from the mountain flying series, has not only opened my eyes to the practical survival aspect of what happens after the forced landing, even if performed perfectly, but also made me a better pilot to always think of the mission ahead and how it is never over until everyone is safe and sound at their destination.
An important lesson of responsibility as the captain of your own ship and the safety of whoever is on board.
Excellent video! Really illustrates the importance of being truly prepared. A "must watch" for anyone who flies anywhere near wilderness environments.
Hey! It's Phil, one of the SAR Techs that assisted on this excursion. Great video! I am happy to have been a part of everyone's learning process! Stay safe!
Solitary Wolf Phil! You rock thanks for all you help! (Ryan)
This is really relatable having to do this myself in the woods but just for fun. Watching people survive one day on limited supplies gives you a real good insight on how people think and are prepared. I think it was great to see how all the pilots made camp differently, very nice, and great work once again!
Great video!! These workshops, mainly about emergencies are very important, i like too much.
Hugs from Brazil.
Great video! I'm looking forward to the second part for sure. When I was learning to fly, I always wore a military surplus flight suit with lots of extra pockets and such. Even a good pair of coveralls with extra pockets would be a great regular wear item to keep a primary survival kit with you..
Great training exercise and video. I noticed when using the knife with ferro rod one of the guys was using the blade. This can compromise the edge of your blade. If the "spine" of your knife has a 90° angle use it instead to strike. If it does not, I would recommend buying a striker to use on ferro rod. These are very cheap. You could even buy another rod that comes with one then you would have a spare ferro rod as well. I would use a pocket knife to strike with before the big knife. One rod produces something like 10,000 sparks. If you can learn to use only half of the rod when striking you will now get 20,000 strikes out of one rod, and if you use 1/4 of rod you'll get 40,000 spark producing strikes. Conservation of resources is a very important key to survival. Your large is knife is your primary survival tool. That tool is what you will be counting on for many situations and you never know when your rescue will be. Also I would carry a good pocket knife for widdeling and such. It sucks processing food with a pocket knife so conserve your big knife for that, cutting shelter, and protection. A dull knife is a worthless knife. WARNING: Do not count on navigating with a "button compass"!!! They are only good for allowing you to orientate yourself in a single position, that's all! These things are dangerous, leading people to their own death since they are not a true orienteering compass they cause people to wonder away deeper into the wilderness lessening your chance of being found which results in death. And don't buy paracord or 550 cord from Walmart! Your paracord should have a minimum of 7 inner strands inside and usually multi colored inner strands or one strand is a different color than the rest. These are "maker marks" so the cord can be tracked back to the manufacturing company who produces true paracord. The cheap stuff leads people to be expecting it to hold 550 pounds with a working load of 200 pounds to find out they only hold 50 pounds.....MAYBE! That paracord should be labeled "faux paracord" or "bracelet cord" so those people who do not know the difference don't get hurt. These tiny, cheap objects give false impressions that can kill a person who does not know any difference. Keep up the good work. Fly high my brothers!
Thanks for adding some great insights!
Titan survivorcord is an excellent cordage, and one of my personal favorites! I opt for the safety orange, as it stands out a lot more in most environments.
www.titansurvival.com/collections/survivorcord
This video is an eye opener. Good info regarding survival. It's one thing to go camping & have everything you need but in a survival situation where you have the bare nesesities it is vital that you know what to do. A good Survival courses & practice are essential to staying alive.
LOL "Ok, so I just went in real time from an 8 to a 4!" Survival training is so important to practice if you are a GA pilot that regularly flies in tricky terrain. Great vid! Here in Arizona we practice both desert and high forest survival skills and it's no joke!
Classic, man! You need a MSR stove and an REI Half-Dome, Thermarest and a light down bag. They'll all fit in an Ortlieb waterproof bag. Maybe 25 lbs. Room for some Black Velvet.
I have a large poncho in my kit. your can wear it or make a shelter under it and its available for use instantly. Flight Chops has rekindled my desire to fly again. I recently got back in a Citabria and I'm back. Thanks Flight Chops!
I loved seeing this. I fancy myself as a pretty durable guy who is prepared for stuff like this but I am rethinking my gear based on this as well as Brad's account which was fascinating. This is some really great work. Thanks for making this. I'm really looking forward to part 2.
Part 2 is coming tomorrow
The sequence should be 1.Check the immediate area for hazards that you might not see in the dark. 2. Shelter build (the weather can go bad in minutes) make a bed OFF the ground to be warmer, brushwood/branches and twigs will do it . 3. Fire build. 4. Search for water if needed. 5. Prepare a smoke signal with anything the will burn well such as Rubber items. Rehearse (in your head) lighting the signal in case you do hear SAR aicraft.. And if a plan is not working out dont spend precious hours on it - make a new plan. Survival outdoors is all about mental attitude and being able to adapt to your sitaution.
Different hazards down here, but the principals of the seven Ps remain the same. Really enjoyed this, and looking forward to the next part. Cheers - Jim (VH-AHU, Australia)
Loved the video, and looking forward to part 2. I know you guys were struggling, but I kept finding myself laughing and the crud that kept getting tossed at you. This and several of your previous videos have definitely got me rethinking the survival equipment I take with me and what it'd do if stranded overnight. Thank you!
Part 2 is coming tomorrow :)
This is the best video yet! I can't wait for the next one! I've grown up camping and spent time flying and camping around alaska but always over prepared and not with just a survival kit (which i have very rarely opened) I can't wait to get some of my pilot buddies together to simulate a survival situation so we can assess what we have in our packs!
I saw a video on survival kits back in the 80's. I think it was a King video, but I can't find it. They said to ignore the stock kits you can buy off the shelf, they are usually worse than useless.
They then went on to describe what you should include. The one item that really stood out in my head was to include a carton of cigarettes. I grew up Mormon so of course I've never been a smoker. But even if you don't smoke, you'll want cigarettes for two reasons. First the tobacco can be used in first aide. Tabasco has antiseptic properties and it can help stop bleeding. It's not ideal, but it's better than bleeding to death.
The other reason is something that a non-smoker would ever consider. Imagine you have a passenger who may not be terrible fond of flying (Maybe your friend MJ). They have just survived a plane crash (or forced landing) and they are facing a night, or longer, in the wilderness. On top of everything else on this bad day they are having, now they have to quit smoking on one of the most stressful days they've ever had because they have no cigarettes.
You'll have enough to worry about without having to deal with a person going through nicotine withdraw.
Eric Taylor very interesting
I thought so.
Yep I'm not a smoker myself, but I have a pack of Marlboro reds in my bugout bag.
Great video. The folding saws are great, but for me if I was going to be long term in a survival situation I'd prefer the hatchet. It if more versatile in the long run. If you have the room you should throw one of each in!
Came here from brads channel, i'll be sticking around!
Thanks for a great video.
+willegard2 - awesome, thanks and welcome to the channel - please enjoy the more than 100 back catalogue episodes!
I think maybe I should start carrying a survival kit...Granted I don't fly in a sparsely populated area, but this video is pretty convincing.
I noticed you used the blade of your knife on the fire striker. Best to use the spine and save your edge IMO. This is a great video and really brings to mind how fast things can go sour! I gotta train more.
wow great video.... an eye opener... never let your guard down, ,,,,
Hey brother, I'm an Air Traffic Controller down in Houston, TX... just wanted to say I love your videos. I kill a lot of time watching them!
It is so awesome to hear that! You ATC guys and gals rock!
My uncle was an a.t.c.
Omg, this is such a good video. As a pilot it makes me rethink what I take on cross countries. Than you for making this video.
Knowing the 5 "C's" of survival is one thing. Being in the woods and putting it to the test is a completely other thing all together. glad to see you out there finding that out. I do hope you practice some more, and share the experience, Although not entirely flight related, it's certainly an aspect of flying that should be documented and discussed. Maybe a review of the kit you started with, and what you modified and why would be a nice follow up.
I used to fly a Mooney on business throughout Northern Ontario. Since I was always alone, I had no problem carrying a fairly large survival kit. I got forced down in bad weather in South Dakota (landed in a field) and had to wait 3 days for the rain/fog to clear. So I got to use my kit.
My kit was in a hockey bag, and filled it. Pup tent, sleeping bag, freeze dried food. Single shot 12 ga shot gun, with barrel cut to 20". This takes down and was not very long. It was carried inside the rolled up sleeping bag. A fluorescent hunting vest with slugs, birdshot and 12 g flares.
My saw was a 24" bow saw. Very, very effective and fast saw. You want a fast saw to save time and energy.
A big fat candle with a Bic lighter taped to the side. This provided light and a lot of heat inside the tent.
A Gortex one piece ski suit. Light, waterproof and warm. Snowmoble boots, wool toque and wool gloves.
Steel signal mirror (which I had practised with) and a spare ELT. (The old one from the plane after a new one was installed.)
I had a box of water. A one gallon wine box, rinsed and filled with water. Not filled to capacity so it would not burst when frozen.
Bottle of bug juice and a Vapona bug strip to hang inside the tent, in case black flies were a problem.
And a thick pocket book, to read while waiting for rescue.
If you fly at less than gross weight, there is a lot of stuff laying around your house that would be handy to have in the plane.
Wow! Great insights! So your 3 day wait was un eventful? How was the forced landing?
I was flying at about 800 AGL under 10/10 and light rain. Suddenly I noticed little mountains going into the clouds and the ceiling was dropping. The prairie below me looked better than the cumulo granite, so I landed. I was low on fuel, so plane was light. I landed into the wind on rough ground, but prop did not hit anything. Touch down speed was slow.
Turned out the big problem was the bison. It was spring and they were rubbing their old fur off on trees. If they tried to rub my plane, it would have looked like a pop can that got stomped.
The rain turned to fog that lasted for 3 days. I stayed with the plane and set up my tent. I read "Rise and Fall of the Roman Empire."
For take off I scouted out fairly smooth path and did a good short field take off. Plane was light. Within minutes I passed a strange sight - Mount Rushmore.
This needs to be a book. seriously - what a story!
Not a big deal. The smart move was landing. Even without any gear, I could have waited 3 days for the fog to lift.
But, thanks to tent, I was quite comfortable, but bored.
Also in my kit was: a spare pair of glasses (my old ones). I would be near blind without glasses. 3 road flares. First aid kit.
In my youth I flew on a few RCAF search and rescue missions. As I looked down and woods and snow I thought that unless the pilot got out without a broken wrist or leg and had a kit, he was doomed. The ELT has gone a long way to solve the problem of finding the plane, but sometimes it fails and often the rescue is delayed by the same weather that caused the plane to go down.
If I was still flying, my kit would have a portable transceiver so I could call for help and talk to rescuers.
Give some thought to pro-active signalling. In the winter, snow quickly covers a plane. I carried 12 ga flares, a spare ELT and a 10" steel signal mirror. A mirror is terrific. I once gave a cub pack a bunch of mirrors and showed them how to aim them. They went camping and I buzzed them with my plane. They signalled me and the results were fantastic. I air dropped them a big bag candy bars on a small parachute. They loved the whole exercise.
Today my kit would include a LED flashlight. On a low setting it would last forever.
Can't wait for part deux!
It's coming tomorrow :)
awesome vid. buddies and I practice this stuff for fun too. It's hard in Utah, we have hot summers and cold winters, high mountains and high deserts. So with that my kit changes with the flight. also a recommendation, don't use your knife's edge to strike the fire starter, use the spine. Will still work just as well and keep your blade sharp accidentally cut yourself.
Love the collaboration episodes!
Perfect video, thanks! These kind of trainings must be awesome - would love to attend. It's a pity there are none where I live.
Terrain seemed good enough for camping ; but yeah, it's different to go camping and be ready for it or crawl from the airplane and try to survive.
love your vids :)
I like everything about planes so I enjoy your content a lot
Ever hear of CASARA, I volunteer with them and it was eye opening to see the least. I went from people can survive anything to holy crap you stand a good chance of dying.
Incredible Episode Flightchops loved it!!!
+Julian Munday - awesome thanks! Glad you enjoyed it!
You and Bradley totally planned the release of these videos, didn't you? Awesome video Steve, this is a really interesting topic that a lot of pilots probably don't think much about. We think so much about simply surviving a crash that what happens afterwards can easily be overlooked.
+Critical Angle - yes for sure - surviving after the crash is a big deal.
look forward to part two !
Great video. Great class! It occurred to me that many things done like maintaining a fire and even eating within the first 24 hrs of forced isolation are probably more about maintaining morale(which can turn into the will to live)than a direct survival need. If you are cold and wet, a fire probably won't make you warm. We know you can survive a long time without food. I suppose for the sake of the video, all of the priority items like accessing the situation for rescue/self rescue, contacting the outside world, being seen, etc have been skipped for the hands on of experiencing the isolation. In such a situation after the other priorities have been addresses I would be managing my clothing needs, particularly for hands, head, and feet.
I have put go bags together for a long time. I lived in Alaska for a while. Im not a pilot yet but im convinced that i could last longer than some if i were stranded. I had a mentor tell me that its just as important to stay positive as it is to have actual skills. I did some survival stuff in the army. im buy no means a pro.
Nicely put together video as usual. I live in the desert of Arizona but I want to do some extensive flying in the mountains of Northern Arizona. It would definitely be a good idea to get some survival training.
OMG Steve! Amazing experience (to watch!). 'Real' on the ground efforts to survive the 'unplanned'. Important stuff. Thanks! Blood, wet wood and smoke! You had it all. Definitely worth watching and learning, even for those of us who might camp in the back yard in good weather! Looking for more, as always!
Great video Steve. It looks well worth taking that course but watching your documentation of it was the next best thing. I'll definitely sign up next time it comes around!Thanks!
Keeping warm is critical. In my plane (and in my cars) I carry a fat candle (Dollar store) in a ziplock bag with a BIC lighter. If I sit in the plane or car with the lit candle, it throws off enough heat to keep me warmish.
I had to use it once when I was forced to land just before dark at an untended remote airport. the weather was closing in. I was able to call on my cell phone for pick up, but it was winter and the plane heater does not work on the ground. With the candle I was not only kept warm, but had enough light to read a newspaper.
A fat candle will burn for several days.
+peelreg - thanks for sharing
From personal experience (and now you've had some too) lean-to shelters SUCK! I replaces the .5kg tarp that came in my kit for a .45 kg TENT. Found it at a bicycling store of all places. Wrap up in your reflec blanky and stay warm AND dry.
Just a bit of advice from and old bugger who's been in bad places... get a wooby.. keep your wooby... luv your wooby! (wooby= USMC speak for poncho liner) IT WILL SAVE YOUR LIFE .... god knows mine did. There is nothing so succulent as being cold,wet and tired w/ no chance of improving any of the three.
+Mr Nobody - thanks for the insights :)
Ironically enough, Cycling shops tend to have lots of really light weight camping/survival gear because of the number of people who take mountain bikes out into the trails. Some folks camp like that, some folks just know how quick the weather can turn (and you do NOT want to be caught ten miles up a muddy trail without portable shelter, I think I'm preaching to the choir there, though).
I'll back up Mr. Nobody's endorsement of poncho liners from my time in the Boy Scouts. Those things are life-savers. At the very minimum, they make things less miserable.
And I'll add 550 cord. You don't need 500 feet of it, but a good 20-foot loop doesn't weigh much and has a ton of uses. (You can cut it open and use the strands inside, too).
And more then one way to start a fire. a ferro-rod weighs nothing and will probably work even if your Zippo doesn't. I think I have three or four of these things attached to various articles of outdoor gear just in case.
When I was working SAR (USN) there was a litany... Wet I can handle IF I'm warm. Cold I can handle IF I'm dry. Hungry I can handle if I'm not thirsty. A wooby(poncho liner) gives the one thing utterly lacking in a survival situation... comfort, emotional and physical. You can cope with just about anything nature can toss your way if your comfortable.
edited to add: Ok armchair survivalists I know there are extreme situations that no E-kit is going to cover. Kits are/should be made up for specific areas/environments. Previous/Proper Planning Prevents Piss Poor Performance. Words to live by... now go get a Wooby!
Wow, I've taken a few winter survival courses but this really was an eye opener how lax I've become about flying. Some things I took away:
1) Even though I mostly fly over populated areas that's not 100% true. I can easily go down well away from civilization. I need to carry a survival kit starting now.
2) I wear leather work boots flying mostly. Sometimes sneakers. I will always wear boots from now on.
3) Survival kit needs work gloves, knife saw, and first aid kit. That cut after a few days could have been deadly if infected.
4) I live in the woods and should take a day and try "surviving" in my backyard with it.
5) Bring clothes for night temperatures on every flight.
6) Don't put water near your fire if there's any risk of said water putting it out.
This Video was "The Shit"! I do my second Cross Country this afternoon to KOLM, this video got me thinking about building a survival pack now. Thanks Steve!
I always like your videos but think this is one of the best videos you've done, thus far. Can't wait to see more!
Great!. A video with two of my most favorite Canadians :)
+Fabio Pereira :)
Both myself and my CFI are SAR Tech's for the same rescue outfit. We have been to many crash sites in our time, and conducted many searches for down aircrew. One of the things about flying in Africa is that if you crash, you probably going to die! At best rescue will be activated an hour after you crash, then still take 2 to 3 hours to group, and if you lucky be at location to begin search at earliest within 6 hours. One of the interesting points, is that my CFI doesn't carry a pack at all... I on the other hand don't leave the house without my urban pack ever, never fly without my flight pack etc... However I still think if I had to take up one of these challenges I would be dealt a wake up call - knowing how to survive doesn't mean you can survive...
A wake up call to all of us who fly in the mountains. Great video mate.
Amazing content! And part 2 also! It definitely made me consider a survival training in the near future.
Flight Chops, You really know how to bring some cool stuff together. I'm looking forward to part 2. Wonder if the wife would like to join me on such a survival mission. See if through all the stress, we don't end of killing each other. One thing for certain, she would put up a great shelter.
Holy Crap!! The information is sooo good. I am picking apart all the little things in this video to create a list of things to do and not do if in a survival situation. Good work!! I love the content!!
The information is great, but the production and editing are realllly good too.
It's much different here in Finland, if you crash land for example in lapland, when it's -20 C on the day and - 30 C on the night. The chances of survival decreases when it's that cold, and you really have to know what to do.
As an Eagle Scout here's what I think of for my top things to have in a survival kit. In no specific order
1: Shelter (such as a camping hammock with rain tarp)
2: Fire starters (I recommend matches wrapped in dryer lint and then coated in paraffin wax. They last a good two minutes and are waterproof.)
3: 100 feet of paracord
4: A knife
5: A first aid kit (for the inevitable trouble you get with the knife)
6: A MRE (Meal Ready to Eat). They come with an integral water activated heater and are nicely compartmentalized for later snacks.
7: A brightly colored handkerchief (useful for signaling SAR and wiping your nose when you inevitably cry)
8: A rain coat
9: at least two extra pairs of socks
10: a whistle
Remember this last word of wisdom, you are most likely to be found at the position you became lost. If possible do not leave the aircraft, if you do make an indication on it (if it remains available to SAR teams to find) of your direction of travel. Do not go further than you have to. You waste time and energy bypassing an acceptable spot for a superior one that you might not find.
For when you cry?
In the UK, we don't even have any survival kit on board. Just a beacon, flight documents, and a first aid kit.
I suppose the POH is great for starting a fire...
#1 rule, always wear ur aviators in the wilderness! haha awesome video bro ! I'll definitely be using some of these tips in the future !
All I know is, every pilot who flys in the bush, no matter how far in the bush needs to practice this with what they bring. It will literally change your look at what you bring.
My story, while not what I would considered a need for rescue, forces me to use my kit. I did what was planned as a 1 day deer hunting trip to Montague Island in Alaska, late fall, temps 28 to 45. Equipment added to the trip sleeping bag, a 8x8 tarp and a few mre type food packs. While hunting weather changed rapidly, (weather predictions are never accurate there). By the time I got to the plane, fog rolled in to the ground. 7000 foot ceilings to zero visibility in about 30 minutes. It began raining and didn’t stop for 3 days. A day trip that turned into a forced 3 day stay, with not near enough food for that. It was cold, wet and one hungry event. I did have a deer, which I picked off of to supplement the mre food. I did have an inReach device so I was able to keep it to self rescue and not significantly worry my family.
Needless to say. Things I absolutely require when flying in the bush that is beyond the faa requirements:
#1 Clothing that exceeds worst case weather.
#2 extra wool socks no matter the time of year.
#3 bare minimum a light weight firearm (380 auto, 22Lr pistol, etc)
#4 a tarp for shelter and keeping firewood dry.
#5 a waterproof sleeping bag.
#6 a 2 way communicating satellite device.
#7 extra food for at least 2 days. That can be rationed to a week.
#8 multiple ways to start a fire with one on you all the time. Don’t rely on just one method.
#9 this one needs to be in your e-kit... TP... not only for your hi-gene, but also makes great kindling.
#10 the most important, your brain... stay calm, don’t take risks that will get you hurt, do not expel non-necessary energy. keep it in your head that you can in fact survive, our ancestors survived with much much less. never give up, always have a plan.
From speaking with friends that have crashed in the bush, carry on your person what you absolutely need to survive. Don’t expect to have your kit.
How long till we get to see the Spitfire training videos :) love the content, if only i could afford flying lessons!
+RCFlightReviews - it's a long term plan :)
I'm commenting this about half way thru but I'd bring a tent. Have good solids fast shelter is so huge.
It's supposedly smarter to place the tip of the flint rod directly on the firestarting material, then briskly shove the striker or knife down the rod. It creates more sparks, making ignition more likely.
+Scowler - cool thanks. I appreciate the additional insights. Someone else pointed out that I should have used the back of the knife to avoid dulling it.
FlightChops
I don't know if they told you, but that only works if the back ("Spine") is ground at a 90-degree angle.
If anything, it's more practical to get a self-contained firestriker like the Aurora, and tie it to the lanyard of the knife.
Maybe ditch a small knife for something burlier too, like an Ontario SP8, which even has a rasp on the back for making notches. A Silky-type saw is perfect, but it doesn't mean anything if you can't properly quarter the firewood by batoning the cut logs, which is safer and generally faster than using a Hatchet. You still need a flat rock or a stump, though.
(Any type of field sharpener should work with an SP8 or similar tool)
It should still stow away easy behind the Pilot's seat or between the Pilot and passenger, which is important for Bush Pilots to my knowledge. Definitely less convenient than belt-and-pocket gear, though. Having to move a bag around probably gets old quick, occupation notwithstanding.
Another tip is to do exactly what you said, but instead of moving the knife down towards the tinder, move the ferrocerium rod away from the tinder, holding the knife as still as you can. If you do it this way, you don't have nearly as high of a risk of accidentally hitting your tinder and "spilling" your setup.
@@baron8107 Fantastic advice, I just want to add that you can safely baton with a hatchet, and also use it to split wood into kindling without running the risk of having to bust out the Quickclot lol. It's a lot easier for me to use this video as an example instead of trying to describe it with words, but at the end of the day, it all just comes down to personal preference, and trying different methods to find what works best for you. Based on what you've said, I can tell you know a lot on the subject, so it wouldn't surprise me if you're aware of this method, but I just thought I'd include it to help out anybody else reading these comments :)
th-cam.com/video/3TkP-K9GUVk/w-d-xo.html
After you where specifically warned about space blankets! And no trash bag in the rain? At least you had your troll.
Check out the "Silky" brand saws on Amazon. They come in many sizes and are razor sharp. Not too expensive, come in many lengths from pocket size to "katana" length that can easily cut through a tree. The blade design makes cutting almost effortless, and I've used it to process a lot of firewood (even hardwood) quickly without even breaking a sweat.
"Mans flight through life is sustained by his knowledge." This video presentation is a very good start to a subject vital to anyone involved in any type of bush or remote flying. But there is much more to the subject of pilot survival considerations and the knowledge and skills necessary for an event that will hopefully never happen. I invite anyone in Alaska or interested in spending January through April in Alaska to enroll in my "Flying The Alaska Bush" class offered at the University of Alaska Anchorage during the spring semester. This classroom course covers virtually every aspect of bush flying not just in Alaska but worldwide. Thanks to Flight Chops and The BC "Survival Shakedown" for an excellent training program. Keep up the good work and fly safely!
I think every pilot should take a couple of hours in their week to look up some bugout bag videos on TH-cam and ditch the off the shelf "survival kits" that you get from the manufacturers; you can tailor your own kit to your environment, your personal survival and general wilderness/camping experience, and to the specific tasks you would normally do, because you may be more proficient processing wood with, say, a hatchet than you would be with a folding saw and survival knife etc. As a little addition, my list of the 5 most important things in a kit (not to make up the kit entirely) are a good hatchet/camp axe, a solid tent suited to your area's climate, a single walled steel water bottle (single walled is very important so as you can boil water in it), a fire starter (preferably one which you can store some tinder in), and a first aid kit that includes various bandages, antiseptic ointment, and medicines for things like aches and pains and digestive system issues. Thanks for the awesome video!
One of the law's of nature is that no matter where you put your shelter, it will be where the smoke from the campfire blows.
Use the back edge of the knife on the flint! Save the blade for cutting up the dinner! Looked like a ton of fun!
4:31, oh look. It's Frank Sclichting from Exploring Abandoned MInes. He crashed his 3rd plane and doesn't fly (as far as i know) anymore. :( But his videos on abandoned mines in Canada are nothing short of amazing. Hear his hearth setup was pretty noice.
You are so good definitely my favourite TH-camr
+Shmorgi 69 :)
Couldn't help but notice a huge mistake with your survival blanket. The way it works, either up against you or as a tarp shelter, is to reflect heat back towards your body. With it angled away from your seat/bed it was reflecting the heat of the fire to the brush behind you. With it angled like that, you were also blocking some of the radiant heat from the smoke away from you by the top of the blanket.
Also, had you kept the shelter in the original spot, you could have built a reflecting wall of logs behind the fire to help the smoke not drift towards you until it was above your shelter, this would have the added benefit of reflecting heat towards you and not to the snow.
3 weeks without food :o not me, i go crazy after 8 hours without food
what an eye opener. thanks!!
Great Channel, Love you work.
You need to watch Les Stroud on Survivorman to really learn back country survival.
+Sean Allocca - love Les, have worked with him several times over the years back in my TV days at the height of his Survivorman days!
14:53 Use the back of the blade to strike to the flint. To prevent unnecessarily dulling the sharp edge.
Damn that guys rockin the captain price beard
Great vid - some hard learned lessons from seconds into the exercise onwards. Forget almost everything you've seen on TV about "survival" :) Most of that is staged for the cameras in a perverse soap opera of organised scenes :( And yeah, saws save lives.
I can highly recommend the Survival Russia TH-cam channel for no-BS approach to backcountry survival and equipment.
It's run by a former Danish military guy Lars who is fluent in English and is a great laugh too. He lives with his family in rural Russia ( in typical Siberia - though not the bleak permafrost wastes you may associate with northern "Siberia" from movies - it's mainly wooded and relatively flat wet forest though with a long-ish snowy continental winter )
He tries many techniques and it dramatically contrasts "TV" survival shows with real living. He seems to spend one or two nights a week out in the woods year round and has a great no-nonsense approach to it all.
Real survival can be brutally hard even if you aren't injured beforehand. Rain can kill. So can wind.
It's scary but not until you've seen it up close because we all assume we can just do it. Camping out in your backyard or out of your truck or cabin is a long way from an enforced survival scenario.
+Gord Slater very cool I will definitely check out the survival Russia channel
Super interesting and informative! I think I might spend a few days of vacation outside in the woods just to get used to the feeling. Aaaand probably so that I do not end up like Travis (on my way to working as a software developer as well :D ). Thanks for sharing the experience!
Excellent video mate
Nice! A more 'down to earth' video :D
Great idea for a video!! I learned a lot, ty
It seems that nobody at my flight school knows what type of survival gear is in the red box.When filing a flight plan for PPL long cross country we just say we have basic survival gear. In BC we probably need all 4 types (POLAR/DESERT/MARITIME/JUNGLE) listed on the ICAO flight plan sheet.
Ugh, bad memories of my Boy Scout days!
Great Video as always!
Useful info in this video. Thanks man!
You used the wrong side of the Blade when you were using the fire steel, that knife had a 90° spine.😂😂
Fantastic stuff guys!
Very good professional quality advertvideo information
Very beautiful landscapes crossed in flight
Congratulations for the video quality of the images.
Sublime
Great video. Would love to see the contents of all of the kits with your comments (pros/cons). Thanks!!
oh the memories!
I'd be draining what Avgas I could from those wings. Good fire starter lol
9:53 What if the engine quits? Just having ballistic parachute would act like a drug when flying around there.
It seriously nice to have tampons with you. They are basically really nice compactly packed cotton balls that you can pull apart so you have more than enough to start a fire.
Joe Smith I have actually made fire with tampons before and a friend of mine did it with dryer lint
So I watched some of this, then the comment about having gloves! I couldn't go on. Well on my adventure bike, I have nitrile l gloves for dirty work, motorcycle gloves for riding, leather gloves in case I need them. I have a compact first aid kit with Tegaderm Film, analgesics and so, so much more, weighs maybe 12, 14 oz? I carry a nice folding saw, survival blankets (more than one) plenty of fire starting tools, battery and chemical lights, cordage, and waterproof and warm motorcycle gear. Also giant garbage bags are awesome. Four maybe five more pounds? I really carry this for others that might need this more than I,(seems like having all this caca prevents needing it?) however it works for all of us. I cannot imagine ever flying recreationally in a remote hostile environment with less. I carry some of this on commercial flights, not expecting to need it but I can always just go home and put it up with thanks that I didn't use it! I had a friend who survived two shoot downs in Vietnam in helicopters during the war. He carried more in his wallet, back in the states years later, than you do. Oh I didn't watch all of your video, maybe I'm wrong? Be safe and be like a boy scout, prepared!
pilots are good survivors to ;-)
Awesome!