After leaving the aeroplane, survival is the only issue to consider until rescue arrives. But to give you the best chance of rejoining civilization you should have already made a number of important decisions. Plan for the Worst. The first decision is to accept that. This means you should be prepared, taking into account the probabilities. Single engine aeroplanes are more likely to ditch than twin engine aeroplanes. Approved single engine aeroplanes are most unlikely to ditch.
However, any aeroplane can find itself in a situation where the only option is to ditch. Another variable to consider is the time factor; how long are you flying over water. Crossing a river is usually going to represent less risk than crossing the Pacific Ocean, all things being equal. How should you prepare? First ensure that air traffic services know you exist and carry your SAR details, and take at least one personal locator beacon on your flight.
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Ensure that you have enough appropriate life jackets for everyone and possibly a spare or two. A life jacket not designed for use in an aeroplane is not appropriate. An airline life jacket will also not be appropriate in many aerial work or private operations where the jacket should be worn regularly.
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If you are in doubt about which sort of life jacket to use discuss the matter with an aviation safety equipment supplier or servicing agent. Your life jacket should be equipped with at least a whistle and a light. Calling out is much more difficult than blowing a whistle when you are trying to attract someone's attention and a light or strobe is invaluable at night. If the water is cold or you are flying far away from sources of rescue you would be advised to carry sufficient life rafts to cater for everybody.
How To Avoid And Deal With Getting Ditched
You may also consider using enhanced body protection such as immersion suits in extreme conditions of cold. In the water only specialised clothing is likely to provide significant protection. In or out of the water, any form of hat or head covering should be used, you lose a great amount of heat from your exposed head, even a plastic bag will help keep your head warm.
Consider first aid too:. You have lived through the ditching now you have to survive until you are rescued. If possible always wear your life jacket in the aeroplane, it will prove very difficult to put on in the confined space after you have suffered an emergency. If wearing the jacket is not practical be sure you know where it is and how to get it without delay. Once outside inflate the life jacket as soon as possible.
If you do not have a life raft enter the water and move away from the aeroplane, attempt to keep close to other people and assist them as best as you can.
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Make every effort to keep together including connecting each other together by a line should you have one. Aeroplane tie down ropes would be most useful in such circumstances. Ensure you attach your survival and signalling equipment to yourself. If you have a life raft attach it to the aeroplane by a line and deploy it.
In high winds and rough water it will be very easy to lose your life raft as it deploys and literally blows away. Enter the raft ensuring that your footwear and other items of apparel do not represent a risk to the delicate fabric of the life raft. Take all your survival equipment with you and any other articles which could be of use.
Blankets, warm clothes, rope and the like, but also consider the weight of this equipment and the buoyancy of your life raft. Once everyone is on board together with your selected equipment, detach the life raft from the aeroplane and move clear. Obviously, at any time, should the aeroplane start to sink, immediately detach the life raft.
Attach at least one person to the raft just in case it overturns. It will make re-boarding easier. Bail out the water and use the sponge provided to dry the inside of the raft. Ensure the buoyancy chambers are fully inflated, a hand pump is provided for the purpose. The chambers should be firm but not rigid, do not over inflate.
Activate any emergency locator equipment one personal locator beacon at a time unless you become separated and make yourselves as comfortable as possible. Consider how long you expect to wait until search and rescue arrives and make plans accordingly. With a group of people it is advisable to instigate a shift system to keep a lookout for searching aircraft and shipping.
There should be somebody performing this essential task at all times of day and night. Sort out your signalling equipment to ensure that it is readily available should a search aircraft or passing ship arrive in your area. You should educate yourself on how to use the equipment and in the case of devices such a heliographs practise using them. Remember that in the wide expanse of the ocean an individual or even a life raft is extremely difficult to find. There can be few more depressing feelings than being missed by a searching aircraft, so help the searcher all you can.
Make every effort not to become seasick; vomiting will advance the adverse effects of dehydration. Seasickness tablets may be a useful item for your survival pack. Keeping your body adequately hydrated is always an important physiological aspect of survival. If you do not have a life raft and find yourself alone in a vast expanse of water, do not give up hope. Your will to survive is the most powerful force to prolong your life In cold water your largest threat is losing body heat.
As quickly as possible perform any manual tasks before your hands become too cold to function properly. Ensure your personal locator beacon is activated and if possible attach it to your life jacket, with the aerial as vertical as possible. Hold the inner sides of your arms against the sides of your chest and fold you arms in front of you to keep the cold water from freely circulating all around your arms. Hold your thighs together and raise them slightly to protect the groin, again with the objective of reducing water circulation around critical parts of the body.
If you are with others huddle together in small groups of three or four with the sides of your chests and lower bodies pressed close together. Place children in the middle of the huddle. In all cases do not swim to retain body heat, such exercise and associated blood flow will only accelerate the heat loss process.
If you are a strong swimmer you may consider swimming to a shore but only if it is 1 kms. Otherwise wait for rescue unless none will be coming because no one knows about you or your predicament. Even if you do not have a life jacket, do not give up hope Cushions, plastic bottles, boxes, polystyrene pieces, even plastic bags inflated like a balloon can help. But, I read it a second time, and a third time, and it grew on me. Anybody this precise in their writing deserves consideration. We know that taking a different approach was risky. For more on our journey with NakedPoppy, read the first and second posts in this series.
This post originally appeared on Entrepreneur.
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