gbflyer wrote:Satellite phone and a credit card. Good heavy coat, lighter (for wreckage) and some water.

+++1

And the insurance company on auto-dial, so you can call them to come pick up "their" airplane.

Gump

Maybe I am unusual but I have had two flat tires operating off airport in a little over 3000 hours. 1st time it was a 31" ABW around 2006 and it had two fairly large holes about 3" apart. They had to each have there own patch, the holes were at least 1/4" diameter. I walk the gravel bar looking for what caused it and never could find it. I sent the tire to Wup for repair and they could not make it good again.

The second time was a few years back on 35" ABW, again two small (nails from a board probably) holes close together but still required a patch for each. These tire went flat very quickly and there was no way to get going without fixing them.

A patch kit is a must in my book... Also know how to hand prop, this should not be an emergency!

Sometimes it makes sense to carry spares, even if you're not going off-airport.
Think about having a flat when you've ripped the valve stem out--
a lot of airports, you can borrow a jack or tools but you'd be lucky to find even a 600x6 spare tube.
An 850x6 or tailwheel tube? Forget about it.
I carry a spare main tube (850), and a spare (used) tailwheel tire with tube.
Also a small tool kit, and a bicycle pump.

Valve stem. Good call! I have a few in my truck but forgot about them in this application. Nothing more frustrating than watching air pour out of a perfectly good tire, stopping it with your finger and realizing your arms are too short (and slow) to hold it through takeoff, cruise and landing.
[EDIT: JUST REALIZED THIS DOESN'T APPLY TO TUBED TIRES. DISREGARD]

Personally, I am really comfortable with an axe and my parents ensured I had plenty of -40 axe training as a kid. Even wet wood splits like a hot damn on a really cold day. I wrestle with the choice between a Gransfors small forest axe and a Husquvarna large forest axe (my Gransfors large forest axe stays in my truck) but I'll probably choose the Husquvarna so I don't cry if I have to use it to hammer stuff. I plan to notch out a hockey puck to sit on top of my aluminum stakes so i don't ruin them or the axe while impaling them. Plus, I think it is in the CARs that all Canadian registered a/c must have a puck on board somewhere at all times.

Like the idea of a folding saw too. Here are two great examples: http://ultimatesurvivaltips.com/large-s ... bushcraft/

I think I've come up with a way to lift a wheel high enough to change a tire in a pinch using a climbing sling with a prusik knot and a long lever. This assumes Hammer's availability of lodgepole pine-like levers, but fun to solve problems like that mentally.

Of course, the words of Yogi Berra ring true: "In theory there is no difference between theory and practise. In practise, there is." I think Hammer's point that unusual predicaments require unusual thinking is very true.

Thanks for all the suggestions. I think I've got a good kit sorted in my mind.

mtv wrote:And, let's see.......I've around 8000 hours on wheels, and no flat tires yet. And that includes a preponderance of off airport work.

Well, you owe me one then. Apparently I'm the one keeping the universe in balance for you.

In 300 hours of bush flying I've had two flat mains and two flat tail wheels. All four of those issues were on good quality tires that were installed 300 hours ago when I bought the plane.

One was from what looked like a part of a turf mower that fell off and landed with its attachment screw pointing straight up courtesy of the plate it was attached to. Made an entertaining flapping sound every time it came around that I noticed and gave me enough time to quickly taxi off the runway before being disabled and shutting the strip down.

One was from a piece of metal puncturing the sidewall of the tail wheel.

Two were of unknown causes.

One of these the tail wheel shredded so badly on landing that the root cause couldn't be identified. I suspect it took some debris on take off, deflated in flight and then ate itself on landing.

One was a main that had two tears in the inner tube of unknown origin. Appearance would suggest a hard landing or other kind of traumatic event could do it, but I'm the only one that flies the plane and can attest to no such event occurring and the valve stem was intact suggesting that it wasn't an aggressive braking situation.

There ain't no turf mowers in the bush! [emoji1]

In all seriousness though, getting found is the best solution for a bush emergency. Go heavy on the comm's. As far as self reliance is concerned, a few simple tools will do. Pretty soon you'll need an Otter if you go overboard.

When I trapped with snowmachine and airplane I carried one of these with a spare blade: https://www.bahcostore.com/bow-saws I still keep them in the plane and with the snowmachine or ATV. Nothing will cut reasonable size brush or firewood quicker. Just keep a free hand away from the action. Best to use both on the saw.

Had a single blade Hudson Bay axe but they can get to jumping around and cause harm on real cold wood. Their short swing is such that they can return their stroke towards legs and feet.

Finally settled on one of these brush axes. Safer and when the handle is wrapped with nylon cord they tend to stay solid in the hand. Example: https://www.amazon.com/Haglof-Swedish-B ... B002GCVO64

GAP

I keep a current list of 135 operators/USCG/Police telephone numbers (Iridium) in the area (rotorwing, fixed, surface) that could operate in the same AOR. With a credit card (and/or cash) most will be happy to help.

Example: In South East Alaska, I would make sure to have Temsco's telephone number programmed in the 9555 Iridium handset. http://www.temscoair.com

* Iridium, VISA/MasterCard and cash in your survival vest (waterproof container).

* InReach/EPIRB for life threatening break downs.

Float Survival equipment Latitude 58 -- 34, circa 2015-16

Note: orange vest is for surface only photograph #10











Note: orange vest is for surface only photograph #10

Some thoughts to throw into the hopper:

I have a small light weight come-along that is very light. I haven't had to use it "for real", just practiced with it, but if I were the only person and my airplane was in a position that I couldn't move it by hand and powering out would likely do damage to prop or tail feathers, I'd use it. I have a short nylon recovery strap to tie around the nose strut, and punching in several of the spikes from my "The Claw" tie downs would give me enough of an anchor to attach to.

For potential flats, I have a small jack (Ford pickup mechanical type, not really a bottle jack but looks like one) and a Cessna leg adapter. I've tried out both in the hangar. I have a compact mountain bicycle pump, which again I've tried out in the hangar--it makes pretty short work of pumping up one of my standard-size mains (it would probably take close to forever to pump up a bushwheel, though). I carry a pint bottle of Stans NoTubes tire sealant with a Stans injector, which would work for any kind of small puncture, such as a nail, rather than trying to pull the wheel apart to replace the tube. By jacking up the tire, I could rotate it to find the leak, pull out the nail if that was causing it, and then inject the NoTubes and spin the tire by hand to get it throughout the tire. It's also easier to pump up a tire that doesn't have the airplane's weight on it.

I carry a quart of oil and a small funnel. Although I've never had to add oil away from an FBO, I'd hate to do the preflight on some back country strip and find that I needed to add oil that I didn't have.

My tool kit is a small Craftsman mechanic's tool kit, modified with some aviation-specific tools (spark plug socket, adjustable open end wrench for the spark plug nut, safety wire pliers, safety wire, etc.). I didn't know about the Knipex plier/wrench before, but I think I'll get a small one--looks like a very handy tool, probably better than the compact Vise-grips that I have. I've added other things to the kit, such as electricians tape, dykes, standard slip joint 6" pliers, long nose pliers. And I've learned the hard way to carry extra aviation screws and appropriate screwdriver bits for them--amazing how many I've lost over the years from vibration and turbulence, even when I've regularly snugged them.

Since my Lycoming's alternator belt is right behind the prop, I have a spare belt Adele-clamped to the engine behind the prop. If I were to have a belt fail, it wouldn't be much of a problem to use the spare belt without monkeying with the prop. I have had a belt fail unexpectedly on my partnered Skylane many years ago, with much less than 500 hours on the engine. While it's true that electrics really aren't necessary to fly, and I've had an alternator fail in flight at night in a rental Skylane so I know full well how to handle it, it would still be inconvenient not to be able to use all those nice avionics I have, or the airplane's lights, all because of a broken belt.

I have fears of an ax or hatchet--I carry one in the survival kit and I know how to use it, but I agree that they can be very dangerous. I also carry a saw, which I'd use sooner than a hatchet. Mine's a "Wyoming Saw", which breaks down very compactly but makes a pretty good bow saw when opened up for use.

Finally, the advice to learn how to hand prop is valid. It's been awhile, but I've hand propped engines from as small as a Lycoming 320 through as big as a Continental 470, but each time I had a competent pilot at the controls. I believe that spinning the prop is only part of the issue. If you're alone, that "learning" also means to adequately chock and tie down the airplane, so it won't get away. It wouldn't do much good to get the engine going and then lose the airplane against a tree or in a ditch.

Cary

First is communication for help - SPOT or InReach - and provide the person tracking me with a list of resources to call, like buddies that can land in the same area or helicopter owners/operators. And then a warm coat to wear while I'm waiting and a folding chair to wait in a civilised fashion. That covers the not self-reliance part.

Duct tape for lost inspection covers or tears, folding saw, panga (for clearing a little more takeoff area), small hatchet. So far the panga has gotten the most workout. Headlamp.

Screwdriver to remove the cowling, or more importantly, no semi-stripped screw heads that would need a good screwdriver. Spare tailwheel bolt, small wire cutters, multi-tool, something to get the tailwheel spring back on after you've bent another half loop into it so you can reattach it after it broke. I might check out that Knipex plier because I can't hold the tailwheel spring tight enough with the multi-tool to get it back on. Small electric compressor that plugs to the battery with enough cord to reach the tailwheel, just because it was lighter and smaller than a handpump, but either is fine.

I have a small bottle jack and the tapered gear pad in my hangar, but it is teetering up there a long ways when you're up high enough to get at the big tires. For hollow axles I've just stuck a short pipe in the end and scissor-jacked it up, slid the wheel out. Have you guys ever removed and split a wheel to get at the tire or tube? Can be a lot of work with all the right tools in a shop. In the bush maybe you could use the jack to press the tire back from the rim, and use that folding saw to cut wood blocks. More likely to send my wheel out and have it come back with a pumped up tire on it, see bush buddies and helicopters above.

What don't I carry? No extra battery, I've handpropped floatplanes standing on the float, and hot injected high-compression taildraggers. No extra alternator belt, nothing you need to know on the panel to get home. No spark plugs or spark plug wrenches, plane will fly home just fine on one mag. No oil, unless I think I won't come across anywhere to get a quart in the next 15 hours of flight. No winch, jeez I spent the big bucks on the ABW so that I'd never get stuck in anything soft.

Cary's post reminded me about spare alternator belts: IF you have the prop off for ??? And your alternator is a belt drive, front mount, have your mechanic put a spare belt on there, secured with zip ties.

Even if the belt doesn't break out in the woods, if it ever breaks, or is just wore out, it's easy to quickly "install" the spare....no need to pull the prop....even at home.

Also, I agree with Cary re: tires. Bushwheel's are pretty easy to patch...."normal" tires, not so much.

MTV

rw2 wrote:

mtv wrote:And, let's see.......I've around 8000 hours on wheels, and no flat tires yet. And that includes a preponderance of off airport work.

Well, you owe me one then. Apparently I'm the one keeping the universe in balance for you.

In 300 hours of bush flying I've had two flat mains and two flat tail whe

One was a main that had two tears in the inner tube of unknown origin. Appearance would suggest a hard landing or other kind of traumatic event could do it, but I'm the only one that flies the plane and can attest to no such event occurring and the valve stem was intact suggesting that it wasn't an aggressive braking situation.

That sounds like a classic case of a tube pinched during installation.....which is VERY easy to do. Good quality tubes don't tear just because.

MTV

Bushwheel's are pretty easy to patch...."normal" tires, not so much.

Seems I'm missing some important bush knowledge, and a component of my self-reliance kit. How do you patch Bushwheels, is it just a truck tube patch on the outside of the tire?

As a followup, I went back into the installation documentation I received with the tires. For pinhole leaks, use Stan's NoTube, for small holes plug with tubeless tire plug, for larger try the external patch. To get you off the gravelbar and home, then send to ABW for a proper repair. Looks like I'll be adding a couple of items to my "self-reliance" kit.

Lot of references to hand propping safety and technique, which is great. If anyone has any thoughts on what's worked for them on an injected 470/520/540 please post it!

Thanks,
Bill

delete

fiftynineSC wrote:

Hammer wrote:


Axe…if you know how to use one. Single bit, around 2.5 pound head, on a 26" handle. If you're not an experienced axeman, learn. No other tool will do so much for so little weight and bulk, and no other tool will ruin your day as quickly if misused. If it doesn't shave hair off the back of your arm, it's not ready to go in the airplane.

.

Hammer, couldn't agree more...glad to see this so succinctly put.

Not to detour the thread, but I've really enjoyed your take on knives. If you have covered axes and sharpening please point me that way. Along with basic tools, small tent and bag, my Gransfors Bruks small forest axe never leaves the plane.

Bill

I have a several-thousand word draft on choosing and using an axe which is theoretically going to end up in the knowledge base, along with a knife article that just needs formatting. If you have insomnia I can email it to you...no pictures yet.

Regarding axes being dangerous...sure, and no. They're no different than firearms. If you really know how to handle either, they're very safe tools. If you only partially know how to handle them, they're spectacularly dangerous. You have to pick the right one for the job, and different designs have their own peculiar advantages and hazards. It takes time to learn to handle either, and the place to start is definitely not in the bush with a disabled airplane. The entire cold weather survival class is just about long enough to teach people to use an axe safely, which wouldn't leave much time for the other stuff.

Small saws are excellent tools and have much less risk of injury. They're also only a fraction of the tool an axe is. They compliment an axe, but don't come close to replacing it. A person who knows how to use an axe safely and efficiently literally has the Key To The City. Nothing else comes close to an axe for making life easy in the bush. Providing there are trees to be had, an axe can turn them into anything that the user can imagine.

If you dropped me into the boreal forest for a year with only one tool, I'd certainly die. But I'd die with an axe in my hands (and without any axe-related injuries...most likely just starved to death ).

Ah, yes, the old "Well, if you were half as qualified as I am" argument.

Tell me what you can do with a tree and an axe in a SURVIVAL SITUATION that I can't do in half the time with a good saw.

Not talking about around the homestead here.....talking survival.

I have actually built shelters, fires, and other survival tasks with a pruning saw, which takes only seconds to fell an appropriate size (2 or 3 inch diameter) tree.

And by the way, I carry a mallet with my tie down kit, so no need for an axe or hatchet to pound on stuff, either.

MTV

mtv wrote:Ah, yes, the old "Well, if you were half as qualified as I am" argument.

Tell me what you can do with a tree and an axe in a SURVIVAL SITUATION that I can't do in half the time with a good saw.

Not talking about around the homestead here.....talking survival.

I have actually built shelters, fires, and other survival tasks with a pruning saw, which takes only seconds to fell an appropriate size (2 or 3 inch diameter) tree.

And by the way, I carry a mallet with my tie down kit, so no need for an axe or hatchet to pound on stuff, either.

MTV

I'm not going to debate with you Mike. For whatever reason it seems like you're pre-programed to disagree with me , and in ten years I've yet to see anyone change your mind on something.

I'll cary and recommend what I choose, and you'll do the same. Sometimes they'll jive, sometimes not. I think everyone on here is savvy enough to hear different opinions and then thresh out what makes sense to them and what doesn't. A debate without any chance of resolution doesn't help anyone and just litters up a good thread.

gbflyer wrote:There ain't no turf mowers in the bush!

I'm open to the possibility that I should limit my activities to destinations away from hazardous locations like maintained grass strips!