New to the forum...and back country flying. Doing a lot of reading. I'm interested in what item you carry into the back country on a regular basis. Of course weight is always at a premium, so what items are worth the weight penalty? Patch kit, air pump, tools, CO detector, spark plug, survival kit, light????....What say you?

I cary enough tools/bolts/duck tape/wire to fix most any problem short of pulling a cylinder off the engine. Enough survival gear to be dry and warm for weeks (bivy sack/bag/pad), Batterys, basic survival gear, stove, axe, shovel bug juice, head nets, toilet paper .Food/water for a few days, Always track flight with Delorme In Reach and usually have Sat Phone. One of the most important things I carry are Duckbill anchors and tie down ropes. Weight is around 30 lbs, never leave the pattern without all of it!!! Just because you can call someone does not mean they can get to you, This is a good example even the Blackhawk rescue bird could not get in. https://www.garmin.com/en-US/blog/outdo ... er-7-days/ Having two way com with In Reach or Sat Phone is priceless.
DENNY

Sat phone. And keep it within arms reach at all times. Not located back in the baggage compartment.

Cheating! Where's the challenge? Kidding, but it's hard to imagine how we survived pre modern nav and communication aids, that are now a "don't leave home without it" item. I carry all the mentioned items, except for the sat phone, PLB hopefully would suffice.

There is a lot of good survival information on this website, both in the forums and in the knowledge base. Big picture, what you need depends on where you are flying. I don't carry the same amount of gear in Arkansas that I would carry out west or in Alaska.

From a survival perspective, always "dress to egress." I knew an instructor in Alaska that forbid students from using the aircraft heat in the winter. His philosophy: if you need the heat, you aren't wearing enough clothes.

In general, Rule of 3s. You can survive:
-- 3 minutes without oxygen
-- 3 hours without shelter (ie appropriate clothing at a minimum)
-- 3 days without water (particularly applicable if you're flying south out of Provo??)
-- 3 weeks without food.

In addition to survival, be able to take care of the airplane. At a minimum, I always have tie down ropes, a tie down kit, and control lock in the airplane.

Finally, be able to get help. Some type of sat phone or satellite communicator is a great item to have, as is a good 406 ELT. Cell phones can sometimes send a text even if you can't place a call. Older school but still potentially valuable are a handheld VHF radio and a VFR flight plan filed and opened with FSS or someone you trust.

Last thought: keep your machine well maintained and do your best to make good risk decisions. That's my number one tactic to keep myself from having to use the stuff listed above!

Where are you flying, and what are you flying? Modify what you cary accordingly.

I guess the one thing I see people neglect most often is water. Water is heavy, and almost without exception there's going to be water where you're headed, so it's tempting to not bring much along with you.

Some throw in a survival straw and figure they're set, but the problem there is that there's no reason to believe that any water will be reachable from where you end up, or that you'll be in any condition to try and find it.

Helicopters can't always fly, and they're not always available...In many parts of the lower-48 you will be at least 3 days from help after your PLB signal is received. That's enough time to die of dehydration, especially if you lost a bit of blood when your head bounced off the dash on landing.

I've been deprived of water in the past, and it made a real powerful impression on me. I think I'd rather burn to death than die of thirst.

A good way to cary water in the airplane (above freezing) is to get a few of those 2l steel canteens and fill them with boiling water then cap them. The water creates a vacuum as it cools, and its sterile. That water will be perfectly potable years later, and the steel container is a lot more crash-proof than those flimsy Kirkland bottles of water that are overflowing the nations landfills.

Every place and season you fly must be considered. Tropical ocean, deep arctic, desert and cross pollination of missions should be discussed and evaluated.

Below is a swath of helo/surface gear used to go inter island in Hawaii year around. I carry water if required.

I agree with the comments about suiting the kit with where you’re going, but also when you’re going. Fully agree with rule of 3’s and having good comms for your situation. Look at your stuff and imagine if there’s a situation you would need it. If not, then consider what would happen if you leave it behind; maybe you could get away with a good solid knife instead of a saw, or at least look for a lighter saw... If you could need it, consider if you have enough of it.

I’ve spent a few nights on a mountain unintentionally twice while sheep hunting a long time ago. Both times were supposed to be just a few hours, but circumstances changed along the way (partner became afraid of heights and had to go long way back, and imprecise map failed to show 300’ rock wall). The first time I learned how important a sleeping bag and a bit more water were. But I had enough to get by. The second time was just a bit uncomfortable. There is almost always water somewhere, but it could be many hours’ hard hiking through blowdown tree stands from a mountain meadow to the river below, or a lot of digging in a low spot. There are also lots of lighter ways to do anything. I’ve seen hunters file off handles from anything to save ounces.

I carry most of what is on Denny’s list (a lot fewer tools though), but I call that my camping gear. If the plane sinks or burns, you just lost your camping gear. Your survival gear is what is in your flotation vest (thinking like a float pilot).

I can also add my vote for the inReach. I bought mine after sitting on a lake only 50 miles from Anchorage, no bars on the cell phone and the plane wouldn’t start. Fortunately I was able to get a text out to our mechanic with the coordinates of the lake so he could come get us. I lucked out that time, but knew that the inReach was critical to have. Oh, ya, the plane started right up for our mechanic – he said the IA card made the difference.