Uncover the Gear You Didn’t Know You Needed: The 'Beyond the Basics' Survival Holiday Gift Guide for Pilots and Crew
A fun holiday gift guide on less common, unique but important, aviation survival gear every pilot and crew member would love to have.
Every pilot and crew member understands the importance of essential gear such as flight helmets and flight suits. One of the tricky parts in getting a gift for aviation (helicopters and planes) is that most are "geared up." But they are geared up mostly with the essentials and not the less common items in the pilot shop.
This guide aims to give you options on preparedness that extends beyond the basic survival products. We focus on carefully selected equipment that addresses potential emergency scenarios without overloading the survival kit. Enjoy our aviators holiday gift guide that helps put the safety of your flying loved ones and flying friends first and will make them happy to have
Check out our curated aviation gift guide for your flying friends and family:
1. Flight Helmet Visors and Lenses - Most pilots and have only one type of visor, why not get them a few different kinds so they can pick and choose like special visors such as UV protection, anti-fog or even gradient lenses.
* Make sure you get the right fit for the helmet they use/own.
What It Is & How It Works: Visors and lenses enhance pilot visibility by reducing glare and shielding eyes from harmful UV rays or fog.
Key Features and Specifications: Constructed from durable polycarbonate, these visors resist scratching, feature anti-UV coatings, and come in anti-fog variants to maintain clarity under various atmospheric conditions.
Scenario: On a lengthy cross-country flight, a pilot encounters sudden shifts from bright sunlight to overcast skies. An anti-fog visor prevents vision impairment, crucial during navigation and landing.
Brands & Differences: Brands like Gentex and Alpha offer visors with varying degrees of UV protection and anti-fog capabilities. Gentex visors are known for their durability, while Alpha visors offer lighter weight.
Product Link: UV Protective Visor
2. Survival Radio
What It Is & How It Works: Survival radios are essential communication tools that keep pilots connected with rescue services or other aircraft in emergency situations.
Key Features and Specifications: These radios feature AM/FM and NOAA weather bands, are powered by multiple sources including hand crank and solar, and include supplementary features like a built-in flashlight and a USB port for charging devices.
Scenario: After a forced landing in a dense forest, a pilot uses a survival radio to establish contact with a passing helicopter, directing them to the landing site for extraction.
Brands & Differences: ACR, Icom, and Yaesu each bring unique strengths to survival radios. ACR radios are renowned for their robust durability and long battery life, making them reliable in extreme conditions. Icom models stand out for their superior signal reception and ease of use. Yaesu radios have advanced frequency scanning and dual-watch capabilities.
Product Link: Survival Radio by ACR
3. Personal Locator Beacon (PLB)
What It Is & How It Works: PLBs are portable emergency equipment that pilots activate to transmit distress signals directly to satellite systems during emergencies.
Key Features and Specifications: Compact and easy to carry, these devices utilize a global satellite network to send out alerts with precise GPS locations, are waterproof, and typically offer a battery life extending over five years.
Scenario: Caught in a storm while flying over a vast lake, a pilot crash-lands on an uninhabited island. Using a PLB, they immediately signal their exact location to rescue teams, ensuring a quick response.
Brands & Differences:Ocean Signal PLBs are designed for pilots and crew who prioritize compact, portable gear; they ensure ease of use with straightforward activation mechanisms. ACR PLBs boost the accuracy of rescue operations with advanced GPS capabilities and include self-test features to verify device reliability before each use. Meanwhile, McMurdo's PLBs are equipped with integrated heating systems to maintain functionality in freezing conditions, safeguarding against battery and component failures due to extreme cold.
With your both your ELT (Emergency Locator Transmitter) and PLB transmitting, you have doubled the likelihood that you’re going to be found quickly and alive.
Product Link: Personal Locator Beacons
4. Crew Overboard Marker Light with Strobe
What It Is & How It Works: This safety device increases a pilot's visibility with a bright strobe light in man-overboard situations.
Key Features and Specifications: Features include a high-intensity LED light visible for miles, waterproof and floatable housing, strobe function for enhanced nighttime visibility, and operation capability in extreme temperatures.
Scenario: During a night flight over water, a pilot is forced to ditch the aircraft. Once in the water, activating the strobe light significantly increases visibility, guiding rescue teams directly to the pilot’s location.
Brands & Differences: ACR and Orion are leading brands; ACR offers long-lasting LED lights, whereas Orion specializes in multi-function strobe lights that include a daylight flag.
Product Link: Marker Lights with Strobe by ACR
5. Sea Dye Marker
What It Is & How It Works: Sea dye markers are used to increase pilot visibility in open waters by releasing a brightly colored dye.
Key Features and Specifications: This device releases eco-friendly yellow dye upon contact with water, creating a large, visible stain that is detectable from the air during search and rescue operations.
Scenario: A pilot is forced to ditch their aircraft in the ocean. Upon landing in the water, they activate the sea dye marker, which quickly spreads a vibrant yellow stain, marking their location and significantly increasing the chances of being spotted by rescue aircraft.
Brands & Differences: Orion and Pains Wessex are popular brands offering sea dye markers. Orion is known for its environmentally friendly dye formula and markers with extended visibility duration. Pains Wessex, on the other hand, is recognized for its markers that disperse the dye rapidly, creating a large visible area in a shorter time.
Product Link: Sea Dye Marker
6. Compact Survival Fishing Kit - Probably better off getting a survival kit but wanted to share this anyway as an interesting gift.
What It Is & How It Works: Designed for emergency food sourcing, this kit includes the basic tools required for catching fish.
Key Features and Specifications: The kit contains a variety of hooks, line, lures, and sinkers, all packaged in a small, waterproof container that is easy to store and carry.
Scenario: Stranded on a remote lakeshore after a crash, a pilot uses the survival fishing kit to catch fish, providing vital nutrition and improving chances of long-term survival.
Brands & Differences: Best Glide ASE and ESEE are two notable brands, with Best Glide focusing on military-grade kits and ESEE offering kits designed for ease of use by beginners.
7. Sawyer Mini Water Filtration System
What It Is & How It Works: This mini filtration system is a portable solution for purifying water from natural sources in survival scenarios.
Key Features and Specifications: Capable of filtering up to 100,000 gallons, the system removes 99.99999% of all harmful bacteria and protozoa, includes a reusable squeeze pouch, and weighs only 2 ounces.
Scenario: In a survival scenario in a dense forest, a pilot uses the Sawyer Mini to safely drink from a stream, ensuring hydration without the risk of waterborne illnesses.
Brands & Differences: Sawyer is known for its high filtration rates and long-lasting filters, while LifeStraw offers filters with a slightly faster flow rate.
8. Rescue Laser Flare Magnum - Red
What It Is & How It Works: A laser flare device used for signaling in emergencies, capable of sending alerts visible for up to 20 miles.
Key Features and Specifications: The device projects a red laser light, works during both day and night, is waterproof, shock-resistant, and powered by standard lithium batteries.
Scenario: Lost after an off-course flight, a pilot uses the laser flare to signal a search helicopter. The laser’s visibility during dusk makes it possible to direct the rescue team despite fading light.
Brands & Differences: Greatland Laser and ACR both offer laser flares; Greatland Laser is known for its long battery life and ACR for its rugged, waterproof design.
Product Link: Rescue Laser Flare
9. Compact Signal Mirror
What It Is & How It Works: A lightweight and reflective tool for signaling to rescuers using sunlight.
Key Features and Specifications: The mirror is made from durable, unbreakable acrylic, features an aiming precision grid, is visible for over 10 miles, and can float if dropped in water.
Scenario: After being stranded in a desert area following engine failure, a pilot uses a signal mirror to effectively catch the attention of a distant search plane, leading to a successful rescue.
Brands & Differences: Coghlan's and UST make highly reflective mirrors; Coghlan’s mirrors are pocket-sized for convenience, while UST offers larger sizes for increased signal range.
Product Link: Signal Mirror
10. Fire Starter and Tinder Quick
What It Is & How It Works: Essential tools for starting fires quickly in adverse conditions, providing warmth and the means to cook.
Key Features and Specifications: Includes waterproof tinder that ignites in wet conditions and a magnesium fire starter capable of over 5,000 strikes, packaged in a compact, easy-to-carry format.
Scenario: In a cold, rainy environment after an unplanned landing, a pilot relies on the fire starter and tinder quick to build a fire. This not only provides warmth but also signals his location to potential rescuers.
Brands & Differences: Survival Frog and SOL offer robust options; Survival Frog is known for its ease of use in extreme conditions, while SOL's tinder is optimized for quick ignition.
The essence of a well-prepared pilot's and crew’s survival kit lies in selecting tools that are both essential and practical, ensuring every item carried has a significant purpose. This list represents the crucial but sometimes overlooked gear that can make a difference in survival scenarios, focusing on practicality and effectiveness without burdening the pilot with unnecessary items.
We hope this holiday gift helps you find that missing item your aviation family and friends gear bag!
