Bob, As you know I have flown overa lot of water and until
family circumstances prevented it was thinking of flying
to Oz so have given this a fair bit of thought. I own a
liferaft and take one on long crossings when the water is
cold only. Would not bother just going across the Channel
in summer. There are two publications due out (one in the
upcoming GASCO mag & the other in the upcoming Europa
Flyer) which are based on a new study of the actual
ditching statistics in the UK for last 3 decades) which
show that the risks are nothing like the 'Experts' would
have you believe - in fact if you take the trouble to wear
a life jacket and carry a PLB there is only a 5% mortality
risk. If you further take the trouble to fly the plane
down to the water (rather trhan losing control & crashing)
and avoid flying in a PA28 then there are no deaths
attributable to ditching in UK aircraft in the last 28
years. You will have to wait for those publications but in
the meantime I recommend the artcle byBertorelli at:
www.equippedtosurvive.com/ditchingmyths.htm Regards,
David Joyce, G-XSDJ
Bob Hitchcock <robert.hitchcock@virgin.net> wrote:
><robert.hitchcock@virgin.net>
>
> Hi Gentlemen
>
> Must be getting more safety conscious as I get older,
>having crossed the channel dozens of times every which
>way, without life raft, only now am Iconsidering one.
>
> Just a quick poll. Does anyone take a life raft as part
>of the standard aircraft kit? Now there are new super
>light, life rafts available, weighing in at only 6Kilos
>e.g. Revere. Whereas the more traditional weigh in at 12
>to 15 kilo. This light weight raft option still allows me
>to take full fuel and two suitcases
>
> Am tempted at 6 kilo to be out of the water in life
>jacket and with PLB.
>
> Regards
>
> Bob
>
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