In case of emergency

In the CAAP 253-1(1), Ditching, CASA notes various aspects of ditching and lifejacket use. It does not cover much on types, maintenance, care and servicing.

CAO 20. 11 better covers the requirements for emergency equipment. CAO 20. 11. 5. 1 covers lifejackets and 5. 2 liferafts. Appendix IV paragraph 1. 4 spells out the requirement for a charter or RPT crew member to be proficient in emergency procedures. The initial qualification calls for a demonstration of competency in the use of lifejackets in water.

Lifejackets as a safety equipment item need care and periodic servicing. Care is not always what happens to them at the average flying school or aero club. The servicing needs to be carried out with an authorised service shop that can give a prompt turn-around. Remember, if you have to ditch you want that jacket to work.

Some lifejackets have a sealed-packet 10-year service life, but given that CASA Airworthiness Directives for emergency equipment has a long list of lifejacket inspection and maintenance requirements one has to question the 10-year inspection life. For most sealed-pack lifejackets opening the packet dictates a repack. On the other hand there are situations when, for example flying below 2,000ft over water, the regs and good airmanship say wear a jacket and that could mean opening the sealed pack. When flying over water it can be a good policy to be wearing the lifejacket and not trying to put it on during the descent or, worse still, trying to put it on when in the water.

Lifejackets come in a variety of brands and models. There are single and dual chambers, sealed-packet, constant wear, pouch and vest types. The vest types are mostly constant wear models and seen more on professional flyers who regularly fly over water.

Let me stress: knowing how to wear and use a lifejacket goes a long way to making a ditching survivable.

Boating and non-TSO models are not subject to the more rigorous requirements of an aviation regulator and do not always have a whistle or water-activated light.

Consider also the aspect of having a crotch strap to support the person in the water and not have the user slowly sinking below the lifejacket like one ferry pilot who was in the water for some time. A buddy line to attach persons in the water to each other is another good bit of kit. A

There has been a steady trickle of pilots ditching and using a life-jacket.

simple dog lead can do this job.

For pilots and passengers of GA aircraft it is vital to be familiar with donning and using a lifejacket. The pilot should show all how to fit a jacket by using a demonstration model, on the ground before boarding the aircraft. Warn all that it must not be inflated until the wearer has exited the aircraft. The pilot should also go over the ditching and evacuation sequence.

The panic level would pass redline if a pilot were to be frantically trying to instruct passengers where to find the lifejackets, how to put them on and how to use them as he is trying to fly the aircraft and give a mayday call while the aircraft is gliding down to a wet landing. In short, if you intend to fly beyond gliding distance to shore in a single-engine aircraft carry lifejackets. Fly below 2,000ft over water then wear a lifejacket. Have quality lifejackets that are within a service inspection period. Know how to use them and ensure that your passengers have been properly briefed on their wearing and use.

In brief

In case you missed the small print the January CASA monthly briefing noted that the requirement for an AVID or photo ID pilot’s licence has been dropped. The AVID was said to be a must-have in addition to having an ASIC. Both were items that the holder had to pay for. There was a lesser level of checkingfor the AVID. The way the CASA requirements for ID were written inferred that a pilot had to have both when in fact the ASIC did the job by itself.

Pilots will be required to carry an acceptable form of photo ID. An ASIC or driver’s licence will meet that requirement. The ASIC is an airside requirement at a security airport.

It is understood that the photo of the holder’ss head on the printed pilots licence has also been dropped. A good number of those photos were little more than a black outline and effectively useless.