SAR Search & Rescue - Flares & Smoke

[MILO]

Reading a post discussing SAR, sending sms's & Leaving flight plans etc.
Even around the cabbage patch we are flying over some fairly inhospitable territory, a Trike crash here in the Oliphants river gorge some months ago comes to mind. The big boss was looking after the pilot & Pax, crash time sometime around 17:30, recovery around 22:00 that evening. Guys still talk about how lucky it was to find the crash site.
Key learnings there were:
Carry your (Charged cellphone) - I understand the PAX managed to get comms with someone who new someone etc.
Tell someone where you are going to fly, seems basic but I have on occasion rocked up to fly "somewhere" for "a while" and pretty much done exactly that.
I have a small laminated Credit card sized card with family contact numbers, microlighter buddy numbers, blood group & med aid details in the pocket of my flight suit.
I have a couple of ICE (In Case of Emergency) numbers in the phone as well (family friends & local ambulance service)
It probably sounds like small stuff, but what do you do when you hear a friend is down/hurts himself etc. Who are you going to phone if someone walks into the prop?
What I am after now is those pencil mini flares (screw on about the size of a 45 doppie), any ideas where I can get some?
I don't know if you can get small smoke "grenades", most times you may be able to hear the search aircraft but they can't see you.
I suppose accidents are a chain of events that all line up to hurt you so we try to take links out the chain (pre fights, practicing engine outs, sharing knowledeg through this site etc).
Maybye successful recovery after an accident may depend on a sequence of events, here you want to make sure you put as many links into the chain as possible.

[AndyG]

Good advice all round

[Stephan van Tonder]

Try the boating shops for those pencil flares. I have normally bought them there before.

[coastwise]

Boating shops will definitely have them as they form part of the equipment required for a sea worthy certificate.

[Old, Fat and Hairy]

Chuck an old CD/DVD in your bag or a side pocket. They can be used as a heliograph/signaling mirror or as a blade if broken in half. 10m of para cord packs up small and is relatively light but very strong. Always find a use for it.

[johnsa]

Take a bush pilot course it helps a lot Its a small investment but it can safe your life and its fun to do just like advanced auto training, Control a vehicle, learning how to drift we all think we can drive good, I do to 60.000 K a year. But once you do the advanced driver trainer you know you still can learn things.

[Boet]

I am amazed by the amount of ok`es taking off from my home field, and then flying out North, with NO WATER on board. "Out North" is semi desert. You can die of thirst out there. Especially in summer. It gets hotter `n hell out here. And in winter, out in the open with no survival gear, you will freeze your nuts off. Please be prepared.

[Tumbleweed]

Sounds simple, but have your cell phone and flare/ reflector assesable on your flight suit, or within reach of where you're seated should you be banged up and can't start rummaging through your pannier bags.

Maybe even a piece of rubber to ignite with fuel for a longer flare.

P.s Maybe the established strips/ schools can show an product list for flares / maps e.t.c. and take orders the guys out of range or arrange a fly-in.

[TranSky]

Best I've come up with is a laser (size of your small finger and twice as long) You can buy ones that burn plastic. Unlike flares etc they show a clear route back to the user. They are extremely accurate, work day or night and can illuminate (they say) more than 5 kms away. Bought in Thailand but seen them on eBay.

[GavinL-W]

I know that there is a knife shop in santon city shopping mall that does sell pencil flares, I am unsure of the price but guess they are about R500/R600 for 10. If anyone wants I can post an example of a fairly good survival kit idea, its one we teach our scouts to use and carry in the event of emergency on hikes.

[John.com]

Try the boating shops for those pencil flares. I have normally bought them there before.

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