AOPA AIR SAFETY INSTITUTE OFFERS PROGRAM ON FORCED LANDING SURVIVAL SKILLS
Jan. 12, 2015
Contact: Steve Hedges
301-695-2159
FREDERICK, MD – The Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association’s (AOPA) Air Safety Institute has released a new video and printed guide to help pilots and passengers survive conditions following an aircraft forced landing.
The program, “Survive: Beyond the Forced Landing,” covers best practices for general aviation flights that result in off-airport landings. It also reviews survival communications, preferred gear and offers advice for detection from rescuers.
“The safest pilot is one who prepares for any eventuality,” said George Perry, Air Safety Institute senior vice president. “That includes preparing for an off-airport landing. You need to take the right steps, have the right equipment and know the right techniques to ensure a successful outcome. This new video does a great job showing what pilots can do to be prepared.”
The program was developed with funding from the Canadian Owners and Pilots Association (COPA), which was concerned that pilots there were not carrying adequate survival kits, due in part to confusion over government requirements.
The result was “Survive: Beyond the Forced Landing” – guidance that pilots everywhere can use to be prepared for an unplanned landing.
The video and 16-page guide cover the importance of flight plans and flight following, and the need to consider terrain along the route of flight where an emergency landing may be necessary. Once on the ground, the video discusses communication techniques with air traffic control and other authorities, appropriate medical care and the use of basic survival equipment, such as emergency locators, strobes and space blankets.
The program also notes that pilots should pack clothing that is appropriate for the weather along the planned flight path, and not just for the final destination. Beach clothing, it suggests, won’t be much good during a night on a cold mountainside.
Pilots should ensure their passengers know how to use emergency equipment in the event the pilot is incapacitated, and the Air Safety Institute already offers guidance on briefing passengers, including a separate video, a briefing checklist and customizable briefing card.
Since 1950, AOPA’s Air Safety Institute has served all pilots—not just AOPA members—by providing free safety education programs, analyzing safety data and conducting safety research. ASI offers award-winning online courses, nearly 200 live seminars annually throughout the U.S., flight instructor refresher courses, webinars, accident case studies and other materials to help pilots be safer and better informed.
ABOUT AOPA
Since 1939, AOPA has protected the freedom to fly for thousands of pilots, aircraft owners and aviation enthusiasts. AOPA is the world’s largest aviation member association, with representatives based in Frederick, Md., Washington, D.C., Wichita, Kans., and seven regions across the United States. AOPA provides member services that range from advocacy at the federal, state, and local levels to legal services, flight planning products, safety programs and award-winning media. To learn more, visit www.aopa.org.
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