Both Canada and Alaska require pilots to carry survival gear. Always carry survival gear when flying over rugged and desolate terrain. The items suggested in Figure are both weather and terrain dependent. The pilot also needs to consider how much storage space the helicopter has and how the equipment being carried affects the overall weight and balance of the helicopter.
EMERGENCY
EQUIPMENT AND SURVIVAL GEAR
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Food cannot be
subject to deterioration due to heat or cold. There should be at least 10,000
calories for each person on board, and it should be stored in a sealed
waterproof container. It should have been inspected by the pilot or his
representative within the previous 6 months, and bear a label verifying the
amount and satisfactory condition of the contents.
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A supply of water
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Cooking utensils
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Matches in a
waterproof container
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A portable compass
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An ax weighing at
least 2.5 pounds with a handle not less than 28 inches in length
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A flexible saw blade
or equivalent cutting tool
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30 feet of snare
wire and instructions for use
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Fishing equipment,
including still-fishing bait and gill net with not more than a two-inch mesh
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Mosquito nets or
netting and insect repellent sufficient to meet the needs of all persons
aboard, when operating in areas where insects are likely to be hazardous
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A signaling mirror
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At least three
pyrotechnic distress signals
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A sharp, quality
jackknife or hunting knife
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A suitable survival
instruction manual
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Flashlight with
spare bulbs and batteries
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Portable emergency
locator transmitter (ELT) with spare batteries
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Stove with fuel or a
self-contained means of providing heat for cooking
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Tent(s) to
accommodate everyone on board
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Additional items for
winter operations:
• Winter sleeping bags
for all persons when the temperature is expected to be below 7 °C
• Two pairs of snow
shoes
• Spare ax handle
• Ice chisel
• Snow knife or saw
knife
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Figure. Emergency equipment and survival gear