'Vest'ed in Safety

Today I decided it was time to bring our airplane travel safety standards up a notch. During this years BACFest our maintenance seminar discussed many topics, one of them safety. This year we were given a signal kit as part of the goody bag for attending. Our Safety Director, Paul W went on to discuss some additional signaling items we can carry to make ourselves more visible.  Smoke emitting flare, flares, florescent dye and strobe lights to name a few items.

I've given thought to all the water surrounding my flying, crossing the Delaware and Chesapeake Bays, Saturdays Pamilco Sound and others. It's cheap insurance to have a vest and signal devices to increase the safety factor on board 08Romeo. Here is what I purchased to add to my survival kit and signal kit already on hand. West Marine Inshore Automatic/Manual Inflatable Life Jacket

Both vest auto inflate which I need to change, and its a simple fix.  I also purchased fluorescent green dye to mark out location in the water. Lets take a look at each item.

First, I want to make the switch from auto to manual inflation. I don't want to get stuck in the plane if the vest goes off on impact on the water.

Open up the side pocket and locate the yellow manual canister.

Remove the yellow manual canister and set aside. Next open up the other pocket (Velcro) to expose the auto canister.



Unscrew the clear auto canister and then screw on the yellow manual canister. Easy peasy!  Just above the canister location is the CO2 cartridge location, don't forget to install that. Carefully tuck the actual yellow vest inside the pocket and reattach the Velcro.

I will attach an Orion dye container in the now empty pocket where the manual canister was located.  I am also going to purchase a set of small flares to fit in the signal kit and one orange smoke flare for the survival kit.

Total spent today for the three items $257.55 but the extra safety factor is well worth that.