Help equip this airline kit!

**Mountaintrekker** · 07-08-2009, 03:14 AM

As most of you know... I now live in Alaska with my wife and we are no strangers to survival or being prepared.
Well... we need to fly to Wisconsin this fall for a week for family reasons. I'm a bit freaked out with regard to leaving the state while there is some serious craziness going on.
Let's put together a kit that will pass TSA muster for me to "carry on" and something for my checked luggage. Yes I will go through the TSA list before I go to make sure I'm not going to incur their wrath.
I'm flying Alaska Air if that matters. Oh, I'm also going to carry a daypack and check a med-large backpack.

Ready...........go!

**crashdive123** · 07-08-2009, 06:40 AM

Good post. The information will probably be helpful to many. This will take a little research (I rarely fly anymore).

**Rick** · 07-08-2009, 07:40 AM

You can pack just about anything (within reason) in your checked luggage. You can certainly add a knife, fire steel, a container of charred cloth, small flashlight, signal mirror, etc. Just about any type of survival equipment you want. Obviously you can't check things like fuel for camping stoves or equipment that has had fuel in them. They go a little nuts about that. Ammunition and guns are taboo as well. Although you can check both if you follow FAA and Airline Specific rules. Otherwise, you can check just about anything.

I regularly carry in my pocket a photon light, small fire steel, p51 opener (serves as striker), pill fob filled with charred cloth, small compass, and a howler whistle. I just toss them in the change bowl with my cell phone and let it pass through Xray. I've never been asked about any of it.

**rebel** · 07-08-2009, 07:51 AM

Originally Posted by Rick

I regularly carry in my pocket a photon light, small fire steel, p51 opener (serves as striker), pill fob filled with charred cloth, small compass, and a howler whistle. I just toss them in the change bowl with my cell phone and let it pass through Xray. I've never been asked about any of it.

That's what I carry too and no problems with TSA.

**crashdive123** · 07-08-2009, 07:57 AM

On my person:
Prescription medication
a couple of energy bars
bottle of water (I know there are limits - maybe get a couple from the flight attendant)
fire steel/bic
char/cotton
small led light
cordage (bracelet, belt, shoe laces, stored in pocket)
bandana
cell phone
small insect spray
small sunscreen
whatever small sized knife is allowable (are they now?)
signal mirror
money/quarters

**Rick** · 07-08-2009, 08:01 AM

Nada on the knife. Even small pocket knives will either get confiscated or get you walked back out of the security line if you want to keep it.

It can go in checked baggage, though.

**trax** · 07-08-2009, 12:53 PM

You know what almost no one does on airplanes? Listen to the emergency procedures from the flight attendants before takeoff. I've read more than a few times flight attendants post-emergency sort of complaining about "...if they'd listened, things would have gone so much more smoothly"

Now there obviously some crashes where the passengers have done ok, and some where it was so bad that it didn't matter what the instructions were, but .... they really are trained and why the heck don't people give them the time of day? I see flight attendants doing their little rehearsed speech and people are fiddling with magazines or pillows or getting their kids nestled in. And lots of people will say "well, I've heard it so many times before and it's always the same thing" Doesn't matter if that's how much attention you've always given it before, you still don't know! Like Remy pointed out about counting how far you are from the emergency exits...they were all pointed out to you if you were listening. Remy, excellent advice on the flammability of clothes by the way. Something people seldom think about.

**Rick** · 07-08-2009, 03:02 PM

And that little pamphlet in the seat back will tell you all about your little aircraft. Read through it.

**trax** · 07-08-2009, 03:50 PM

Both very good points, gentlemen.

**Pict** · 07-08-2009, 04:23 PM

Originally Posted by remy

It is not really your question, but we might as well talk about it.

While flying, always wear appropriate clothes. Fire is a real killer in the event of a plane crash or hard landing. Do not wear materials that will easily catch on fire and stick to your skin.
While boarding, count the seats between the closest emergency exit and your location. In case smoke fills the plane, you will be able to count the sits to the location of the emergency exit.

The kit should be the same as usual minus the prohibited items.
If you must have the said prohibited items, send them ahead of time to the family member of your choice via snail mail, UPS or FED-Ex.
All you would have to do when you are done is shipping it back home before you leave.

Have a safe trip.

I fly all the time and that is sound advice. The words "Shortly after takeoff..." always whisper in my ear every time I fly. I never wear clothes that could melt.

Most commercial airline crashes result in expensive confetti/fireball or everyone walks off. Getting out of an airliner is a very important survival skill. Most people who do so are close to the airport they just left or very near the one they were going to. It is very rare that a commercial plane will go down and result in a wilderness emergency for the survivors, most of the time there aren't any. Most commercial airliners that fly over extensive wilderness areas are equipped with emergency survival kit. I make a point of knowing where it is stored whenever I fly over South America.

Water landings are another story, commercial airliners can and do set down on water. Never inflate your PFD inside the plane like they always say. They never explain this caution but inflated PFD's make you float up and away from the exits of a sinking plane. Things I would want on my person in the event of a water landing: Long sleeve T-shirt, signal mirror, whistle, drinking water, a hat or bandanna, sunscreen lip balm, waterproof light. Mac

**Mountaintrekker** · 07-08-2009, 05:00 PM

Great info everyone!! Let's keep it going, I'm also planning on extensive layovers etc. so i'm doing the snacks thing plus maybe a collapsable canteen to fill up at a water fountain after security check points. A book of course and some extra TP and a couple of wet ones for wiping down if we are stuck somewhere for any length of time.
Proper clothing is great advice, I don't think I wold have thought of wearing nonstick (he he) clothing.

Good stuff!

**Rick** · 07-08-2009, 08:38 PM

Oh, you also need to know that most of the airlines are now charging a fee for the SECOND piece of luggage. Two used to be free but not anymore. And overweight fees have gone through the roof. You should be able to check both on your airline's web page. AND...excess baggage is often on a "space available" basis, which means it does not have to travel with you if they don't feel they have room. Big Bummer.

Your check luggage is also apt to be checked so make certain you use a TSA approved lock if you plan to lock your luggage. Otherwise, you'll have a cut lock and maybe a broken bag when you retrieve it. TSA locks are available just about everywhere and are pretty cheap. I think Wally World even has them. I know Home Depot and Lowes does.

If you don't want a screener handling your stuff then put it inside a plastic bag. That way they can see what is in it and not have to handle it.

If you can, print your boarding pass from your airline's web site and use curb side check in. It will probably save you some time. Although, when we traveled through Anchorage (I assume you will travel through there) it wasn't all that bad.

Finally, don't just recognize where your exits are from your seat. Count the number of seats between you and the nearest exit. That way if smoke fills the cabin you can count with your hand the number of seatbacks to the exit.

**Boker** · 07-09-2009, 04:32 AM

Originally Posted by Mountaintrekker

As most of you know... I now live in Alaska with my wife and we are no strangers to survival or being prepared.
Well... we need to fly to Wisconsin this fall for a week for family reasons. I'm a bit freaked out with regard to leaving the state while there is some serious craziness going on.
Let's put together a kit that will pass TSA muster for me to "carry on" and something for my checked luggage. Yes I will go through the TSA list before I go to make sure I'm not going to incur their wrath.
I'm flying Alaska Air if that matters. Oh, I'm also going to carry a daypack and check a med-large backpack.

Ready...........go!

Lipstick. So you can kiss your tush goodbye should the plane crash.

**Rick** · 07-09-2009, 07:12 AM

If I could do that I'd never leave the house.

**vegasrandall** · 07-09-2009, 05:07 PM

wear shoes that you can move quickly in.I was on a 747 flying to guam from hawaii in the 70's,#3 engine caught on fire a hour out of hawaii and burned like a shingle factory all the way back to hawaii.we had to go down the evac slides and run like deer.wear fire resistant clothing,good shoes and bring something to sleep on when you are marooned in a airport.
always assume they will lose your luggage,bring the must haves in your carry-on

**crashdive123** · 07-09-2009, 05:13 PM

Good advice. How about an Introduction over here. Thanks.

**lucznik** · 07-11-2009, 11:47 PM

The primary peice of advise I would give you is that whatever it is you feel you need, pack versions of those things that are as small and light as you can manage. I recently took a week long trip to Seattle, WA. My checked bag, complete with clothes and personal items for the whole week plus some extras, only weighted 35 lbs.

While knives are totally taboo in carryon luggage, you can still carry a small pair of pointed scissors - which is better than nothing.

I usually slip my SAK into one of the small side pockets of my checked luggage just before turning it over to the ticket agent. This way I have my knife with me right up until the last minute and then, as soon as we land and I get my bag off of the luggage rack, I can easily pull out the knife without needing to go through the main luggage compartment.

I have had no trouble carrying a firesteel with its striker and a small Bic lighter onto planes.

A nice, small, bright flashlight is also a good item to have. I would avoid the ones that look like they are designed to be used as impact weapons. Such "tactical" gear has too much potential to incur unwanted questions and delays. My flashlight is one I picked up at Sportsman's Warehouse. It doesn't look tactical, but it's design and sturdy metal construction is such that it would serve very well as a kubuton or small impact weapon.

A good, heavy, sturdy metal pen can also be pressed into use as a good defensive weapon.

Don't be stupid enough to try to carry one of those plastic or ceramic "CIA" knives onto the plane. If you manage to get it through security, you'll be lucky. If you don't, you'll be someone's prison yard girlfriend real fast. You'll find it really hard to convince the TSA that you simply "forgot" you had such a knife on you when you tried to go through security.

You are allowed to carry a cane or similar walking stick onto the plane if you want. This is especially easy if you are old enough to look like you really need one. Make sure it is just a cane/walking stick, however. No hidden blades or anything like that.

Unless you really NEED to have a gun at your destination, you are best off not bothering with trying to include one in your checked bags. The hassle just isn't worth it. If you really must, however, go very, very early to check in so that you have plenty of time for the ticket agents to ruin your day. Make sure you have been very careful and meticulous about following the exact rules for how to secure the gun and any ammo you want to have. Also, don't take a gun you will really miss if (when) that peice of luggage gets "lost" somewhere.