Nigel, Thanks for your reply. I do hope my message has not caused any offence.
I really do feel that it is a subject that merits discussion, and I hope others
will join in.
It would not be surprising of course if a Survival Equipment firm
thought
it a good idea for folk to buy survival kit.
I assume that your friend was flying something a bit less seaworthy
than
a Europa, and find it difficult to imagine that a Europa would sink in 2 mins
unless you hit the water so hard that you knocked the wings off, in which
case you would probably be beyond worrying about sinking.
The figures for only 50% surviving the ditching are widely quoted, but
do you have the detail? How many of these were in mid Ocean, or polar waters
rather than the Channel? How many were in light aircraft equippped with a
dinghy?
It would be nice to know what the figures are for the sort of situation we
are equipping ourselves for, rather than world figures that no doubt include
people flying in the vilest conditions (which may have triggered the ditching)
in totally inhospitable places. Regards, David
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