Egress Training www.dunkyou.com

Why Bother to Train?

Why bother to train or even think about ditch training, it will never happen to me and if it does I will deal with it right. Sure and why bother buying insurance or learning how to deal with engine failures, stalls or any other emergency. Why because somewhere sometime in our pilot pool there will be some unfortunate individuals that these things do happen to.

When confronted with such challenges the difference for you and your passengers between living and not may depend on the time you the pilot spent training for such a situation.

Just for fun peruse the accidents/incidents column to substantiate my claims as pilots we are in a game that can have harsh consequences regardless of good airmanship.

August 2004 claimed the fourth ditching in Ontario floatplanes alone over this summer ranging from take off loss of control to landing upsets and gear down water landings in amphibs.

Being an Egress instructor I have witnessed the complete disorientation and total loss of ability for thousands of pilots and passengers to escape our aircraft look alike equipment in warm chest deep pool water.

Now imagine a real life situation with total panic and the sobering thought that I am trapped inside a cold flooded aircraft and unable to breathe with possibly only seconds to survive.

Statistically large numbers of aircraft which end up inverted in water regardless of wheels or floats prove to be more than the occupants are prepared for, and the majority has great difficulty getting out if at all.

In past decades the determining factor to a successful Egress was directly related to the crash impact speed and water temperature on that given day.

To expand on that when we are subjected to an impact followed by a blast of ice cold water during a ditching then soaked completely upside down and contained in a box like object bad things are going to follow in most cases.

Egress training will not change the events described above but it will make the first few valuable seconds’ count knowing what to do and immediately starting the pre determined escape plan.

Things like staying in your seat belt upside down while finding the door handle and then opening the exit before releasing could be all the difference.

Other suggestions are nobody onboard should wear anything such as floater coats or life vests giving floatation which is why the C-13 PFD on board all float aircraft was invented in the early days. We have equipment to prove the point but if you are a non believer take a 5 gallon jerry can to the lake and try to drag it under a dock while imagining it strapped to your back.

Now with our one day affordable Egress program we are able to reach those all across Canada this fall that were unable to attend ditching training or had never even heard about the course.

In ending once we hold a pilots license there is an obligation to practice our emergencies on occasion and be open to new additions to our training portfolio for ourselves and people we carry.

AES will be available from Ontario to BC soon in October 04 so why not take the time to experience what I am talking about for yourself. If water is not your favorite place to be then even more the reason to join in and trust me your not alone.

Bryan Webster is a 10.000 hour plus pilot actively flying a Beaver on the BC coast today.

In 1977 he was a passenger involved in a water crash while the pilot attempted to avoid power lines draped over the Fraser River east of Vancouver.

For questions or to enroll in the AES Egress program contact Bryan at

1-877- GO-DITCH

info@dunkyou.com

www.dunkyou.com

Here are just a few comments from the thousands of people who have taken our courses…

Harbour Air Seaplanes
www.harbour-air.com
Harbour Air Seaplanes is the largest all seaplane airline in Canada. They strongly endorse our course; all their pilots have either taken the course or will be taking it shortly.
…February 2008

Kenmore Air Seaplanes
www.kenmoreair.com
During a training flight, a Kenmore Air aircraft was involved in an upset shortly after taking training with Aviation Egress Systems. Both pilots, the sole occupants on board, egressed safely and attribute their success to the AES training program.
…June 2007

Bryce Gibney
Bryce Gibney hails from Boundary Bay airport. An avid boater, scuba diver, and swimmer, Bryce would periodically wonder how he’d fare if he had to ditch his aircraft flying over Georgia Strait. One day, he decided to find out. His story was printed in the July 2001 issue of COPA, and is reprinted in our Articles Section.
…July 2001

Barry Schiff
www.barryschiff.com
Barry Schiff, the well-known AOPA author, retired in 1998 from Trans World Airlines after a spectacular 34-year flying career. Barry recently took the AES training course and highly endorses the program. His article was published in the December 2001 issue of AOPA Pilot; we’ve reprinted it in our Articles Section.
…December 2001

Alan & Brenda Millet
Alan and Brenda are a couple from Sequim Washington. They heard about the Underwater Egress Training course at a flyin in Penticton in the fall of 2001.  Brenda bought them both certificates to the source for Christmas. You can read about their experiences here.
…January 2002

Kim Lindholm
Kim Lindholm is on her way to becoming a commercial pilot. One of the optional courses offered at Carson Air Flight School is AES’s Underwater Egress Safety course. You can read about her experience on the course here.
…January 2002

               Why to consider Egress Training for both pilots and passengers

Statistics show somewhere every single day of the year an aircraft for any variety of reasons, end its flight unscheduled in water.

Here in Canada last summer alone there were several incidents, unfortunately not all occupants survived. Aviation Egress Safety Systems of Victoria BC has been teaching pilots and passengers how to successfully Egress from aircraft inverted in water since 1998.

Of the thousands of students trained to date, very few egressed with out difficulty during the first few tries while in our equipment training in a warm swimming pool.

Once an aircraft has ditched inverted in water unexpectedly, the occupants immediately panic become disorientated and waste the precious few seconds they have, trapped and helpless. Pilots are more familiar with their aircraft doors and exits, although they too are totally out of their element once immersed in cold water, and the majority also have difficulty escaping. Through training in a safe warm environment with specialized equipment the opposite takes place, and few later have difficulty returning to the surface under control. Both pilots and passengers once Egress trained, proved to be well versed in what to expect in the event they become unlucky enough to be involved in an aircraft ditching.

 This one day training program is tailored for the light aircraft occupants and includes beverages and food through out the course, and a certificate upon completion.

It is suggested students bring with them a change of cloths including clean footwear which will get wet, and a towel.

Total cost per person is $350.00 Canada wide/ $265.00 at Victoria BC (Home Base) plus GST

Also there is now the first ever book “DITCHING PRINCIPLES” available at for $15.95

for those unable to attend, or this is a great primer to better understand the program.

For more information or to enrol in Egress Training please contact:

Bryan Webster

Bry the Dunker Guy

250-704-6401

info@dunkyou.com

www.dunkyou.com

DITCHING SURFACES

     by  

BRY THE DUNKER GUY  

No pilot or anyone on board an aircraft ever really expects to find themselves short final for a body of water on wheels and facing the reality of a high speed impact ditching.

Unfortunately this does happen more often than most realize and should be considered as part of your emergencies repertoire.

This situation could come about while in flight over a lake or ocean when an engine fails, maybe while a float aircraft is landing or taking off and makes contact with a submerged object just below the surface.

When it does happen to a unsuspecting aviator who has no training for a situation like this ,or is totally unprepared with no pre-determined plan there is little time to figure out what to do or how to react.

Worse yet the passengers are at a total loss seeing as they are confident the captain is capable of handing all possible flight emergencies and await instructions for the occasion.

Once any fixed gear wheeled aircraft has impacted the water surface at speeds of roughly 60 mph or more, there will be the sudden stop followed by the good possibility of inversion.

About that time upside down and submerged in cold water you become aware of a totally foreign and terrifying situation involving disorientation and entrapment, with zero communications and less assistance.

There are a number of things such as the brace position to be aware of prior to a ditching, but here are a few tips of what to consider regarding water conditions and how to plan for a ditching into a variety of surface conditions.

                  Note: The effects on ditching mentioned in the table are appropriate for light aircraft only.

As an in pool instructor I have now witnessed thousands of pilots and passengers during our warm pool Egress training courses. I assure you the majority do not handle the first few roll overs well, thus the stats are correct in real life when the first one counts.

There is no excuse not be Egress trained anymore as Aviation Egress Systems is available year round at Victoria BC, and travels across Canada every spring and fall offering a one day course at a very affordable cost to all.

Contact me for dates and locations near you now as we will travel anywhere in Canada where groups of pilots and passengers request us.

Bryan Webster is a 11.000 hour plus pilot still actively flying a De Havilland Beaver on the BC Coast today when not teaching pilot/passenger Egress Training.

His vast experience from over 25 years in light aircraft, and from being a passenger of a 1977 Cessna 150 ditching have proved extremely valuable when passing on the procedures in his Egress Training specialized pool equipment.

To enrol in an Egress training course to improve your piloting skills contact -

“BRY THE DUNKER GUY”

         Bryan Webster

      www.dunkyou.com

info@dunkyou.com

250-704-6401

Toll Free 1-877-GO DITCH

Aviation Egress Systems has Training available at

Victoria BC.

Saturday March 15, 2008

Sunday March 16, 2008

Canada wide training begings with Victoria all the way to Ottawa and up to Yellowknife NWT from

March to June 2008. For further information on Locations and Dates please contact “BRY THE DUNKER GUY”

Bryan Webster 250-704-6401  or info@dunkyou.com.