Safety & Survival

SAFETY RULES WHILE FLYING THE TRAIL

Safety is your first priority! Everyone is depending on you. You as the pilot, have complete responsibility for the GO, NO GO decision based on the best information available. Do not let compulsion take the place of good judgment.

When flying the trail for any reason, be especially alert for other aircraft in all directions. Fly to the right of the trail with aircraft lights on! Your lights should be turned on when flying along or in the vicinity of the Iditarod Trail. Fly at a minimum of 500' AGL..

Absolutely no aerobatics, including formation flying.

At times you may feel pressured to fly volunteers to a checkpoint or to get equipment some place in a hurry. If you have not been directed to make the flight by the Chief Pilot, an Assistant Chief Pilot, or a designated IAF coordinator, you should refuse the flight! If the Race Manager/Marshal (Mark Nordman) or the Race Logistics Coordinator (Andy Willis) requests the flight, follow his instructions. If you are not comfortable with the weather conditions and/or your ability during such weather conditions or landing sites, you should not feel bad to relinquish the flight to another pilot who has more experience.

Don’t fly if the weather seems dangerously poor, if you don't have sufficient daylight to complete the mission safely, if the landing area appears hazardous, or if the load is too heavy.

Sometimes you may see other pilots take off in weather conditions that you don't feel comfortable flying in. Don't let anyone else influence your decision. No Iditarod mission is worth the destruction of your airplane, or injury or death to your passengers or yourself.

PenAir has made a Cessna Caravan available for movement of race personnel during MVFR and night flights.

IAF pilots are requested to make pilot reports, especially at Puntilla, Rohn, Farewell, Ophir and Cripple. The pilot report helps all of us to make judgment decisions.

All IAF pilots are requested to file a master flight plan with the Kenai FSS and activate flight plans during the entire race. No flight shall be made with passengers without filing a flight plan. Please remember to close your flight plans.

Exercise extreme caution when landing and taking off at remote checkpoints, airport strips and all villages due to the concentration of high speed snowmachines and the children who are always present. A low pass prior to landing is advisable. Assume the “other guy” has the right-of-way.

TRANSPORTING HUMAN PASSENGER CHECK LIST

Though each passenger is expected to be prepared to fly in a small, often unheated bush airplane, the pilot must have the final word regarding those passengers he/she will transport. The pilot must check to see that each prospective passenger has the following gear:

Sleeping bag rated for minus temperatures.

Warm hooded parka and pants, or warm jacket, pants and cap.

Warm gloves or mittens.

Compact kit containing healthful food which can be eaten without preparation in the event of an unplanned stop in an uninhabited place.

As Pilot-In-Command of an aircraft you have every right to expect your passengers to:

Comply with your directions as to the loading of the aircraft. (You should load your own aircraft)

Respect your request for silence during takeoff and landing.

Accept without complaint the nature of VFR flight and the possibility of delays or overnight stops en route.

Follow your instructions in the event of an emergency.

PASSENGERS FLIGHT REQUESTS

When flying in small aircraft in Alaska, you should have on your person everything you would need to survive with in the event of a forced landing. Read on for more information.

Passengers are requested to limit their personal luggage to 50lbs.or less. Vets PLEASE DON'T PACK everything you own in those HUGE bags. Two small bags are better. No one should have more than 1 change of clothes plus extra socks and skivvies. Carry on your person things that you would need to survive.

Survival

State of Alaska Requirements

1	Food to sustain life for 2 weeks.	6	Snowshoes.
2	Ax or hatchet	7	Sleeping bag
3	First aid kit	8	Headnet for each person (summer flights).
4	Gun and ammunition	9	Two boxes of matches, and metal match
5	Gill net and fishing tackle	10	Two small signaling devices. Flares, whistle

Survival Vest or pockets

1	Toilet Paper	11	Metal Match (Magnesium fire starter w/flint)
2	Lighter w/o child safety device	12	Waxed Paper
3	Candle lantern and extra candles	13	Snare wire
4	laser pointer/strobe	14	Wire saw
5	Whistle/ Flares	15	Multi use knife
6	Compass/mirror	16	Tea bags
7	Space Blanket	17	Bouillon cubes
8	Aluminum Foil	18	oatmeal
9	Cotton Balls in Vaseline	19	Hand warmers (replace annually)
10	Steel wool	20	A/G radio

	Clothing
A)	Liner socks, 2 pr.	I)	Flap hat
B)	Vapor barrier socks	J)	Down suit (optional).
C)	Heavy socks, 1 pr.	K)	Neoprene face mask
D)	Expedition weight long underwear.	L)	Gaiters
E)	Fleece/wool pants and shirt.	M)	Booties
F)	Goretex (or equivalent) bibs / coat.	N)	Liner gloves 2 pr.
G)	Lightweight balaclava	O)	Gore-Tex over mitt.
H)	Neck gator.

	EQUIPMENT
1	Goggles or glacier glasses	14	Space Blanket
2	1 liter water bottle	15	Tent
3	Water Bottle Cover	16	Cook pot
4	2 cup measure	17	Rope (3-4mm diameter).
5	Two spoons.	18	stove
6	Swiss knife or leatherman	19	fuel
7	Lighter/matches	20	Shovel/Sled (Small plastic)
8	Journal and pencil	21	Toilet paper
9	Mirror/compass	22	Satellite Phone
10	Radio	23	Mag Light/Headlamp
11	Maps	24	Home made Bivy sack
12	Snow saw	25	Ice screws
13	2 Thinsulite sleeping pads	26	50' Nylon low stretch rope

Further Reading:

1. Basic Essential of Hypothermia / William W. Forgery, M.D.

2. The Basic Essentials of Trailside Shelters and Emergency Shelters/ Cliff Jacobson

3. Cold Comfort/Glenn Randall

4. How to Survive on Land and Sea/Craig head

5. Outdoor Survival Skill/Larry Dean Olsen.

6. Snow Caves for Fun and Survival

*The above information was furnished by Rick Ford at a seminar he presented to the Iditarod Air Force in 1995.

Please Remember: Survival is in your hands until help arrives. Please familiarize yourself with all of the tools.

MINIMUM ADDITIONAL REQUIRED EQUIPMENT FOR IAF PILOTS

1 Three ice screws for tie down.

2 Fire starters.

3 Basic tool kit.

4 Fire extinguisher.

5 Engine preheater which does not require electricity.

Pilots may choose to carry (or drop at strategic locations where electricity is available), an electrically operated engine preheater and a heavy duty extension cord. Electricity will be provided at McGrath, Galena, Unalakleet, and Nome. Bring your own drop cord, 100' minimum, and splitter. Don't bring high wattage heaters, (hairdryers, cabin heaters, etc).