Be honest: It wasn't until you turned 40 or had a kid that paying for anything safety related first crossed your mind. We're invincible when we're young, and the limited disposable flying income we have seems much better spent on rental fees or fuel than on signaling devices and life jackets. You can eschew the reckless young’uns and make safety related items a priority. Thankfully companies today are making the decision much easier to go all-in on being safe. Today’s safety supplies are easier to use, more accessible, thoughtfully designed, and reasonably priced. For those who haven’t come around, we picked a few must-haves that if we’re being honest add as much utility as they do safety. Because who among us doesn't love a multi-tasker?
Aerox protable oxygen system
A VFR flight across the Midwest seemed easily doable at 6,500 feet, but dense smoke from summertime wildfires changed all that. Climbing solved the visibility problem, but not until 12,500 feet, the maximum sustained non-oxygen altitude for pilots flying unpressurized airplanes. I’m a 61-year-old nonsmoker and felt pretty good in cruise flight. But a pulse oximeter showed an alarmingly low blood oxygen level of just 82 percent (down from 99 percent at sea level). I would have to stay high more than three hours, so I strapped on the cannula attached to a portable oxygen bottle and adjusted the valves to provide a steady flow that was suitable for the airplane’s altitude. My blood oxygen level improved almost immediately to 95 percent and remained there until it was time to descend for landing. Breathing oxygen through a cannula gets uncomfortable after about two hours, but it increases safety and eliminates the fatigue and headaches that tend to follow long flights in thin air. —DH
Starting at $585 | aerox.com
Anker power bank
Whether you’re using an iPad while navigating IFR or recording your flight on your smartphone, no one wants the devices they rely on to die midflight. And even if you have a charging port in your airplane, a backup is always a good idea. To avoid the inconvenient death of devices, I keep a hefty Anker power bank in my flight bag. Depending on the size, a power bank can fully charge a phone or iPad multiple times, and beside just being a helpful tool, it would also be great to have after a forced landing emergency when keeping your devices alive could make the difference in keeping you alive as well. —AH
Prices from $19.99 | anker.com
Revere Comfortmax Inflatable Life Jacket
Life vests are essential equipment when flying beyond gliding distance from shore. Given that you don’t want to be digging in the back seat for a vest if you have to ditch, it’s even better to wear a vest the entire time. Revere’s Comfortmax Inflatable Life Jacket makes it easy to make the safe choice. With dual chest clips for finer adjustments, and no Velcro or heavy stitching on the neck, the vest is comfortable to wear all day. Inflation is manual or with a CO2 cartridge, and a signaling whistle is included. —IJT
$149 | reveresurvival.com
Fire extinguisher on board
Congratulations, you purchased an airplane and are looking forward to making memories, enjoying new horizons, and meeting new friends in far-away places! But first, confirm your aircraft’s safety backstops are in order, including at least one portable, easily accessible, aviation-specific fire extinguisher. AOPA.org contributor and A&P/IA Jeff Simon wrote about the importance of distinguishing between Halon, Halotron, and carbon dioxide fire extinguishers, and which type should be readily available in an aircraft or stored in a hangar. I purchased a 1.25-pound halon fire extinguisher from H3R Aviation for my new-to-me Piper Tri-Pacer. It’s within an arm’s reach and below the co-pilot’s seat, but I hope I never need it.—DT
Starting at $294 | h3raviation.com
Pro Tip Satellite SOS
Cellphone coverage can end abruptly when overflying sparsely populated areas. That’s where SOS emergency messaging systems come into play. Whether it’s via a smartphone’s subscription-free, built-in SOS capability, or through a subscription-based stand-alone satellite device, these lifesavers can broadcast your location with the push of a button and offer peace of mind and a safety net whether you’re flying across the United States or in another country. —DT
