According to the National Business Aviation Association (NBAA), there are about 2,700 flights that cross the world’s oceans every day. When you’re halfway between continents and your airplane suffers an in-flight emergency, sometimes the only option is to ditch in the angry ocean below. Surviving this kind of “blue water ditching” was the subject of a virtual education session at last week’s NBAA Virtual Business Aviation Conference and Exposition (VBACE).
Best Practices for ‘Blue Water’ Ditching Presented at VBACE
Key Takeaways:
- Despite the extreme rarity of "blue water ditching" with modern aircraft, the article emphasizes the critical need for pilots flying over oceans to be prepared and specifically trained for such emergencies.
- Key preparedness tips for pilots include immediately activating modern satellite-connected ELTs, understanding ocean swells for a safer water landing, and utilizing tools like the Ergo Blue app to identify nearby ships.
- Advanced real-time global tracking systems, such as Aireon ALERT (space-based ADS-B), have revolutionized search and rescue by providing continuous aircraft surveillance, significantly reducing the search area in the event of an oceanic incident.
Key takeaways sponsored by Aviator Pro | Start Your Training ->
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