Do Pilots Need Life Vests When Flying Over Water?
If you fly one of the vast majority of general aviation aircraft, you can legally operate over any of the waters in and around the U.S. without any sort of flotation device aboard. The requirement to carry survival equipment for operations over water more than 50 miles from land set out in FAR 91.509 only applies to airplanes weighing over 12,500 pounds and turbojets.
That said, given that most pilots can’t swim even a mile and despite the fact that aircraft engines have proven very reliable (so long as they’re getting fuel), having some sort of personal flotation device for each person aboard an airplane flying over water just makes sense.
FAA Requirements and Recommendations
Because most Part 91 operators do not have to carry life preservers, those who choose to do so are not required to carry ones that are FAA approved. For those who do wish to carry aviation life preservers, they are approved under a version of TSO C13f.
At a minimum, we recommend that a PFD intended to be used by an adult as insurance in case of ditching in a Part 91 general aviation airplane should be:
- Coast Guard approved for watercraft
- Provide a minimum of 35 pounds of buoyancy
- Manual inflation (not automatic)
Three Types of Aviation PFDs
There are three basic types of PFDs on the market for pilots: airline vest, belt pouch, and continuous wear. Each has advantages and tradeoffs worth considering.
Airline Vest Style
The airline vest-style life preserver is what you’ve seen demonstrated on airliners forever. One of the reasons is that they work. They provide plenty of buoyancy for an adult and keep a person’s head out of the water. Many include a water immersion-activated strobe light for help with search and rescue.
Pros:
- Proven design used by airlines worldwide
- Provides excellent buoyancy
- Often includes strobe light
- Most affordable option (around $50)
Cons:
- Not designed for repeated wearings
- May not be comfortable when worn throughout a flight
- Can cause neck chafing during long over-water flights
Tip: Wearing a shirt with a collar that could be flipped up worked to protect against neck chafing. Carefully folding the life preserver after flight and storing it in a one-gallon zipper lock bag helps protect it against damage.
Belt Pouch Style
The belt pouch PFD is a flotation device worn in a pouch around the waist on an attached belt. Simply open the pouch and don the PFD. While we like the idea, we have a concern about its use unless the wearer has practiced donning it.
The Problem: To don the belt-pouch PFD, the aircraft shoulder harness(es) have to be released, the PFD slipped over the user’s head, and the harness(es) reattached. If the shoulder harness and lap belt are a single unit, everything has to come off while the PFD is put on.
Because the data on the greatly increased risk of injury or death when a shoulder harness is not worn is so compelling, we cannot recommend something that requires disabling a vital piece of safety equipment in an emergency, even temporarily.
Price Range: $80 to $140
Continuous Wear Style (Recommended)
Continuous-wear PFDs have been increasing in popularity for the last 20 years. We like them because they are comfortable, which means they’re likely to actually be worn. A close friend flipped his SeaRey amphib while step taxiing after hitting what was probably a submerged log. His daughter and he each had on a continuous-wear PFD. They swam clear of the inverted, partially submerged cockpit, inflated the PFDs and easily swam to shore.
Because they are designed to be comfortable as well as to be used, stored and used again over time, we think they are the best choice for use as life preservers in Part 91 aircraft.
Pros:
- Designed to be worn comfortably throughout flight
- Can be used, stored, and reused many times
- Often include pouches and attach points for PLB, signaling mirror, and other survival equipment
- Most likely to actually be worn
Cons:
- Higher price point
Price Range: $105 to $400 for units designed for pilots who regularly fly over water
Important: Put It On Before Takeoff
Based on experience in various general aviation aircraft, trying to put on a PFD while in the cabin on short notice is unrealistic. We strongly recommend that if you are going to be flying over water and have life preservers, that they be put on prior to flight.
The need to wear a PFD means that the unit has to be comfortable enough to be worn continually on what may be a long flight and robust enough that it can be removed from its packaging, worn, and then stored many times without damage.
Automatic vs. Manual Inflation: Choose Manual
Life preservers are commonly described as “automatic” or “manual.” The adjectives can be confusing:
- Automatic means it inflates on contact with water
- Manual means the wearer has to take some action to inflate it
For aviation use, always choose manual inflation. Here’s why:
During cabin egress after ditching, the cabin may be more or less full of water or upside down. An inflated life jacket—or a flotation device that doesn’t require inflation—may hamper or preclude getting out. That’s why it’s important not to inflate the jacket until clear of the airplane and not to use a marine-type jacket that doesn’t require inflation or inflates automatically upon contact with water.
How Aviation PFDs Inflate
Aviation life preservers use a row of red beads for the device that the wearer jerks—and we mean jerk, merely pulling is not enough—to activate the CO2 inflator. Marine PFDs still have tabs—which can hang up on protrusions or junk in the cabin when you’re trying to boogie out in a hurry. That can either stop you from escaping or cause the vest to inflate inside the cabin—either one an unsuitable state of affairs.
The Good News About Ditching
No matter what the landing gear configuration of a general aviation airplane, ditching is a surprisingly low-risk proposition—89 percent of the occupants are able to get out of the airplane following a water landing. In addition, fixed-gear airplanes don’t necessarily flip over as is commonly believed—often the gear simply functions as a hydrofoil.
Maintenance and Life Expectancy
Because the PFDs we surveyed use a CO2 cylinder to inflate them, and because components and fabrics wear out, every manufacturer recommends regular inspection and maintenance. On top of that, figure on about a 10-year life expectancy.
Our Recommendations
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For regular over-water flying: Continuous-wear life preservers are the best choice. They’re comfortable, you’ll actually wear them, and they’re designed for repeated use.
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For occasional over-water flights on a budget: Airline-style vests are a good deal and provide proven flotation. Just take care in storage.
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Avoid belt pouch units where shoulder harnesses are involved—the requirement to temporarily disable restraints is a significant safety concern.
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Always choose manual inflation for aviation use—you need to control when the vest inflates.
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Minimum 35 pounds of buoyancy for adult use.
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Put it on before flight—don’t plan to don it in an emergency.
Looking for aviation life vests and survival equipment? Check out our selection of pilot safety gear at MyPilotStore.