On any flight not in the vicinity of an airport, it is highly advisable to prepare a survival kit with items that would be necessary in the event of an emergency.

A properly equipped survival kit should be able to provide you with sustenance, shelter, medical care, and a means to summon help without a great deal of effort on your part. An efficient way to organize your survival kit is to prepare a basic core of supplies that would be necessary for any emergency, and allow additional space for supplementary items appropriate for the terrain and weather you expect for a particular flight.

The basic items to form the basis of your survival kit would typically include: a first-aid kit and field medical guide, a flashlight, water, a knife, matches, some type of shelter, and a signaling device. Additional items that may be added to meet the conditions, for example, would be a lifevest for a flight over water, or heavy clothing for a flight into cold weather. Another consideration is carrying a cellular phone. Several pilots have been rescued after calling someone to indicate there had been an accident.