On Saturday March 21st I took a great ditching and survival class at the Camarillo airport conducted by Doug Ritter a well known survival expert. Doug is also the editor of Equipped to Survive an excellent source of information.

Doug started out his most excellent presentation with busting myths about ditching. I sure am glad I attended this class, was I ever wrong about some things that should be done when ditching.

BTW, after his class, I contracted Doug to be my consultant for this flight across the North Atlantic.

First of all, did you know that in 88% of all aircraft ditched everyone survives and that 85% of those ditching don’t flip? Sad to say, Doug says it’s a little lower statistic for survival when doing a North Atlantic crossing.

My first thought would have been to stall the aircraft just above the water. Doug says that’s a sure way to flip your plane over. You must fly the plane about 10 knots above stall speed into a perfect normal landing while keeping your tail low (or nose high).

Did you ever think of the term “Minimal Decent Speed”? I sure didn’t…I would have used best glide speed. Think about it, when you are ditching in water you want the most time before you get your feet wet to prepare for that ditching. That speed is somewhere between best glide and stall speed. In other words, we’re looking for hang time here.

Another fact, did you know that fixed gear and retractable gear aircraft have the same survival rates ditching and the same percentage of success? True!