This seems a standard light aircraft raft, what is amusing is the massive mark up if bought from a GA usual suspect shop vs a Chandlers.
https://www.piratescave.co.uk/revere-aero-compact-4-man-raft-with-canopy.html
I’ve posted this somewhere before. I think there is a different in the inflation system. An accidental inflation of a marine liferaft is no problem. I watched one in a storm – the single handed hove-to until the lifeboat arrived to collect the raft, then sailed away.
An accidental inflation inside a small aircraft will likely be fatal.
I carry a knife in my pocket if there is a raft in the cabin.
@Maoraigh I believe the example I posted is the same model as sold by GA suppliers? Just within 100% mark up
Serious question Graham. Are you allowed to carry a knife in your pocket in the UK these days?
Nearly every older Frenchman carries a knife for cutting your baguette at a picnic🙂 But a friend of mine was given a very hard time over his Swiss army knife when in the UK. He was told he had broken the law.
Depends on the context. In a football match, probably not
I have a knife in the plane, readily accessible, for this purpose, but not in my pocket. It only needs to be very short; no need for one of these
Well, not unless you are attending some other GA forum’s fly-in; then you may need it for self defence
gallois wrote:
Serious question Graham. Are you allowed to carry a knife in your pocket in the UK these days?
Nearly every older Frenchman carries a knife for cutting your baguette at a picnic🙂 But a friend of mine was given a very hard time over his Swiss army knife when in the UK. He was told he had broken the law.
A summary of the law relating to carrying knives in the UK is here.
The law, while it cannot of course discriminate, is almost entirely directed towards urban areas and those elements of society (gangs, youth culture, etc.) that tend to carry knives as weapons. Enforcement follows a similar pattern: the chances of ordinary people getting their pocket knives taken off them, or being charged with an offence, are approximately zero. Who gave your friend a hard time?
Living in a rural area and having a large garden I sometimes (but not routinely) have a knife in my pocket when out and about. It is a Swiss Army knife with a four-inch locking main blade – the same knife I carry in the aeroplane when the raft is onboard. I then leave it in the aeroplane while at destination, since obviously one doesn’t want to give foreign police/customs the opportunity to confiscate it.
The list of ‘good reasons’ in that link is not exhaustive. Cutting baguettes, random garden jobs and stabbing unwanted life rafts would almost certainly be accepted by a court as a good reason if it came down to it, but again the chances of you, me or any other ordinary person carrying a pocket knife having to justify it in court are approximately zero. It really comes down to whether one is quite obviously carrying it as a weapon and the reason given is obviously a ruse.
I certainly never worry about having it on me in public or anything like that. The Police aren’t interested unless you’re evidently up to no good.
I have an Opinel in my pocket I use daily for all kinds of things. Mainly for opening boxes at work, but also in the garden, garage, and picnics like gallois.
The law is that the blade must be folding and under 3” long, unless you have a specific reason e.g. being a chef.
I’ve never had any problems with this, nor know anyone who has. I’m a yokel, and the legislation is aimed at inner city areas where knife crime is a problem.
It’s not something I’d worry about. If in doubt, ‘aviation’ and ‘safety’ should cover all eventualities. Airliners carry axes
Edit: Graham beat me to it