In aviation, the difference between a "forced landing" and a "tragedy" often comes down to what happens after the propellers stop spinning. For flight crews and remote personnel, the first 24 hours on the ground are the most critical.

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The Advanced Rescue Solutions Aircrew Aviation Survival Course is designed for pilots, flight paramedics, and aircrew members who operate over remote Canadian terrain.

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Unlike a standard survival course, this program emphasizes post-crash actions, utilizing aircraft components for survival, and working specifically with the SAR (Search and Rescue) systems that will be looking for you.

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Advanced Rescue Solutions offers a specialized Aircrew & Remote Industry Wilderness Survival course. This is not a classroom seminar; it is a high-consequence, 24-hour immersion designed to bridge the gap between aviation safety theory and the reality of a night in the Canadian bush.

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Course Description

 

This course is a dual-phase, intensive 24-hour program held in a remote wilderness setting outside of the Toronto area. It is designed to simulate the stress, fatigue, and environmental pressures of an actual survival situation.

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Target Audience

 

This course is specifically built for groups and companies whose personnel travel via aircraft over uninhabited terrain:

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• Aviation Professionals: Commercial pilots, flight engineers, and cabin crews (Air Taxi and Commuter operations).

• Remote Sector Employees: Mining, forestry, and hydro workers transported via bush plane or helicopter.

• Government & Science: Field biologists, surveyors, and MNR personnel.

• Northern Community Access: Organizations that provide essential air-commute services to remote First Nations communities.

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Pricing and logistics 

 

As this is a specialized program for groups, pricing is tiered based on the size of the team and the location of the field site:

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• Group Rate (Up to 12 participants): $4,500 – $6,000 + HST (Flat rate).

• Individual Equivalent: $400 +HST per person.

• Includes: Transport Canada-compliant certification, survival manual, all field simulation supplies, and professional safety monitoring.

• Duration: 2-3 Days (Intensive)

• Location: Hangar-based Theory & Wilderness Field Work

• Core Objective: To bridge the gap between the moment of impact and the arrival of a rescue hoist or ground team.

 

​Note: A lecture-only "Ground School" version is also available for corporate safety days at a reduced rate.

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Learning Outcomes

Upon completion, students will:

1. Execute rapid egress and emergency stabilization of crew members.

2. Transform aircraft wreckage into life-saving tools and insulation.

3. Demonstrate signaling techniques that align with professional SAR search patterns.

4. Maintain a "Rescue-Ready" camp for 72 hours using minimal wearable gear.

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Phase 1:

 

Practical Field Skills (Day 1):

Participants spend the day in the field mastering the "Big Five" of aviation survival

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• Immediate Action Drills: Triage, aircraft egress, and emergency gear retrieval.

• Advanced Fire Craft: Igniting wet fuel in Ontario’s humid/snowy conditions using modern and improvised methods.

• Shelter Engineering: Constructing heat-reflective "Super Shelters" and utilizing aircraft debris for insulation.

• Signaling for Rescue: Practical use of pyrotechnics, signal mirrors, and electronic locators (ELT/PLB) to attract SAR aircraft.

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Phase 2:

 

• The Overnight Survival Scenario: As the sun sets, the "simulation" begins. Students are separated and placed in a mock survival scenario. Under the silent, watchful eye of instructors, you must spend the night alone, maintaining your own fire, managing your shelter, and confronting the psychological "spiral" of isolation.​​​​​

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Module 1: The Golden Hour – Post-Crash Immediate Actions

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• The Crash Sequence: Immediate cockpit egress, fire suppression, and crew accountability.

• Triage in the Wreckage: Performing rapid "Tactical First Aid" on fellow crew members in the immediate aftermath.

• Inventory Management: Identifying and "stripping" the aircraft for survival assets (insulation, wiring, fuel, mirrors, and seats).

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Module 2: Aviation-Specific Physiology

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• Aviation Survival Psychology: Overcoming the shock of a forced landing and managing the "Will to Survive."

• High-Altitude & Cold-Weather Effects: Understanding how altitude sickness or extreme cold impacts decision-making for crew members.

• Environmental Hazards: Mitigating the specific risks of the Boreal forest, tundra, or mountainous terrain.

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Module 3: Shelter & Protection (Utilizing the Airframe)

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• Fuselage as Shelter: When to stay inside the aircraft vs. when to move.

• Improvised Shelters: Building "A-frames" or "Lean-tos" using parachutes, cargo netting, or tarps from the onboard survival kit.

• Advanced Insulation: Utilizing aircraft seat cushions and soundproofing as ground insulation to prevent conductive heat loss.

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Module 4: Firecraft & Fuel Management

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• AVGAS/Jet-A Safety: Safe ways to use aircraft fuel for emergency fire starting in wet or frozen conditions.

• Signaling Fires: Construction of high-smoke "Signal Pyres" (daytime) and high-brightness "Signal Fires" (nighttime).

• The Master Fire: Keeping a fire going for 48+ hours with minimal physical exertion.

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Module 5: Signaling & SAR Interoperability

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• Ground-to-Air Communications: Proper use of signal mirrors (the most effective tool for pilots) and the "V" or "X" ground symbols.

• Electronic Locators: Troubleshooting ELTs (Emergency Locator Transmitters), PLBs, and Sat-Comms.

• The SAR Perspective: Understanding how a CH-149 Cormorant or CC-130 Hercules crew searches for you—how to make your site "unnatural" to the eye.

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Module 6: Navigation & The "Stay or Go" Decision

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• The Perimeter Rule: Why most aircrew should stay within 50 meters of the wreckage.

• Short-Distance Navigation: Using a lensatic compass or the aircraft's magnetic compass (if removable) to find water or higher ground for signaling.

• Flight Path Awareness: Using your last known position (LKP) to determine the most likely search corridor.

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Module 7: The Aviation Survival Kit

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• The 24-Hour Vest: Designing a personal survival kit that is worn, not stored (because the aircraft may be inaccessible).

• Customizing for the Mission: Tailoring gear for mountain ops vs. flatland/boreal ops.

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Practical Field Exercise: "The Downed Aircraft"

Participants are taken to a remote location with a "mock-up" crash site. They must:

1. Extricate a simulated "injured" crew member.

2. Salvage specific items from the "wreckage" to build a signal and shelter.

3. Survive an overnight period while managing a signaling plan for an incoming "rescue" aircraft.

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​Why Choose Advanced Rescue Solutions?

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​For aviation and industrial groups, Advanced Rescue Solutions is the preferred choice over standard outdoor schools for several reasons:

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• Transport Canada Alignment: Their curriculum is specifically tailored to meet the regulatory requirements for Aerial Work, Air Taxi, and Commuter Operators, ensuring your company stays compliant while staying safe.​

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• The "Safety Watch" System: Unlike unmonitored survival courses, Advanced Rescue Solutions uses active-duty Search and Rescue (SAR) and Paramedic professionals to monitor students during the overnight phase. This allows for a "real" survival experience with a professional safety net that protects company liability.

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• Psychology of the "Empty Cockpit": Advanced Rescue Solutions focuses heavily on the mental transition from being a "pilot/passenger" to being a "survivor." They teach the specific cognitive drills needed to overcome the shock of an accident and initiate a survival plan.

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• Realistic Environments: While based in Toronto, Advanced Rescue Solutions utilizes rugged, remote training sites that mimic the actual terrain of Northern Ontario, ensuring the skills learned (such as fire-lighting in muskeg or heavy brush) are directly applicable to where you fly.