U.S. Air Force Survival Handbook

A comprehensive manual of proven wilderness survival tactics for every situation.

Written for use in formal United States Air Force survival training courses, the U.S. Air Force Survival Handbook iis the bible for pilots who want to stay alive—no matter what. Assuming, as the Air Force does, that flight personnel may be faced at any time with a bailout or crash landing in hostile territory without supplies, the advice here is superlatively practical, but also surprisingly readable and interesting. Detailing specific survival threats at sea, in the tropics, in the desert, in Arctic conditions, and the psychological perils of imprisonment and torture, this handbook is replete with fascinating and useful (if unsettling) information. Precisely written, profusely illustrated, and completely authoritative, this is an essential book for anyone—soldier or civilian—looking for knowledge that could prove to be the difference between life and death in a dangerous situation. 1000 black-and-white illustrations

Customer Reviews:

Great Book

By M. Sobel "MS" - February 11, 2010

This book is packed with useful information. It makes a great study guide or even just as an informational book. It includes illustrations and surprisingly detailed instructions for just about everything in the wild. It has everything from lashing and knots to wild plants and maps. The back of the book says it includes "First aid for illness and injury, finding your way without a map, building a fire, finding food and water, using ropes and tying knots, mountain survival, concealment techniques, signaling for help, survival at sea, building shelters, animal tracking, predicting the weather and much more"... and I've looked through the book, there really IS much more.

Best Survival Manual

By Melvin M. Williams Jr. - September 13, 2008

Exactly what I wanted. A Marine told me the Air Force survival manual was the best bar none. I am totally satisfied with his suggestion and the transaction on Amazon. If you want to know what bugs and roots, etc., you can eat to survive, plus much, much more useful information, get this book.

Used in all branches of the military - considered best in category

By Citizen John - February 12, 2011

You learn some skills covered in this survival guide in military service no matter your Military Occupational Specialty (MOS). A former soldier in the combat arms, I learned a portion of this material. However, the U.S. Air Force Survival Handbook is more comprehensive and covers the basic mechanics of survival best because it was prepared for pilots that might be downed in hostile territory.

On the most fundamental level, survival is about keeping the body from going into shock and using the mind to do what is necessary to survive the "actualities" (fatigue, hunger, exposure to weather as well as to insects and parasites, and so on). It is about using every means at one's disposal to recover from the situation.

This book is applicable to disaster planning and The End of the World as We Know It (TEOTWAWKI) because it is our primary literary source for dealing with immediate and extreme stress. Preparation is not only providing for water, food, physical... read more