If it is a serious question or a mind game I think we need more info?
Pilot lands aircraft (solo?), walks away (how damaged is the aircraft, what is there that is salvageable, still works?), and how remote is the island?
Ration my “emergency” mars bars and bottles of water. get some sort of shelter and try to gather firewood.
I’ve always got a blanket and bivvy bag with me, usually a tarp. So would hopefully be able to get something cobbled together.
If I was lucky I’d have a rifle or scattergun which may be able to get some food.
Set off any beacon / locator I’ve got, then just do my best to keep going.
Where is the island? Rockall might be a bit more challenging than somewhere full of coconuts in the tropics.
Interesting nobody has a good plan for finding shelter, water and food 
An ELT does make it easy though… you should get picked up in a few days, assuming the thing actually works.
Ah ok, so it was a serious question :-)
I’ll assume I have access to all the plane’s stuff, it’s not a “you only have what you were wearing” scenario.
Obv. first try to signal for help with PLB, ELT, even the SMS function of the Golze ADL if it still works. I have two flares, a powerful light, and a portable VHF to signal rescue vessels when and if they get close by. Maybe prepare a bonfire as well if I really have time on my hands.
Shelter in the life raft, which has a cover. Use the safety matches to get some warmth if needed, assuming there’s dry wood on the island.
Water: I have enough on board for 2 days; use survival blankets to collect dew, possibly if it’s warm evaporate sea water and collect the vapour on the survival blankets (try it, it works! The trick is to put a small pebble on the blanket, above your collection bucket, so the condensed water falls into it)
Food: I have enough for 2 days (although those long lasting rations probably taste even worse than Army stuff) without rationing, can probably make it last for a week. I’m not carrying anything to fish or hunt, frankly even if I had the material I’d be useless with it.
In the rental aircraft I usually fly, there is nothing that would help me to survive apart from the ELT and the radio. I would try to raise somebody on 121.500 first (assuming the radio is intact, as per the OP). If that fails (battery empty) I would look for a source of water first, as I don’t carry more than 1 L with me. I was in the boy scouts way back in my youth, but I doubt that’ll help me much today.
Peter wrote:
Interesting nobody has a good plan for finding shelter, water and food
My one and only concern would be temperature control – depending on where the island is located either protecting from sun/heat or protection from cold. This includes shelter in some cases.
On all flights were I would have a realistic risk of stranding on an island, I would have couple of days of water on board – and I have enough calories on board to survive a week or more anyways (flying with Kids once in a while…).
To be realistic: If I can’t get rescue before these water and food provisions run out, I’ll most likely die anyways, because I’m quite sure that by just watching few episodes of survivor I’m not at all qualified to find enough of safe water and food …
Survival strategy is well rehearsed, although I suspect lots of people dont have a clue.
A lot will depend on the enviroment – tropical island, lost somewhere off Scotland, etc. Clearly its improtant because it defines what enviromental exposure you will need to protect yourself from. Cold will kill you quickly, whereas a rather pleasant tropical island will present less immediate risks.
Water and protection will be the top priorities, water usually the first because I think anyone would be lucky to survive more than a few days without any. There are lots of strategies for finding and producing water.
Fortunately we can survive a long time without food (some more than others ). Knowing what you can eat is obvioulsy key. There have been some good programs and other things about foraging on the coast. Assuming there is a reasonable tidal range, rocky tidal zones are very productive and there is very little that isnt safe to eat. Our ability to use tools also means we have a huge advantage over other scavenging animals that might compete.
Thereafter I guess the aircraft could provide various tools and other means for attracting rescuers and doubtless it will be well worth extensively pillaging. If the battery is still good you might get a pretty good spark off it, if you arent good with other means of making fire, and other parts in the aircraft might provide some good dry combustibles. Obvioulsy any fuel left could come in very useful.
I suspect most of us would underestimate just how much effort will go into just surviving in the first instance, especially when there isnt a MacieD’s on the island.
The list is endless of the things you could attempt, but so much depends on the island, and what resources may, or may not, be on offer.
I suspect the one thing that would be common is to use your knee board and for once H and S and all that nonesense has a part to play – write out a realistic risk assessment so you can focus on the priorities and have a list to work to of jobs you need to get done so as best as you can your mind stays focused on the important taks, and you arent tempted to laze about on the sun lounger calling for cocktails on the sat. phone.
I would come to the conclusion that it could take as long as 2 weeks until someone would find me. And so I would do nothing and just die. I mean, let’s be honest, life has no meaning without being able to access EuroGA for that long
and I have enough calories on board to survive a week or more anyways (flying with Kids once in a while…).
I should have also ruled out cannibalism
life has no meaning without being able to access EuroGA for that long
