Aeromedix.com - flightBlog - Essentials news concerning safety and medical issues in AVIATION

“Dear Dr. Blue,
I can’t thank you enough for your Relief Band. It has changed my life for ever.  I have been really sick travelling since I was a child and at 45,  I discovered your Relief Band.  I can now travel freely without the pain and frustration of being sick.  I just ordered a second relief band (just in case the old one stopped working). I always keep the Relief Band close.  Is has been a real life saver.  

Thank you again.” - Diane Mastrogiuseppe

Dear Brent:

Just wanted to say that before leaving for my second home in Jackson
Hole this past summer, I ordered the ACR Microfix from Aeromedix which
I carry in my 182 everywhere. When over hostile territory, I put it on
my belt and consider the ACR along with my extensive medical kit and
survival kit as “don’t leave home without them” items. The 182 I fly
has a custom panel with all the available avionics including TCAS I
and satellite weather. A 406 PLB was just a must have.

I have spoken to numerous pilots about what I carry flying around the
northern rockies and pacific northwest from my home base in Palo Alto,
CA or Jackson Hole and the most common response from pilots is ” well,
I always carry a first aid kit and some water”. Interesting attitude
that can get you killed by the environment. Most pilots are unaware
that when you are flying below 12,000 ft. in the Rocky Mountain
states, you often can’t raise anyone on the aircraft radios. Salt Lake
Center is deaf at lower altitudes in many areas that I fly.

Long winded explanation of why I jumped on the Microfix. Don’t leave
home without it.

Best regards,

Doug DeVivo
ATP
Atherton,CA

I have been working at Aeromedix for over a year and a half now and have sold a ton of the Doug Ritter RSK knives and I have heard “knife guys” go into the greatest detail as to why they love the knives Doug has designed and for the longest time I just didn’t get it.  Don’t get me wrong, I grew up in Wyoming hunting, fishing, backpacking etc and I have used my fair share of knives (I got my first Gerber folder when I was 4 years old).  But my perception of the Mini RSK Mk1 knife changed this past summer when I took my daughter camping. 

Just to be fair, again look at the title of this review, I wasn’t out in the middle of nowhere really putting this knife to the “test” I was car camping an hour from my house in a forest service run campground with my 6 year old.  The first thing I like about the Mini is the size.  It fits in my pocket or clips without feeling really heavy as I am not used to carrying a knife on a daily basis. I also like the ease of opening and closing the knife as I was able to do it with one hand with no problem at all (granted I have played with these knives in the office on a number of occasions but that doesn’t negate the fact that the knife is easy to open and close).  Now time to use the knife for something very important ;).  A 6 year old needs to roast a marshmallow or 2 while out “roughing” it with her dad so we went on a expedition to find the perfect roasting sticks.  We found some great bushes growing down by Granite Creek that had long, green branches and I took out my Mini and was able to practically slice through a half inch branch with little if any resistance; the second branch was just as easy.  Stripping off the unnecessary branches was a snap and putting a nice point on the sticks was a breeze (note to self the SV 30 Steel that Doug likes holds a nice edge).  The rest of the night was cooking and eating at which point my daughter asked to use my knife and I didn’t have any reservations about letting her use it… it fits perfectly in her small hands and the Griptillian grip meant that she wasn’t going to have it slipping around in her hands (keep in mind that I have taught her how to handle a knife in a limited capacity ie. cutting food and other minor tasks).

All in all my little experience with my RSK Mk1 Mini was a good one.  Yeah, I didn’t go out and gut any fish or have to do anything too crazy with it but for a guy and his daughter that go camping a few times a year it was the perfect tool to have around for our very important tasks.  I still may not fully “get it” but I like the features of the knife and the blade is still super sharp and I have yet to do anything to it since I first took it out of the box.

Shawn Sears
Director of Operations
Aeromedix.com LLC