more engines e the main rotor system 12 includes a rotor hub 20 having a plurality of rotor blade assemblies 22 mounted to and projecting radially outwardly therefrom although a particular helicopter configuration is illustrated and described in the disclosed non limiting embodiment other configurations and or machines such as high speed compound rotary wing aircraft with supplemental translational thrust systems dual contra rotating coaxial rotor system aircraft turboprops tilt rotors and tilt wing aircraft will also benefit from the present invention an emergency pod 30 configured for use with a rotary wing aircraft 10 is illustrated in more detail in fig2 the emergency pod 30 includes a rigid generally hollow shell 32 formed from a rigid material such as formed aluminum or a composite material for example in one embodiment the shell 32 has an aerodynamic shape configured to reduce drag while the rotary wing aircraft 10 is in flight at least one handle 40 is mounted to the exterior surface 34 of the shell 32 in one non limiting embodiment as illustrated in the fig two handles 40 are arranged adjacent the longitudinal ends 36 38 of the shell 32 the handles 40 may facilitate carrying the pod 30 and installing the pod 30 on the rotary wing aircraft 10 as well as provide an area for a person waiting to be rescued to grab onto the shell 32 additionally includes a portion 42.