To pack or not to pack???

[blackwidow 0]

Pack in my luggage that is...

I am leaving for a business trip this week and will have some time to get a jump day in. I want to bring my rig and all my equipment, but am not sure whether it is better to:

1. Carry my rig on bare
2. Carry my rig on in a gear bag
3. Pack my rig in my hard suitcase

Thoughts?

[PhreeZone 15]

Gear bag if its a carry on... hardcase if you are checking it.

Never carry it with out a cover... TSA goes freaking nuts as is and have been stoping rigs anyways at some places. They are afraid you are going to hijack the plane, point it at a city then bail. At least thats the excuse they gave Jessica on why she had to check hers.

Yesterday is history
And tomorrow is a mystery

Parachutemanuals.com

[Jimbo 0]

Quote

1. Carry my rig on bare

Think about this, carrying your rig on bare exposes the rig to scuffs from the plane and stuff next to it, as well as and probably more importantly, people pulling handles. The only reason I can imagine anyone would want to carry their rig on bare is to get looks from the whuffos - and that's just silly.

I have a soft sided carry on bag that's perfect for my rig, alti, log book, etc... If you're forced to check it, then be sure to purchase the extra insurance at the check-in counter. I think the insurance runs about $25.00 US.

-
Jim

"Like" - The modern day comma
Good bye, my friends. You are missed.

[Lolie 0]

I carried mine on in a gear bag last time I flew, and had no problems. (Other than the women at the security point asking me, "You're a skydiver??! Is it fun? Isn't it scary? I don't think I could do that... Why would you want to jump out of a perfectly good airplane?") And they did have to go get another person to come look at it too. Remember to have your cypres card handy! Good travels!

-Miranda
you shall above all things be glad and young / For if you're young,whatever life you wear
it will become you;and if you are glad / whatever's living will yourself become.

[drenaline 0]

Quote

"You're a skydiver??! Is it fun? Isn't it scary? I don't think I could do that... Why would you want to jump out of a perfectly good airplane?"

Whuffo classic number one

on the other subject: use the gear bag, I don't think an airliner will pay you 3000$ for a suitcase if they loose it.

HISPA 21
www.panamafreefall.com

[MrHixxx 0]

I have carried my rig on several times since September 11th without a bag... No one knows what it is (I have a Wings patch rig). I get the comment "Cool backpack". The few people who do, I remind them it is a life saving device, not life taking device... Most of all, I don't make any jokes about jumping or really talk about the sport at all, because it can easily be construed as a terroristic threat.
I like to carry it on, because I don't trust the yahoos handling luggage on the planes. I don't throw my rig around in or out of a gear bag, I'm not about to let anyone else do it, if I can avoid it. No airline is going to insure your 5000.00 rig either.

-Hixxx

death,as men call him, ends what they call men
-but beauty is more now than dying’s when

[Jimbo 0]

Quote

I don't think an airliner will pay you 3000$ for a suitcase if they loose it.

They will if you declare the contents and have it insured.

-
Jim

"Like" - The modern day comma
Good bye, my friends. You are missed.

[PhillyKev 0]

Jimbo, have you actually ever bought the insurance? You can get it for most stuff, but I was told by NW before Rantoul that they would require I sign a waiver that it's NOT insured because they won't cover something of that value. I'm not sure though, as you know, I carried it on. Just wondering, because it seemed to me they were saying they wouldn't insure something of that value no matter what.

[Jimbo 0]

Yes, I have purchased the insurance, on NW as a matter of fact.

I was told that they'll cover any bag up to $2500.00. The insurance, I believe, was $1.00 per hundred. It ended up costing me an additional $25.00 to insure the bag. At least that's how I remember it.

-
Jim

"Like" - The modern day comma
Good bye, my friends. You are missed.

[mouth 0]

Actually I want to expand this a little.

I am taking both rigs with me to Eloy (WAHOO). They will both fit in my gear bag but then I'm afraid the bag won't fit the required width for a carryon. I'm also not sure I can carry it through the ATL airport as that is a long way.

So, do I pack one in my luggage and carry one or try and pull off both in a carryon?

Also, several airlines are adopting a 2 bag checked limit of 50 pounds. If they stick to this I may bring my rigs and JT's guitar and little else

.

--
Hot Mama
At least you know where you stand even if it is in a pile of shit.

[Kirils 1]

Good luck any way you do it. I got screwed trying to check it as luggage in a cardboard box. I missed my flight because of stupid...yes STUPID security shit. Send your gear ahead UPS. Our Federal Government Homeland Security has a hiring requirment that all employees MUST have an I.Q. of less than 60. Again, don't risk the consequences of dealing with the security morons at the airport. Send you gear ahead UPS or FedEx.

[WFFC 1]

When I travel with my rig, it's in plain view. The first time (and the only time I've had issues) I traveled with my rig, I did have it in a gear bag. The security moron pulled the silver handle (intentionall or accidentally just the same) with his head over the reserve. Broke his nose.
Justice was served...

-----
~~~Michael

[drenaline 0]

Quote

I was told that they'll cover any bag up to $2500.00

container = 450
cypres = 900
main = 900
reserve = 450
kill line PC= 125
reserve repack = 35
insurance = 25
total = 2885

what they cover = 2500

loose: 385$ and a good gear, no thanks am carrying it with me.

HISPA 21
www.panamafreefall.com

[Jimbo 0]

Quote

loose: 385$ and a good gear, no thanks am carrying it with me.

And that would always work in Never Never Land, but out here, in the real world we're sometimes forced, for any number of reasons, to check our luggage.

What are you going to do the first time airline personell tell you you can't take your rig on the plane? Walk?

-
Jim

"Like" - The modern day comma
Good bye, my friends. You are missed.

[Kennedy 0]

Quote

what they cover = 2500

loose: 385$ and a good gear, no thanks am carrying it with me.

And what if you have new gear [like me]? It'll be worth a hell of a lot more than $2500 total. Me? Lay the rig in the gym bag that fits carry on, and put the gear in a hard case that gets checked with all my other crap.

[I haven't brought my rig on any real short trips, where everything SHOULD fit as carry on]

witty subliminal message
Guard your honor, let your reputation fall where it will, and outlast the bastards.
1*

[PhreeZone 15]

If you have canopies and a rig any larger then about a 190 the new American (and other's) smaller size restrictions will prevent you from taking your rig and any thing else as a carry on. The total checked bagage weight requirements are at 2 bags and a total of 75 lbs. Carry on bagaage most all fit in the little box, execpt womens purses. Its an additional $75 per bag or if you are over the weight limits.

I just flew (no rig) and had to place my laptop bags in the little metal bin next to the gate and those people that failed had to do gateside checked bagage. Also unless you are flying a big bird... expect to have to gateside check your rig even after you get through security. The 4 times I've taken Regional jets its been manditory to check the rig.

The USPA is working with the TSA to inform screeners of rigs and their status of carry on items. Its the Airlines thats trying to shrink the amount of stuff you are allowed to carry on at any one time.

Yesterday is history
And tomorrow is a mystery

Parachutemanuals.com

[Kennedy 0]

Well, lucky for me my Mirage with its 170 main fits nicely into my gym bag, which fits nicely into those little bins. I've always been able to take my bag as a carry one and my backpack as a "personal item" like a woman's purse. If things have gotten smaller, it must have happened in the last few months, because I flew a couple of months ago with no issues.

I fly Southwest and have had no issues in the last few years. [the ones I have had have not been skydiving related] Where is Regional? I've never heard of it.

witty subliminal message
Guard your honor, let your reputation fall where it will, and outlast the bastards.
1*

[Pablito 0]

I took my rig as a carry on with all my things. the only thing that I put in my suitcase was my hook knifes. Before I made the desicion of taking my gear I contacted USPA and I ask questions. they faxed me 2 letters. 1 from the airline saying that it was ok to take the rig as a carryon and the next one was for the Cypres where the FAA says is not a bomb.
USPA has cool things, just call and ask them
CIelos Azules
Pablo

"If you don't overcome your fears they will overcome you first"
Shady Monkey/6Segundos Rodriguez/AKA Pablito

[Guest]

Last August I went through Sea-Tac to go to Rantoul. The security was still private then (they may have TSA in place by now).

I was carrying my rig on, in a gear bag.

The inspectors were spending a lot of time looking at my rig in the X-Ray machine. When it came out, an inspector asked if he could open the gear bag (polite of them, isn't it?). When the inspector saw the rig, he asked if he could open it. I said he could, but I didn't recommend it. He got his supervisor, who said to the inspector, "Parachute, huh? It's okay as long as it doesn't have a gas cartridge in it."

I showed my CYPRES card and mentioned that sport parachutes never have gas cartridges, and that I'd never heard of any military rigs that did, either (ejection seats have cartridges of various kinds [impulse, gas, etc.], and Navy pilots wear water wings that have nitrogen cylinders in them. That and I think the movies may confuse the uninformed).

I went through Midway twice; the inspectors passed it through X-Ray without question.

Baltimore was interesting. A TSA inspector opened my gear bag, then he grinned at me.

"Parachute, huh?" He said, as he zipped up the bag shut. "Have a nice trip."

Naturally, I was very polite during all these exchanges, but kept my CYPRES card handy, just in case.

The other thing I do when going through airports is to be a "grey man", looking as nondescript and uninteresting as possible. I believe this helps prevent me from getting pulled for random searches. That and not having fuses sticking out of my sneakers.

"The mouse does not know life until it is in the mouth of the cat."

[PhreeZone 15]

Regional = those tiny hop jets that only have room for you and 35-40 strangers. The Canad-air planes seem to be the planes of choice with American. The bins have gotten smaller since I traveled in just October. At least a DWF my laptop bag was about the size of the bin. I was given the option of laptop or carry on... I took the laptop and checked the carry on.

I've racked up 12 trips through airport security and 10000 frequent flyer miles this year and my grilfriend is at probally 6000 miles and a few trips herself. No two of our trips have been the same. Shes been denyed at security and had to check the rig uninsured just to catch a plane where as I've had to use the planeside baggage 4 times (still have all 4 tags on the gear bag) and have only been slowed at security once.

DFW is the best and CMH is the worst. ATL is ok, SAT is easy to walk though with a rig and CVG is a pain in the rear since they have 6 agents per X-ray machine. IND seemed not to present an issue, ORL knows what a rig is and ignores it.

Yesterday is history
And tomorrow is a mystery

Parachutemanuals.com

[skycat 0]

Derek just flew out to SFO (san fransico) from DEN (denver) and back. He didn't have a single problem with his rig on Delta, ofcourse it does fit very nicely into his carry on bag. His checked bag on the other hand, on the way back arrived the next day.

Fly it like you stole it!

[PhreeZone 15]

TSA has taken control of security at all airports as of mid-October (possibly before then too).

Yesterday is history
And tomorrow is a mystery

Parachutemanuals.com

[Kennedy 0]

Quote

I've racked up 12 trips through airport security and 10000 frequent flyer miles this year and my grilfriend is at probally 6000 miles and a few trips herself.

I bow down before your all powerful sky passenger godliness

Quote

No two of our trips have been the same. Shes been denyed at security and had to check the rig uninsured just to catch a plane where as I've had to use the planeside baggage 4 times (still have all 4 tags on the gear bag) and have only been slowed at security once.

I'd still rather have it plane side checked. At least that way you know it'll make the right flight. I've had the usual hassles and whuffo questions. But when I've flown it's flown next to me, not below me.

Quote

DFW, CMH, ATL, SAT, CVG, IND, ORL

I feel like I'm working with the government again. Alphabet and Acronym soup. Anyway, what/where is CVG and CMH? I usually fly from BWI or IAD to whereever. [personal favorite destination is New Orleans, though I couldn't find the code for that]

[edit] http://www.speedygrl.com/airport.html
Not the best index, but it's a start. [/edit]

witty subliminal message
Guard your honor, let your reputation fall where it will, and outlast the bastards.
1*