Checklist for traveling with rig

[Psychonaut 0]

Using the chest strap is how I have it packed as we speak.
You're right, most people think it's a fine idea, and they're sure they'll remember even if it's a pullup cord that says TAKE ME THE F#$% OFF! with flashing LEDs. Truth is it's way to easy to forget that after pulling up to the DZ and wanting to get on the first load possible

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[Andy9o8 0]

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Using the chest strap is how I have it packed as we speak.
You're right, most people think it's a fine idea, and they're sure they'll remember even if it's a pullup cord that says TAKE ME THE F#$% OFF! with flashing LEDs. Truth is it's way to easy to forget that after pulling up to the DZ and wanting to get on the first load possible

As an aside - not to thread-drift too much or start a flame-fest - if flight-line gear checks were commonplace the way they are in the UK, this would be less of a potential issue. I'm not dismissing the need for personal responsibility; I'm just sayin'...

[BobMoore 0]

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I should be all packed, helmet full of socks and boxers as the suitcase is a bit on the small side

And I thought I was the only one who jammed socks and boxers in my helmet. The altimeter gets buried in there, too.

"For you see, an airplane is an airplane. A landing area is a landing area. But a dropzone... a dropzone is the people."

[Psychonaut 0]

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As an aside - not to thread-drift too much or start a flame-fest - if flight-line gear checks were commonplace the way they are in the UK, this would be less of a potential issue. I'm not dismissing the need for personal responsibility; I'm just sayin'...

That's ironic you say this. I just got back from Eloy and after talks with jumpers from overseas, it seems to me that they are much more, safe? I can't quite think of a good word rather than safe; don't get me wrong USPA has done an outstanding job, but it's just small things such as you can't jump a camera helmet without a camera itself.. if the box of bracket is empty. Also I believe I heard you need to have a cutaway system. Even moreso concerning what you just posted, you do NOT get on the plane without a gearcheck.

This could probably be in a new thread but I don't feel like starting that messy ordeal

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[ntrprnr 0]

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I think I'll try and be nice eh?

My airline allows one carry on with certain dimensions which will be the small suitcase I got for my rig, and then they allow a personal item so a small backpack purse etc..

When I purchased the smaller suitcase, I figured it would work well if I had to check it for some reason..

I've never had a problem getting my rig (in a gear bag) as carry-on, and I jump a 229. It's not a small rig.

_______________
"Why'd you track away at 7,000 feet?"
"Even in freefall, I have commitment issues."

[Psychonaut 0]

To follow up..

I flew out of RFD,
The suitcase went through the xray and they get that funky look on their face. They scan it again then call someone over to take a look at it. It was a woman that got it. If I recall correctly she swabbed it first, but then started popping covers. I was putting on my shoes and started walking over to her while watching her inspecting the reserve pin and I almost shit. By the time I got there she was pulling on the bridle and pulled and main pin out. Right about this time she asked me what she was looking at. I seriously didn't know what to say, you've never seen anything like this and you're pulling on pins? She said something along the lines of thinking it was a backpack.

Coming back from Eloy through Gateway was much easier. The xray worker got the same look on his face and called for a supervisor, which thankfully the supervisor knew what it was and was incredibly cool with it. He made sure to grab a brand new swab and even took my rig to a different machine.. He told me that it would be a hassle for both of us if the swab set off the machine.

In my opinion, I would have the AAD xray card in your pocket but do NOT show them before they scan it, rather just hold onto it and present it after they scan it.

One other little trick depending on how the airport has the security setup.. Gateway had the line split to go to 2 different xray machines. Each had a worker working the xray machine right? One was an elderly guy who looked like he had been working a while (chances are he's seen a rig before). The other line was a younger woman, and to be honest she just looked like a total bitch. Pick your worker wisely

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[jtnesbitt 0]

Wow. Well, let me tell you what I typically do that could have saved you some headache.

As you put the bag/rig/suitcase on the belt tell them BEFORE it gets scanned what it is. That way there is no guessing game and they won't get freaked out when you want to look over their shoulder while they inspect it.

Not telling them what it is before it goes through the scanner is just going to slow down the process.

"If this post needs to be moderated I would prefer it to be completly removed and not edited and butchered into a disney movie" - DorkZone Hero

[NWFlyer 2]

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I was putting on my shoes and started walking over to her while watching her inspecting the reserve pin and I almost shit. By the time I got there she was pulling on the bridle and pulled and main pin out. Right about this time she asked me what she was looking at.

Oh yeah, I guess that's something I should have added. ALWAYS stick to your rig like glue. Put it through last so that you can gather up all your other stuff while they're looking puzzled at the x-ray image. By the time they grab it and say "Whose is this?" you're ready to be there with it and nicely ask them to handle it carefully and ask if you can help them to understand what they're looking at.

I've never had any screener treat my gear with anything less than total respect - most of 'em understand that they're looking at a parachute rig and that mis-handling could have negative consequences so if they don't understand it, they're really tentative with it rather than poking indiscriminately at it. Sorry you got a bad one, but they're mostly not like that.

"There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke

[Psychonaut 0]

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Wow. Well, let me tell you what I typically do that could have saved you some headache.

As you put the bag/rig/suitcase on the belt tell them BEFORE it gets scanned what it is. That way there is no guessing game and they won't get freaked out when you want to look over their shoulder while they inspect it.

Not telling them what it is before it goes through the scanner is just going to slow down the process.

Right, on my way out from RFD I did mention it; I didn't at Gateway on my way home as he was busy speaking with someone.

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Oh yeah, I guess that's something I should have added. ALWAYS stick to your rig like glue. Put it through last so that you can gather up all your other stuff while they're looking puzzled at the x-ray image. By the time they grab it and say "Whose is this?" you're ready to be there with it and nicely ask them to handle it carefully and ask if you can help them to understand what they're looking at.

I've never had any screener treat my gear with anything less than total respect - most of 'em understand that they're looking at a parachute rig and that mis-handling could have negative consequences so if they don't understand it, they're really tentative with it rather than poking indiscriminately at it. Sorry you got a bad one, but they're mostly not like that.

Definitely a great little thing, I figured that out on the way back at Gateway. Even had time to slip my belt back on

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[Southern_Man 0]

Newb question: When laying it on the belt to go through the scanner, which side would you have facing down? The back (pin) side? Or the front (handle) side? I'd think either could hae negative consequences if something got snagged. A gear bag would probably provide some protection against getting snagged?

"What if there were no hypothetical questions?"

[NWFlyer 2]

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Newb question: When laying it on the belt to go through the scanner, which side would you have facing down? The back (pin) side? Or the front (handle) side? I'd think either could hae negative consequences if something got snagged. A gear bag would probably provide some protection against getting snagged?

In the bag that you're carrying it in. I know some people swear by carrying their rig on without a bag but to me that's just 1) asking for attention (and really, I'm totally over getting whuffo attention about the fact that I'm a skydiver) and 2) asking for abuse. Have you seen the way people throw shit around in the overhead bins? Yeah, you can put it under the seat, but that makes it susceptible to whatever's on the floor or whatever gets spilled by the person who's sitting in the seat above your gear. (I've ended up with gum on my socks from the underseat area - I don't really want to chance having my rig under there unprotected.)

That said, I suppose if you're going to send it through unprotected, pins down would probably be the least likely to cause a problem as long as you carefully fold your leg straps over the top. If you can fit it in one of the bins, probably an even better solution is to drop it in there.

"There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke

[Amazon 7]

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Newb question: When laying it on the belt to go through the scanner, which side would you have facing down? The back (pin) side? Or the front (handle) side? I'd think either could hae negative consequences if something got snagged. A gear bag would probably provide some protection against getting snagged?

Oh man.... put it in a carryon... especially these days. You SOOOO do not want to make other passengers nervous.... it used to be cool to answer their stares with " What.... they didn't issue you one at checkin????"

[jtnesbitt 0]

I just dropped my friend off at the airport yesterday who was carrying her rig "naked" as I call it. I offered an extra carry on bag to put it in but she declined. Could you imagine what the ticket counter was thinking when she checked in with:

-one way ticket to Florida
-no checked bags
-no carryon except naked rig
-window seat
-emergency isle

"If this post needs to be moderated I would prefer it to be completly removed and not edited and butchered into a disney movie" - DorkZone Hero

[billvon 2,380]

>A gear bag would probably provide some protection against getting snagged?

Yes, and provides a lot of protection against hassle as well. Parachute harnesses flop around and look odd. They can make other passengers nervous and make screeners unaccustomed to them sit up and take notice. They can snag on the conveyor, make noise going across steel rollers, and basically do several things that convey the message "WARNING! SOMETHING UNUSUAL COMING THROUGH!"

Putting it in a bag protects it from mishandling, makes it look like any other piece of luggage and does not hamper X-rays or (if needed) subsequent hand screening.

[Psychonaut 0]

I went to Kohls or Carson Pirie or somewhere similar about a month ago and picked up a 21" small suitcase solely for my rig. Cheap, and it fits perfect; and my rig is the only thing in there. Everything else is in my suitcase that get's checked. The more you shove in there along with the rig that's already going to raise eyebrows, the greater chance you have of getting hung up with security for longer than you'd like.

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[Amazon 7]

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I went to Kohls or Carson Pirie or somewhere similar about a month ago and picked up a 21" small suitcase solely for my rig. Cheap, and it fits perfect; and my rig is the only thing in there. Everything else is in my suitcase that get's checked. The more you shove in there along with the rig that's already going to raise eyebrows, the greater chance you have of getting hung up with security for longer than you'd like.

You may want to toss in your log book and your other small stuff like alti... gloves.. jumpsuit...and the TSA paperwork and Cypres paperwork to show them if you get a crew that has not seen one before. By putting in your other skydive stuff you also have it should they lose your checked in stuff.......it happens. At least that way your skydiving trip is not completely screwed

[Psychonaut 0]

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I went to Kohls or Carson Pirie or somewhere similar about a month ago and picked up a 21" small suitcase solely for my rig. Cheap, and it fits perfect; and my rig is the only thing in there. Everything else is in my suitcase that get's checked. The more you shove in there along with the rig that's already going to raise eyebrows, the greater chance you have of getting hung up with security for longer than you'd like.

You may want to toss in your log book and your other small stuff like alti... gloves.. jumpsuit...and the TSA paperwork and Cypres paperwork to show them if you get a crew that has not seen one before. By putting in your other skydive stuff you also have it should they lose your checked in stuff.......it happens. At least that way your skydiving trip is not completely screwed

Right idea, I always wear a backpack with my logbook, USPA crap, TSA printouts, and alti goggles gloves and pullup cords

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[kallend 1,621]

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I went to Kohls or Carson Pirie or somewhere similar about a month ago and picked up a 21" small suitcase solely for my rig. Cheap, and it fits perfect; and my rig is the only thing in there. Everything else is in my suitcase that get's checked. The more you shove in there along with the rig that's already going to raise eyebrows, the greater chance you have of getting hung up with security for longer than you'd like.

You may want to toss in your log book and your other small stuff like alti... gloves.. jumpsuit...and the TSA paperwork and Cypres paperwork to show them if you get a crew that has not seen one before. By putting in your other skydive stuff you also have it should they lose your checked in stuff.......it happens. At least that way your skydiving trip is not completely screwed

Having had stuff stolen from checked baggage (United, and they were total assholes about it) I would agree with you about the altimeter and other high value stuff.

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The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one.