Transporting gear on a commerial flight

[cjsitfly 0]

Sorry if this has been asked a hundred times but I can't find anything. Does anyone know what I need to get my rig through the airport and onto the plane? I have an xray card for my Vigil that Action Air gave me. Should my main be unpacked? Will they demand my reserve be unpacked? etc.
Thanks

Chris

[millertime24 8]

You will be fine. Ive done it several times and never had to unpack it or show them an AAD card. Just remember to be polite and patient and they shouldnt give you shit about it.

Muff #5048

[cjsitfly 0]

Thanks

Chris

[NWFlyer 2]

Not sure what search terms you were using ... this has been discussed a lot, and I know I've posted a bunch of times about my experiences:

http://www.dropzone.com/cgi-bin/forum/gforum.cgi?do=search_results&search_forum=all&search_string=traveling+with+rig&search_type=AND&search_fields=sb&search_time=&search_user_username=&sb=score&mh=50

Bring the Vigil card (I *have* had to show mine before), and bring the TSA policy in case you have to "discuss" the rules. Here's the USPA site that has the link to the TSA policy.

http://www.uspa.org/USPAMembers/Membership/Travel/WithintheUS/tabid/311/Default.aspx

"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

[skinnay 0]

I've discussed this with my flight attendant friend too.. you can even strap it on mid flight. Be sure to also request an emergency exit seat. You can only be voted off a flight if you're disruptive.

[jtnesbitt 0]

I've traveled with my gear in about a half dozen different airports and haven't had a problem. Most just want to take a peak in the gear bag and some do an explosives test.

Just in case though I have printed out all the rules and regulations on what the TSA can and cant do (you can find these all at uspa.org) and keep them with me at all times.

"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

[CSpenceFLY 1]

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I've discussed this with my flight attendant friend too.. you can even strap it on mid flight. Be sure to also request an emergency exit seat. You can only be voted off a flight if you're disruptive.

I know (hope) you are joking but if not, the people that feel the need to show everyone on the airplane or at the airport that they are a skydiver generally will cause us all problems in the future.

[Scrumpot 1]

Place it BY ITSELF with nothing else, in a standard size, fits into the over-head, normal every-day regular roll-on/carry-on, and chances are, no one will ever even say/notice a thing!

I fly commercially with my rig at least 6-10 times per year, and this is what I do with very RARE problems of any sort. I've been asked to remove it from the bag to show a TSA supervisor once. Have it "swabbed" once", and asked about in general (hey - is that a parachute, etc.) maybe a couple of times. But never any real incident or problem.

Print out the TSA/FAA Notice of authorization, and have it laying on top of the rig in the bag. That way, IF it is even opened, that is the 1st thing the screener will see. Also, I take my chest strap, and wrap it several times around the MLW INSIDE the reserve handle, to SECURE the reserve handle in it's pocket. Just in case one of those guys ever thought it was a "lift handle" and WOOPS! I've heard of people using zip-ties for this too, but I prefer to use my cheststrap, as I'm gonna need to undo that when I gear up anyway, - impossible to forget it (not that you should forget or miss finding a zip-tie either before jumping/gear check, but....)

And that's pretty much it.
Never check your rig - even in a "sealed" bag. I won't argue with other people who do, do this, as to why - just don't. And if you ever do get a TSA guy that gets a bit "testy" about it, remain cool and non-combative. The last thing you want to do is tick off a "dick" on a power-trip. Ask for a supervisor, and present your case in a calm, quiet, professional manner.

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Should my main be unpacked?

No, nothing should be unpacked. If they ask you to unpack it, explain that this is no problem for the main, and you'd be happy to. They need to take you somewhere private where you can have room to do this, and re-pack it so it fits back in the bag. If they ask about the reserve (they probably won't) - show 'em the FAA RIGGERS SEAL, and Reserve repack data card, and explain to them it has been SEALED (inspected/packed/re-packed already) "BY THE FAA".

Again - you PROBABLY won't ever even need any of this. Just put it in that normal-looking civilian carry/roll-on (remember to remove any hook-knives if you've got 'em - and check those!), and chances are you'll roll right through.

Good luck, and enjoy your skydiving trip/travels!
Blues,
-Grant

coitus non circum - Moab Stone

[CSpenceFLY 1]

One thing you should know is if they are spending alot of time on your rig they very well may be using it as a training aid. The best thing you can do is stand there and wait for them to ask you questions and make sure they don't pull the reserve handle. I tie mine with a BRIGHT pullup cord so I have time to stop them if I get the moron of the week.

[jtnesbitt 0]

Another trick I noticed is to tell the person working the xray machine that there is a parachute in the bag. If you don't it's very amusing to watch their face when they try and figure out what they are looking at but it takes longer to get through.

"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

[CSpenceFLY 1]

Probably doesn't hurt.

[BMFin 0]

TSA only has authority in the states, so the TSA regulations wont help you unless you are screened in the US..

[hackish 8]

If you do decide to zip-tie then it's a good idea to zip-tie the handle with the other side of MLW so it will be impossible to put the rig on without removing the zip tie. As scrum mentions above it would be bad to forget a tie on your reserve handle. If anyone thought the safety tie added to the reserve pull imagine a zip tie :)

-Michael

[jpechbre 0]

I usually put my rig in a duffel bag and carry it on board, but the night before my flight left I realized I had lent that bag to a friend. I wore the rig like a backpack through security and onto the plane. The only hitch I had was a 2 min delay when the Xray screener called for a supervisor to take a look, then they let me go. I have flown with my rig about 10 times and have had no problems.

[RMK 3]

Excellent point and I 100% agree on your note to only ever use the chest strap to wrap/tie a rig. There's been more than one nasty incident of people using ribbon/tape/cords and then forgetting to take them off before jumping.

However, regarding the note of not checking it as baggage I disagree. I have flown with my rig to varying countries on 5 different continents and have never carried it on. The only problems I’ve witnessed were where people where insistent on carrying rigs onboard. Of course use proper locked luggage, not soft bags. Having a separate bag with just the rig, will usually get you flat-rate “sports equipment” pricing as opposed to paying by the kilo.

"Pain is the best instructor, but no one wants to attend his classes"

[LloydDobbler 2]

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Print out the TSA/FAA Notice of authorization, and have it laying on top of the rig in the bag. That way, IF it is even opened, that is the 1st thing the screener will see. Also, I take my chest strap, and wrap it several times around the MLW INSIDE the reserve handle, to SECURE the reserve handle in it's pocket. Just in case one of those guys ever thought it was a "lift handle" and WOOPS! I've heard of people using zip-ties for this too, but I prefer to use my cheststrap, as I'm gonna need to undo that when I gear up anyway, - impossible to forget it (not that you should forget or miss finding a zip-tie either before jumping/gear check, but....)

And that's pretty much it.
Never check your rig - even in a "sealed" bag. I won't argue with other people who do, do this, as to why - just don't. And if you ever do get a TSA guy that gets a bit "testy" about it, remain cool and non-combative. The last thing you want to do is tick off a "dick" on a power-trip. Ask for a supervisor, and present your case in a calm, quiet, professional manner.

To the OP, Grant's advice is EXCELLENT. particularly the part about wrapping the chest strap around the reserve handle, as well as having the TSA notices printed out.

Heck, I even went so far as to highlight the important parts of those docs, like "The rig's owner must be allowed to assist...", etc, just in case.

In ~20 flights, I've only had one problem, but that was with the size of the bag, now that United has started charging for checked bags, and has thus downsized their SizeWise containers. I kept trying until I got the supervisor...and lo and behold, she had just made a skydive the previous weekend at Elsinore - the same place I had just spent the weekend jumping.

After discussing the issue with her a bit, she decided to let us through.

But I somehow doubt that'll happen to most people.

Signatures are the new black.

[masterrigger1 2]

You mean like this one! It was put on at a boogie as a check-in seal.

It is a real bad idea to use a ty-wrap to secure the ripcord at anytime FCOL.

Cheers,
MEL

Skyworks Parachute Service, LLC
www.Skyworksparachuteservice.com

[CSpenceFLY 1]

Two things wrong with that pic.

1.someone did it
2.the owner of the rig let them do it.

I won't throw too big of a rock though. We had someone at Dublin that tagged a rig on the right lift web that had a leg mount throw out. Still,it took two people to let that happen.

[mdrejhon 8]

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In ~20 flights, I've only had one problem, but that was with the size of the bag, now that United has started charging for checked bags

Funny -- I flew United and they never gave me a problem. But then again, I wear a gearbag backpack... Though I also carry a second backpack (laptop backpack) by its top carrying handle, and with the weightbelt I often carryon at the bottom of that second backpack (to keep my checked bag at 50lbs or less), I seem to be hitting 40-50 lbs of carryon total sometimes and avoiding extra fees. Shhhh! One carryon, one personal item -- as long as I'm not clumsy looking, they don't bat an eye... Biggest problem is when I try to board tiny regional jets that require jetway checkin of one of the bags, for that I surrender the bag with the rig, knowing I'll pick it up immediately when I disembark.

Yes, that means I often haul 100lbs at the curb, for total carryon and checked.

Yes, I get more interesting looks by the x-ray people for the weight belt. I just explain there's a weightlifting belt in there.

I put my less unusual item (the parachute) on the conveyer belt, then try to space out it long enough that I can explain it's a parachute, before I finally put in the backpack with the weight belt. That way I'm not left explaining two unusual items at the same time. Basically: I sequence putting items on conveyer belt this way for fastest and easiest explanation: After the parachute, I put other stuff like shoes, wallet, laptop, blackberry, in conveyer belt trays, then finally the backpack with the weight belt, letting them know there's a weightlifting belt in that one.

Fun stuff, with me travelling more often for bigway camps and invitationals lately.

[LloydDobbler 2]

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In ~20 flights, I've only had one problem, but that was with the size of the bag, now that United has started charging for checked bags

Funny -- I flew United and they never gave me a problem. But then again, I wear a gearbag backpack...

Interestingly enough, I had never had a problem, either. INCLUDING on the United flight out, with all the same gear.

But like I said, my bag used to fit in the sizewise containers...not so much anymore, apparently (or at least the ones with a big United sign on them). It was about .5" too long.

You also mentioned the gate-check - I've done that a good bit, too. In this case, though, the United people informed me that "We're no longer doing that."

Not sure if that's a standard thing, or just the way they were doing it at this airport. But food for thought.

Signatures are the new black.

[mdrejhon 8]

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You also mentioned the gate-check - I've done that a good bit, too. In this case, though, the United people informed me that "We're no longer doing that."

You sure? I always encounter mandatory jetway "surrender your large carryon bags or else" thing, on all the sub-100-seat regional jets that only have 3 seats abreast. Basically, they go under for this flight, then you get your carryon back when you disembark.

[LloydDobbler 2]

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You also mentioned the gate-check - I've done that a good bit, too. In this case, though, the United people informed me that "We're no longer doing that."

You sure? I always encounter mandatory jetway "surrender your large carryon bags or else" thing, on all the sub-100-seat regional jets that only have 3 seats abreast. Basically, they go under for this flight, then you get your carryon back when you disembark.

Yep. Pretty sure, since that's what they told me to my face. And yeah - your scenario is exactly what I've done, more than a few times, when I was flying a regional jet.

But in this case, the people who check your ticket before you even get to the TSA screeners were telling me 'No, we don't do that anymore.' Or at least, that was their response when I asked, 'Okay - so how about a compromise - you let me through security with this, and then I gate-check it when I get there."

Apparently that no longer flies at LAX. My suspicion is because that means they can't charge you for the extra checked bag. But who knows?

Regardless, that's what they told me. I haven't flown since, so I have no idea if that's become the new SOP, or if that was just someone having a bad day and taking it out on me.

Signatures are the new black.

[freakyrat 1]

I have travelled thru numerous airports with my gear without problems. It has passed a few EDT swabs also without problems. However there is a isolated chance that it might not pass these tests due to contaminates you might introduce on your gear through no fault of your own. Such was the case that happened to me two weeks ago travelling with my rig thru Houston Hobby back to Dallas Love field.

The trace EDT machine found traces of explosives on my KITBAG. My rig was NEVER swabbed. I ended up having to open my rig, both main and reserve, so that the EOD guy could look inside of it. I did not have to take the canopies out of their deployment bags. I might add that he had a thorough knowledge of every component on the rig and told me afterwards that he knew he was not going to find anything out of the ordinary.

Now when I got back to Dallas Love I talked to a TSA supervisor and explained the situation and steps to alleviate it from happening again. I went home washed the kitbag and jumpsuits with unscented Tide liquid as recomended. I brought the kitbag and jumpsuits back to Love Field the next day during a slack time and talked to a TSA Supervisor and explained the situation. She took my kitbag and jumpsiuits and ran them through x-ray and an EDT swab and they were negative. My rig was at the DZ getting a reserve repack. The TSA also gave me a few tips on how to alleviate the situation such as asking that the test be done with a fresh swab out of a fresh package on a different machine etc. For all I know the machine could have been contaminated from a previous swab or the swabs could have something foreign on them. It was just a crapshoot.

In summary: I consider this an isolated incident and a false positive test that would probably not happen again as I have travelled through Hobby several times with my rig and had numerous EDT tests done on my rig, kitbags and jumpsuits with Negative results. The TSA people were all professional and were just doing their job although I wish they would have done a swab on the rig itself and not just the kitbag it was in.

Nitrates and glycerol are out there and it is easy to introduce these contaminates though no fault of your own giving off a false positive test. Glycerol is used in our soaps and shaving creams etc. I was using a rental car that could have had Nitrate contaminates introduced by a previous renter from golf clubs, fireworks or whatever. Who knows. If you don't want to wash your kitbag at least wipe the inside of it with a damp soapy cloth with unscented Tide and let it dry thouroughly. I'm not going to get into a discussion of the accuracy of these trace EDT machines cause it would serve no useful purpose to this discussion and would aid and abet people that choose to do us harm. We all want safety when we travel and a $75.00 repack was a small price to pay for that safety. I might also add that you can take your rig out of the kitbag and put it in one of the grey bins and run it seperately through the x-ray machine this might air it out a bit and help alleviate a false positive test.

Incidently, I gave the USPA the details of what happened and the steps that TSA advised me to do to alleviate the situation and they and I consider the case isolated and closed.

Chris

[mdrejhon 8]

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Incidently, I gave the USPA the details of what happened and the steps that TSA advised me to do to alleviate the situation and they and I consider the case isolated and closed.

Chris -- wow, that's a very intersting situation. Thanks for taking the time to write about your situation and writing about what happened.

Sorry I did not get to see you in Texas as planned, but we will meet at some skydiving event at some point in the not-too-distant-future! :-)

[shropshire 0]

Remember : This is NOT an American only site and the rules/customs WILL be different in other countries. So Check. Their plane - their rules.

If your rig weighs more than 15kgs (Ryanair) or larger than their size limits, you are going to have to bung it in the hold.

(.)Y(.)
Chivalry is not dead; it only sleeps for want of work to do. - Jerome K Jerome