Travelling To/From Moscow - Airline pops the reserve

[frost 1]

Some friends just recently came back from Russia. When they were returning home they were forced to pop their reserves by the local officials working for Delta Airlines.

Anyone had a similar experience? Anyone came close to being forced to open their reserve but somehow avoided it? How?

thanks in advance

[virgin-burner 1]

haha, here i was, hoping it was yours, thinking: "wow, karma is really quick today!"
there's a TSA-bulletin around that if its sealed, it is not allowed to be popped, nor poked, nor otherwise damaged or intrigued, as its a "life-saving device". i'm sure you can look it up!

“Some may never live, but the crazy never die.”
-Hunter S. Thompson
"No. Try not. Do... or do not. There is no try."
-Yoda

[AggieDave 6]

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there's a TSA-bulletin around that if its sealed, it is not allowed to be popped, nor poked, nor otherwise damaged or intrigued, as its a "life-saving device". i'm sure you can look it up!

Seeing how the TSA has any control in Russia. I'm not sure what controls AeroFlop...errr...Delta has over there, but I do imagine it would be reasonably different.

"In Soviet Russia the airplane flies you!"

--"When I die, may I be surrounded by scattered chrome and burning gasoline."

[frost 1]

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there's a TSA-bulletin around that if its sealed, it is not allowed to be popped, nor poked, nor otherwise damaged or intrigued, as its a "life-saving device". i'm sure you can look it up!

I am sure you have no clue what you're talking about. As usual. Please refrain from polluting topics again.

[Andy_Copland 0]

I have flown Delta from England to America and around but not Russia.

The guy did ask me to open it and rubber gloved but i calmly explained what a mess it would make.

They had a good laugh about it and let me on my way.

1338

People aint made of nothin' but water and shit.

Until morale improves, the beatings will continue.

[tombuch 0]

Back in 2006 when I was S&TA at The Ranch I prepared an inspection document for a local jumper who was traveling on the airlines. It was designed as a hand-out to TSA, and seemed to work pretty well. I offered a copy on this site as an attachment, and somebody else placed it onto an official looking letterhead. All I have is the original, which I have attached again.

Feel free to use this document in whole or part to assist in passing through security.

Tom Buchanan
Instructor Emeritus
Comm Pilot MSEL,G
Author: JUMP! Skydiving Made Fun and Easy

[frost 1]

Thanks Tom! I will print it out. I have the TSA doc also, but the officials there may not be able to read/speak English or they just might not care to. They are known for that.

[Foster 0]

My best suggestion is to break the rig down and place it in a standard carryon style luggage.
Keep it out of a backpack style gear bag.

4 flights with mine in a regular roll behind carryon and havent had a problem while my best friend had hers in a gear bag, it was swabbed everytime. She even had to pop it on her way to Vegas. On her last trip she put it in a carryon, they didnt even ask her what it was.

[skydude89 0]

When i flew to vegas from canada last time with my rig i took it on cary on as well , but the air line stewardress took it away from me on the flight, and said i wasnt allowed to have it as cary on.

[Foster 0]

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When i flew to vegas from canada last time with my rig i took it on cary on as well , but the air line stewardress took it away from me on the flight, and said i wasnt allowed to have it as cary on.

That person was wrong. I would have made them ask the pilot. There is no way in hell I would ever check my rig.

[DougH 270]

You can bitch and protest all you want, but if the planes staff doesn't want it as carry on that is the bottom line.

In todays day in age you risk getting kicked off the plane and charged for making so much a peep.

"The restraining order says you're only allowed to touch me in freefall"
=P

[CSpenceFLY 1]

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haha, here i was, hoping it was yours, thinking: "wow, karma is really quick today!"
there's a TSA-bulletin around that if its sealed, it is not allowed to be popped, nor poked, nor otherwise damaged or intrigued, as its a "life-saving device". i'm sure you can look it up!

Maybe it's posts like this that keep people from giving you good advice.

[NWFlyer 2]

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When i flew to vegas from canada last time with my rig i took it on cary on as well , but the air line stewardress took it away from me on the flight, and said i wasnt allowed to have it as cary on.

That person was wrong. I would have made them ask the pilot. There is no way in hell I would ever check my rig.

Last time I traveled on Air Canada from Canada into the U.S. (in 2006) they were enforcing a 10kg/22 lb carry on weight restriction (in Toronto, at least). My rig is heavier than that so I was forced to check it - had nothing to do with what it was, but instead with how much it weighed. Some rigs would fall under that weight limit, of course. Traveling on AC from the U.S. into Canada those rules were not enforced - I'm not sure why it was different.

Their airline, their country, their rules. The rule was enforced well before the boarding gate - I wasn't really in a position to demand an audience with the pilot. I preferred to check my rig and get home without creating an international incident.

I've traveled extensively with my rig throughout the U.S. and dealt with all manner of TSA agents and all levels of training and experience. Cooperation, patience, and lack of attitude has managed to get me through every single time without a reserve opening or needing to check my rig, despite threats of both.

As for the OP, might want to write a letter to Delta - it may not do any good, since they may defer to local regulations and or rules, but it can't hurt.

"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

[NWFlyer 2]

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there's a TSA-bulletin around that if its sealed, it is not allowed to be popped, nor poked, nor otherwise damaged or intrigued, as its a "life-saving device". i'm sure you can look it up!

Even if TSA had any authority in Russia, you're still absolutely wrong.

For those traveling in the US, here's the relevant information. TSA can and does have the authority to open reserves, though the owner does also have the right to be present:

http://www.tsa.gov/travelers/airtravel/assistant/editorial_1147.shtm

It's important to be aware of this so that you're not arguing the wrong thing - better to say "I understand that you do have the right to open this, but let me show you the paperwork explaining what you're seeing on the x-ray so we don't have to do that" ... then show them your AAD card rather than fighting the wrong battle.

"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

[skymama 35]

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then show them your AAD card rather than fighting the wrong battle.

When I was pulled aside a few months ago on my way to Eloy, the agent waved-off my card and said that doesn't show him anything. I found out they were more concerned with wiping the container than what they saw on the x-ray.

I was stopped on the way back because my sweatshirt was too loose for their liking. I must be very shifty looking.

She is Da Man, and you better not mess with Da Man,
because she will lay some keepdown on you faster than, well, really fast. ~Billvon

[CSpenceFLY 1]

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I must be very shifty looking.

They have quotas. One week it's old people, the next it's soccer moms.

[NWFlyer 2]

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I found out they were more concerned with wiping the container than what they saw on the x-ray.

Yep, 98% of the time when they pull it off the belt, they just want to swab it. The AAD card doesn't come out unless we move beyond that to talking about pulling out reserves to see that "weird thing on the x-ray."

"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

[base_nz 0]

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then show them your AAD card rather than fighting the wrong battle.

I will be traveling soon and was wondering where can you get an AAD card from? Was one supposed to be sent with my cypress

.....And you thought Kiwis couldn't fly!!!!

[IanHarrop 37]

Here you go...

"Where troubles melt like lemon drops, away above the chimney tops, that's where you'll find me" Dorothy

[Hausse 0]

A couple weeks ago from my way from JFK to Zürich I also had to check in my rig. I was complaining for about 10 min. but it didn't help. The problem was the weight limit only. They didn't care about it being a rig and when they x-rayed it there was not even a question about it. They enforce the 10kg and my rig was heavier. Nothing to do with what it is.

On the upside, they checked it in at no extra charge.

[Andy9o8 0]

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On the upside, they checked it in at no extra charge.

The real upside is that it wasn't stolen or damaged while out of your sight, which is why I try to avoid checking my rig, if I can.

The moral, though, is this: insure your rig against theft or damage. Getting your rig stolen (or "popped and probed" by security) on a flight sucks. Not being covered for the cost of that sucks worse.

[squarecanopy 0]

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I must be very shifty looking.

They have quotas. One week it's old people, the next it's soccer moms.

Hey Skymama - Those TSA perverts probably saw the article about you in Parachutist and recognized you from your picture. They just wanted to have a look UNDER that sweatshirt

Just burning a hole in the sky.....

[humanflite 0]

In the UK some airlines spefically PROHIBIT the carrying of a parachute on to an airoplane as hand luggage.

Easy Jet and British Airways spring to mind from recent trips....

but having said that, flying in the UK now its ridiculous.

You can barely take anything in hand luggag now. No hairgel, only fluids in clear plastic bottles and weighing under x amount...etc)

[base_nz 0]

.....And you thought Kiwis couldn't fly!!!!

[hackish 8]

If they popped the reserve did you at least make sure their face was in front of the spring when the RC handle was pulled?

I'll second what others have said about just being calm and patient explaining to people should they ask. I printed and carried tombuch's document with a host of others that answered just about every question they could have asked including a statement I found online from the airline specifying that a rig could be carried on.

Finally it might be worthwhile to carry a length of cypress cord should someone decide to pop your reserve so you can at least do a 1/2 assed job of putting it together. I'd hope they wouldn't want to pull the canopy out of the freebag too.

-Michael