Commercial air travel with a parachute

[jpsmith 0]

Just wondering with the new "security" measures in air ports if anyone has experience with getting a parachute through customs, if there's any problem putting it in checked baggage or if you can even take it as cabin bagge when on commercial flights? Do I need any special paperwork for it, can I transport it packed or do they rip everything open looking for a smuggled bottle of water etc etc. Thanks

[brettski74 0]

Short answer - No problem.

Do a search. It's been discussed several times before and the most recent time was not so long ago.

Besides, skydivers are travelling all the time. If there did start to be a problem, you'd hear about it on here pretty quickly, I'd expect.

[Nickkk 0]

Ive been on 9 flights with a rig so far, never once had a problem. I would suggest you carry it on though, so you are there as it is getting screened.

What do you do when someone throws a big planet at you?
Throw your pilot chute in defense!

[philly51 0]

I recently traveled with my rig. On the outboung leg, I did the carryon thing with no problems what so ever. On the return leg, checked my rig, again no problems. Both legs were non stop and I would definitly do carry on if I had to change planes, or had layovers.

Life's journey is not to arrive at the grave safely in a well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, totally worn out, Shouting "...holy shit...what a ride!"

[howardwhite 5]

See http://www.uspa.org/membership/travel/rigs.htm#tsa

[IanHarrop 37]

In some places it is not as cut and dried as it is in the USA. In Canada there have been issues where airline regulations were tougher than the CATSA and superseded them, making it difficult to travel with rigs.

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

[brettski74 0]

Quote

In some places it is not as cut and dried as it is in the USA. In Canada there have been issues where airline regulations were tougher than the CATSA and superseded them, making it difficult to travel with rigs.

Do you have any details about this? Which airlines? Checked or carry-on? I haven't had any problems with Air Canada, so far, All I could find in a search was a few references to overly zealous security screeners in Canada, and in Sydney Australia from a few years ago.

[IanHarrop 37]

Quote

Quote

In some places it is not as cut and dried as it is in the USA. In Canada there have been issues where airline regulations were tougher than the CATSA and superseded them, making it difficult to travel with rigs.

Do you have any details about this? Which airlines? Checked or carry-on? I haven't had any problems with Air Canada, so far, All I could find in a search was a few references to overly zealous security screeners in Canada, and in Sydney Australia from a few years ago.

No first hand knowledge, but the most problem recent I heard about I think was with WestJet sometime in the last year, that I believe was discussed on CSPA chat. I think it was a group of SARTECs going to Eloy for training that ended up having to leave their gear in Winnipeg. That's my recollection, could be wrong.

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

[gofast_ER 0]

I had a problem one time. The guy asked me if I was in any way related to DB Cooper. Once I told him "nope" I was on my way.

I may not agree with what you have to say but i'll defend to the death your right to say it.

[brettski74 0]

Quote

No first hand knowledge, but the most problem recent I heard about I think was with WestJet sometime in the last year, that I believe was discussed on CSPA chat.

I should sign up for that mailing list, shouldn't I...

I know there were a bunch of folks from Edmonton and Calgary that went down to Arizona only a month ago, and I think they may have been on WestJet - not 100% sure. Maybe this was just an isolated incident by a clueless staff member? At least, that's what I'm hoping. There's no mention of skydiving gear or parachutes in their luggage information.

[IanHarrop 37]

Sometime in the last year the CATSA site was updated and now states:
---
Skydiving rigs with and without Automatic Activation Devices are permitted as carry-on or as checked baggage. Parachute-related equipment, such a gas cylinders, are classified under dangerous goods, thereby prohibited from both carry-on and checked baggage. More importantly, parachutes are also subject to the general restrictions on size and weight (ie. whether they can be safety stowed as carry-on) and the restriction on the number of pieces of carry-on. Please contact your air carrier for more information.
---

Not sure what their concern with gas cylinders is...

Close to the bottom of the page http://www.catsa-acsta.gc.ca/english/travel_voyage/list.shtml

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

[BMFin 0]

Travelling in the states has been pretty easy since it is especially approved by TSA.

Sometimes the screeners havent known this and it has taken some tome for them to get a supervisor to check the regulations, but even that is not so common.

Allthough it is very different in different parts of world..

I have not heard yet that taking a rig as carry on would be forbidden anywhere (correct me if Im mistaken)

But what can you really do when the screener in Paris wont let you trhu and says its not allowed ?

Im pretty sure he will not care a cats ass what TSA thinks about the issue..

So my advice is if travelling outside US be prepared (with time and a suitcase) to be able to take it as checked baggage..

[lippy 776]

I've tried a few times to carry-on my rig flying out of Edmonton. They were serious dicks, they just told me that I couldn't take a parachute on an airplane, that'd be crazy. They totally refused to check any regulations or call any supervisors, they just said flat-out 'no' and made me check it.

That was a few years ago, so maybe they've gotten their heads outta their asses already

I got nuthin

[brettski74 0]

Air Canada seems to merely defer to the CATSA list of permitted and non-permitted items. It does specifically state that rigs are permitted in both checked and carry-on baggage.

WestJet seemed to list more stuff specifically, but didn't specifically list parachutes or skydiving equipment.

Probably wouldn't hurt to carry a print-out of the CATSA list in case you run into another security screener that's being overzealous.

[MagicGuy 0]

Carried my gear on Southwest, to and from Florida to Manchester, NH with no issues. Only thing they did was run it through the xray machine twice leaving Manchester. Than the TSA guy asked me if I was going to pull a DB Cooper - smartass.

I had my stuff in a carry-on size suitcase. I think it definitely helped as opposed to just carrying it over my shoulder.

Good Luck.

[BMFin 0]

From CATSA website : "Parachute-related equipment, such a gas cylinders, are classified under dangerous goods, thereby prohibited from both carry-on and checked baggage"


Gas sylinders ? What are those ?

[billvon 2,434]

>Gas sylinders ? What are those ?

CO2 canisters as found in some flotation bottles, and O2 cylinders used for HALO jumps.

[billvon 2,434]

>They were serious dicks, they just told me that I couldn't take a parachute on an airplane . . .

Dicks or not, they have the right to do that. I was flying into Quincy one year and the pilot saw my rig and said "that is NOT coming in the cabin." So I gate-checked it. The pilot (and indirectly the airline) is in charge of what they carry (or don't carry as the case may be.)

[lippy 776]

I think I once heard something about the gas cylinders being in reference to an OLD AAD. Didn't the Sentinal have some type of gas cylinder inside it?

I got nuthin

[steveorino 7]

I've taken mine w/o incident, but I don't have an ADD. To an uninformed baggage checker it looks suspicous.

steveOrino

[FallingDuck 0]

Bring a gear bag in case they make you unpack the main.