First Time Traveling with Rig !!!??

[skygypsea 0]

HELP - HELP !! I seldom post, but always enjoy reading. But I have a question if anyone could offer advice. In several weeks, I will be traveling with my rig for the first time. With all the security at airports now-days, what is the best thing to do, or what do I need so that I can get through security ?? I've heard horror stories from several people concerning reserves, etc. I've heard some people say they take their rig on board, while I have heard others say they ship it ???? What is best to carry it in ?? Thank you so much for whatever advice any of you have !!!

The Longer You Look At The Ocean,
The More You See.

[steveorino 7]

I carried mine on to Cancun in a gear bag. No problems what so ever. I did NOT have a cypres. (Your experience may differ) On the way back the Mexican authorities wouldn't let me carry on my helmet and camera in the gear bag. They made me check it -- go figure.

BTW If you have a cypres, be sure and carry the card that says what it is.

steveOrino

[gofast_ER 0]

im actually planning on traveling with my rig for the first time pretty soon too. I figured I would just call the airline in advance and ask if they could slow down to about 100 or so mph and drop down to about 14k over my house
haha yeah right. But I really am planning on calling the airline ahead to find out about it.

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

[skygypsea 0]

Thanks !! I DO have a gear bag that I use to carry everything in. Don't have camera stuff, but do have a Cypres. I'll see if I can find the card on it, or atleast print something out about it !! Thanks again !!

The Longer You Look At The Ocean,
The More You See.

[skygypsea 0]

That's a great idea about calling the airline - hmmm......why didn't I think of that ??!!!! Good luck with your first-time experience !!!

The Longer You Look At The Ocean,
The More You See.

[gofast_ER 0]

personally I think the great idea is having the plane do a 14k pass over your destination. But yeah calling isn't such a bad idea either

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

[tvandijck 0]

I've been traveling multiple times now, and have sofar always taken my rig on board with me. Last time even without a gearbag, because I used it for clothes.

What I always do however is tie the reserve handles so they can't be pulled by accident... Don't forget to untie them though !!! I use bright color straps that are easily noticed..

If you don't feel confident with taking it on board, take a hardshell suitecase and check it in. You could even ask to put a 'fragile' label on your case at checkin.

[gofast_ER 0]

personally I wouldn't feel comfortable letting my rig out of my sight. I mean, I hear so many storys of people losing their luggage on flights. I would freak out if I lost my rig

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

[dbattman 0]

-Take your documentation with you (CYPRES card)
- Wrap your chest strap through the reserve handle and around the left-side web a few times. Fasten the chest strap and it's nearly impossible for an unknowing TSA agent to grab the convenient little carrying handle and deploy your reserve. It's also impossible for you to don your gear and jump with a secured reserve handle (hey- it's happened before)
-Keep it out of sight (for Heaven's sake don't repack your main in the gate area or play with your audible in the plane!)
- Put the gear bag/suitcase on the X-ray belt

And now comes the really, really hard part-

DON'T SAY A THING TO ANYONE UNTIL THEY ASK YOU ABOUT YOUR GEAR!! Chances are they won't ask at all.

Do that and you'll be fine. If you so have an issue politely ask for the supervisor and refer them to their TSA manual regarding sport parachute rigs.

Checking rigs wasn't much of an issue until the last few years. If they force you to check it (which they probably won't) request a hand check and TSA seal when they're finished so you know if someone else opened your bag. The issue with checking rigs is that a few have been tampered with by unknowing TSA security people making them unsafe to use.

Good Luck!
- The jet-setting road warrior skydiver

[micro 0]

i've flown w/ mine a few times now... only two probs, one small, one major... both involved trying to carry my rig through security in a gear bag as carry on luggage. did NOT want to check it.

1... in st. louis, the tsa x-ray machine dude thought the Vigil control where you turn on the unit was a butane lighter. they made me take the rig out and they searched and search for the lighter. once i demonstrated what it was, tsa personnel who had gathered (3 of them, none had seen a rig before) were very appreciative for hte explanation and the time spent. very cool experience.

2... bad exp in houston... new tsa walker tx ranger type... insisted that he was going to deploy my main and reserve and inspect the canopies before letting me through. i said no way, he said then it doesn't fly. i said get your supervisor and your standard operating procedures, you won't open my parachutes (i was bluffing, they have every right to open the rig and inspect the canopies, but w/ the owners assistance). TSA whuffo spoke to his supervisor, never brought him over, rescanned the bag, tossed it rudely to me and said "have a nice day." I smiled sarcastically to him (i'm such a dick sometimes) and he said, "is something funny?" I just said, "no, thanks" and walked off.

it scared me to know they had every right to open and inspect BOTH canopies if they wanted to. I had just had a reserve repack. what a pain in the ass that would have been. however, most of the time, they are very cool about it.

I miss Lee.
And JP.
And Chris. And...

[dbattman 0]

Yep, almost happened to me in VA. Mine setoff the explosive detector (possibly due to the hand lotion I use during the winter on my face or getting dragged down the hill at CSS) but I managed to convince the guy that I couldn't open the reserve because it was sealed by an FAA rigger. Heh- that was a good idea mentioning the FAA in the same sentence as the reserve they wanted to open. Probably got me out of a repack.

[micro 0]

Quote

Yep, almost happened to me in VA. Mine setoff the explosive detector (possibly due to the hand lotion I use during the winter on my face or getting dragged down the hill at CSS) but I managed to convince the guy that I couldn't open the reserve because it was sealed by an FAA rigger. Heh- that was a good idea mentioning the FAA in the same sentence as the reserve they wanted to open. Probably got me out of a repack.

NICE! I'll have to remember that! "See that seal? That's an FAA seal right there! Don't fuck w/ it, ya hear???"

I miss Lee.
And JP.
And Chris. And...

[ROK 0]

I just got back from Hawaii Monday.

Went through Tampa, Dallas, and LA on the way there, and through Honolulu back through Dallas to Tampa on the way back. I carried my rig out in the open and my gear bag with helmet, suit, audible, wrist altimeter, and my packing tool. I don't have an AAD. I had zero problems. One guy asked where the CO2 cartridge was, and I just told him that I don't have one. I didn't bother to explain what he should have been looking for. What was interesting is that after about 20 hours of flying, only one person asked me about my rig. I was worried, and relieved that the general public has no idea what a parachute rig looks like.

I waited in the security line with about three hundred people in Tampa, and when I got through and was putting my tennis shoes on, the supervisor walked up and asked me for my boarding pass. He looked at it and told me I was in the wrong terminal. I know the blood drained from my face because the wiseguy broke out laughing, and told me to have a good flight!

By the way...jumping in Hawaii rocks!

[BIGUN 1,071]

Things to consider for success:

1. Carry the cypres card,
2. Carry your USPA card.
3. Carry a copy of this letter with you. http://www.tsa.gov/interweb/assetlibrary/PTT_Parachuting_102003.pdf
4. Explain the reason for the FAA seal.
5. Attitude is key - be prepared to educate.

And, as others have said; protect your handles.

Nobody has time to listen; because they're desperately chasing the need of being heard.

[Eagle7 0]

You should also show up early at the airport just in case.

[BIGUN 1,071]

I believe that's in the letter. Allow 20 minutes just for TSA time.

Nobody has time to listen; because they're desperately chasing the need of being heard.

[FrEaK_aCcIdEnT 0]

to add to the posts, here is a link to a previous thread that has liknks to cyprres info if you cant find it and the same information found here on the TSA document. This is mainly for the Cypres info.

http://www.dropzone.com/cgi-bin/forum/gforum.cgi?post=1991789#1991789

ExPeCt ThE uNeXpEcTeD!
DoNt MiNd ThE tYpOs, Im LaZy On CoRrEcTiOnS!

[ntrprnr 0]

Agreed with everything Dbattman posts - A few more from my experiences:

If you do get stopped, ask if they can swab the bag instead of taking everything out. Normally they'll be ok doing that, as they're only looking for explosives.

If they still want to take it out, you have the right to be there and watch EVERYTHING they do, and also the right to request it be done by a supervisor.

Just be nice. I find that the nicer you are to the TSA drones, the quicker you get through, and the less likely you are to get the anal probe.

ntrprnr, victim of about 250k miles a year on the road.

Quote

-Take your documentation with you (CYPRES card)
- Wrap your chest strap through the reserve handle and around the left-side web a few times. Fasten the chest strap and it's nearly impossible for an unknowing TSA agent to grab the convenient little carrying handle and deploy your reserve. It's also impossible for you to don your gear and jump with a secured reserve handle (hey- it's happened before)
-Keep it out of sight (for Heaven's sake don't repack your main in the gate area or play with your audible in the plane!)
- Put the gear bag/suitcase on the X-ray belt

And now comes the really, really hard part-

DON'T SAY A THING TO ANYONE UNTIL THEY ASK YOU ABOUT YOUR GEAR!! Chances are they won't ask at all.

Do that and you'll be fine. If you so have an issue politely ask for the supervisor and refer them to their TSA manual regarding sport parachute rigs.

Checking rigs wasn't much of an issue until the last few years. If they force you to check it (which they probably won't) request a hand check and TSA seal when they're finished so you know if someone else opened your bag. The issue with checking rigs is that a few have been tampered with by unknowing TSA security people making them unsafe to use.

Good Luck!
- The jet-setting road warrior skydiver

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

[dharma1976 0]

BEER!!!!!!!

I have had absolutely no problems travelling iwth my rig, in fact I usually carry it onto the plane over my shoulder...the TSA guys are either like so what (arizona) or intrigued (New York)

I also dont have a cypress in my rig so it is a little easier.

But when I did they did this funny swab test where they rubbed the entire backpad of my old rig, untiil I said hold on a second why dont you take a look at this and explained to them the flaps and what not to ever cut.

Dave

http://www.skyjunky.com

CSpenceFLY - I can't believe the number of people willing to bet their life on someone else doing the right thing.

[nitrox100 0]

Wow! Do you think they'll even allow that? I wonder if anyone ever asked that question on here before?

Maybe you can buy new equipment at your destination then sell it before you come home.

[skygypsea 0]

Thanks everyone for all your suggestions !!! Good advice, and I appreciate it very much. Yeah - I guess I owe BEER !!!!!

The Longer You Look At The Ocean,
The More You See.

[jasonRose 0]

Quote

Things to consider for success:

1. Carry the cypres card,
2. Carry your USPA card.
3. Carry a copy of this letter with you. http://www.tsa.gov/interweb/assetlibrary/PTT_Parachuting_102003.pdf
4. Explain the reason for the FAA seal.
5. Attitude is key - be prepared to educate.

And, as others have said; protect your handles.

Agreed!!! I ran into trouble at Pheonix airport a couple of months ago and I had everything BIGUN mentioned and they still wanted me to pop my reserve, I asked for his supervisor and we discussed (argued) for about 45 minutes and I almost missed my flight. I ended up pulling out my main canopy and showed them what a mess it made then I told them that the reserve would double the mess and was esentialy the same thing they didn't make me pop it. They did X-Ray it three times and did the bomb detector sniffy thing a bunch, reviewed my cypress card a few times with my main out .

That was the biggest pain in the ass I have ever been through at an airport. You would think since Eloy traffic funnels threw there they would have been privy to skydiving stuff.

Some day I will have the best staff in the world!!!

[freakyrat 1]

Jason

Find out who the TSA's Federal Security Director is for Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport and write him/her a letter about your experience. Be polite when explaining what happened.

Chris