billvon 2,476 #1 June 20, 2003 So there I was coming back from Raeford. I check my rig now; I bought a Pelican hardcase that's pretty indestructible (and very distinctive so harder to lose) and I put it in there before I check it. I checked in at the United counter. Storms in O'Hare, the agent says - you might not be able to get there tonight. Do you want to go on American through Dallas? Sure, says I. Haul everything over to the American counter. I'm the only one there. Cool. I hand the voucher (which shows Greensboro to San Diego) to the American chick, and she starts typing furiously. A few minutes later she puts the baggage tags on and hands me a boarding pass. "Thanks for flying American!" she says brightly. "No problem, thanks for taking United's voucher," I say, while looking at the boarding pass. "So do I check in again in Dallas to get the boarding pass to San Diego?" "Uh, no - are you going to San Diego?" "Well, yeah. Here's that voucher again. See? It says San Diego." "Oh." More furious typing. "Uh, sorry, there's nothing on this transfer screen." I never know what to say to statements like that. 'Want me to try to fix it?' 'Yeah, I hate when the transfer screen does that.' 'No problem, I'll get an apartment and a job in Dallas.' I just smile. "So you want to get to San Diego?" she asks me. "Well, uh, that's what the ticket was for." "Well, no, _this_ ticket is for Dallas." "The United flight was to San Diego, and . . ." "Well, sir, we're not United." "And I do live in San Diego and all, and this voucher says to San Diego." This is starting to get worrisome - not because I'm worried that I can eventually make then understand that I really do want to get to San Diego (and have bought a ticket to do so) but that I am now a Problem. "OK, I'll see what I can do." She types furiously for a good five minutes. Finally new bag tags appear and she puts them on. "Please take your bags over there for security screening." No doubt they have a special process for Problem passengers. I haul them over, then try to hover between the bags and the madly typing agent. "Well, sir, it's just not showing up on this screen. I'm gonna have to call someone, but I'm not sure what she can do." "Well, at least my bags will get there - that's progress, right?" She does not seem amused by my feeble attempt at humor. A baggage handler is starting to chuckle at the next desk. At least my efforts aren't going completely unappreciated. Meanwhile, the security guy has opened the Pelican after a short battle with the (quite good) latches. And he's called his supervisor, who is a 6 foot tall, 3 foot wide, cranky guy from Brooklyn. "Hey guy, wanna tell me why you got a packed parachute in here?" Several replies come to mind. 'Well, they are useful in skydiving' seems like a smartass reply, 'I'm a skydiver' seems sorta obvious, so I go with "I'm a skydiving instructor; I take it with me so I can work." Even true! "You got any proof?" he asks. Aha! Another victory! "Why yes I do. Here's my USPA license; instructor ratings are on the back." He studies it for a few moments, unable to make heads nor tails of it, but clearly not wanting to admit that. He hands it back. "Well, we're gonna have to X-ray it." "OK, fine with me." They take it away. Meanwhile a small crowd has gathered around the typist who's dealing with my ticket Problem. They all seem to have helpful suggestions, but nothing's working. One woman, a kindly older woman who seems to be more or less in charge, tells me they should have this cleared up in a moment. She also asks me what's going on with my bags. I tell her. She suddenly looks less kindly. "A parachute? Why on earth did you bring a parachute?" I tell her the story. She seems unconvinced as well, but nods. "Uh, well, it's not like you're planning to use it or anything," she says. "Right?" Another one that's tough to answer. I'm tempted to reply that the POINT of this whole checking-the-rig exercise is that it will be in the baggage compartment, and I will not be - but she might just have the power to put me there, so I figure I'll hold off on the point-making for now. "Right," I say. The supervisor returns looking as cranky as ever. "Hey guy, they gotta issue with that parachute. There's a lot of stuff in there that shouldn't be there on X-ray," I say. "They might have to open it up." "Uh, OK," I say. It's not really a big deal for me; I can close the Pelican with everything inside and reclose it when I get home. "Want me to go down there and open it?" "No way, you can't touch it, we gotta do it." I have this brief image of the mass panic the reserve PC will cause as it goes shooting across the terminal. 'Greensboro airport evacuated after terrorist device smacks police officer in the nose.' Suddenly there is a commotion behind me. They have managed to print a second boarding pass! There's jubilation as I go back and get the second boarding pass, this one to San Diego. The original agent explains the screen problem again; I smile and thank her. The original security guy returns with the rig. "No problem, there was a guy down there who was a skydiver, and he explained everything," the security guy says. The supervisor walks away, clearly unhappy that there was a happy ending. The original guy starts going through my other bag. "Hey, what's this?" he asks, looking at my altimeter. "Just an altimeter, tells me how high I am." He asks a dozen questions about skydiving, about how he's always wanted to do this, and I tell a few stories, trying to keep him on my side. Suddenly I feel someone's hand on my backpack. It's that supervisor woman from behind the counter. "I just had to check to make sure you didn't have a parachute in _there_," she says, smiles and walks away. I'm still not sure if she was joking or not. Got the bags on the belt and went through security, where they confiscated an old camcorder battery that I use to run my laptop. Got home without further incident. Good thing I didn't try to actually carry on the rig. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
EricTheRed 0 #2 June 20, 2003 Thanks Bill, I feel so much safer now...illegible usually Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
diverdriver 5 #3 June 20, 2003 Oh Bill, you walk that fine line like a cat I tell yah! LOL.....well done. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jib 0 #4 June 20, 2003 QuoteGot the bags on the belt and went through security, where they confiscated an old camcorder battery that I use to run my laptop. Great story, but why'd they confiscate the battery? -------------------------------------------------- the depth of his depravity sickens me. -- Jerry Falwell, People v. Larry Flynt Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Clownburner 0 #5 June 20, 2003 To keep him from powering any potentially terrorist devices, I'll wager. I feel safer knowing that no terrorist can covertly film me on an airplane. "Nip the shoots of arbitrary power in the bud, is the only maxim which can ever preserve the liberties of any people." -- John Adams7CP#1 | BTR#2 | Payaso en fuego Rodriguez "I want hot chicks in my boobies!"- McBeth Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rendezvous 0 #6 June 20, 2003 Oh ! well ! I guess USPA should be reading this coz they are working with TSA on this and clearly, TSA doesn't seem to be getting it. Once or twice on my way out of Newark airport I happen to ask the TSA guys as to what they feel about Skydiving gear and they always seem to be clueless about how to tackle that one. Looks like the TSA training to help them understand skydiving equipment isn't getting through. According to them no one had ever talked to them about parachute screenig. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
LouDiamond 1 #7 June 20, 2003 QuoteOnce or twice on my way out of Newark airport I happen to ask the TSA guys as to what they feel about Skydiving gear and they always seem to be clueless about how to tackle that one. Looks like the TSA training to help them understand skydiving equipment isn't getting through. According to them no one had ever talked to them about parachute screenig This seems to be a big hit and miss area with the TSA folks or even the individual one might have the luck of the draw running into at the check point. Personaly, I find the jedi mind trick works best for me in these situations. I have also found that one can wear a camera helmet through the check point if you drool on yourself and limp a little bit I will be giving seminars on the jedi mind trick and the drooling techniques at the Eloy holiday boogie for those interested. These will be held in the bent prop in close proximity to the bar"It's just skydiving..additional drama is not required" Some people dream about flying, I live my dream SKYMONKEY PUBLISHING Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skydive84 0 #8 June 20, 2003 You really dont want to get caught wearing a weight belt on because it would make your luggage too heavy. Its a whole world of fun Happened to a friend i was travelling with. They just wouldnt belive that 1) she wanted to jump out of a plane. 2) she wanted to hit the ground quicker!!! 3) its just sand in these little pouches Think she got tagged by security because she got fully checked at about 4 different points. Also since when have a jar of pickles been a security threat - only in america! I love you guys! Adi Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
councilman24 36 #9 June 20, 2003 Hmmmm. New use for useless Cypres' ... Playing with TSA. And yeah, why did they take your camcorder battery. Camcorders are specifically listed as ok. Maybe because you didn't HAVE a camcorder? Pretty suspicious.I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
EricTheRed 0 #10 June 20, 2003 My guess on the battery thing is that you could make an explosive device that looks like a battery. If it's attached to a camera, they make you turn it on to show it's not a fake. I ran into problems one time with a laptop with a dead battery. Couldn't turn it on to show the A** at the checkpoint. Worked out ok after about 10 minutes...illegible usually Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jessica 0 #11 June 20, 2003 Oh God. If all that had happened to me, I'd cry, then they'd decide I was a Problem with Guilt Issues on top of it. Why don't they educate these monkeys? Did you guys see the letter in Parachutist from the woman whose reserve pins were damaged, as if the TSA had tried to cut them? Jesus wept.Skydiving is for cool people only Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Remster 26 #12 June 20, 2003 So, whith all this stupidness going around, what do you guys traveling a lot in the US suggest doing: check it, carry on, what???Remster Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Iflyme 0 #13 June 20, 2003 Good thing, Bill, that you are one of the good guys, not one of the bad guys ... 'cause they'd have caught you if you were, what with a parachute and all! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
billvon 2,476 #14 June 20, 2003 >Oh God. If all that had happened to me, I'd cry, then they'd decide I >was a Problem with Guilt Issues on top of it. Well, I guess that's the difference between us. I just find it sort of funny. Besides, I've been a Problem quite a few times in my life; this is nothing new. >Why don't they educate these monkeys? Like teaching pigs to sing. It wastes your time and annoys the pig. Don't forget, this is our government, which will no doubt quickly realize that they can save money by paying them ever-smaller amounts. What do you think that will do to competence? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
robskydiv 0 #15 June 20, 2003 Wow! I hope that this doesn't happen to you often. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
robskydiv 0 #16 June 20, 2003 Hey Bill, one more thing. You represented our sport well. By being kind and patient you generated more interest for our sport than by being bitter and acerbic. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kallend 1,683 #17 June 20, 2003 Well, the only time I was ever on a plane with you, you jumped out and pulled me with you. Damn good job I had a parachute too.... The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
freakyrat 1 #18 June 20, 2003 Bill I carried my rig on Southwest last weekend from Houston Hobby to Chicago Midway with no problems at all. I also had a copy of Southwest's baggage rules reference parachutes equipped with Cyppres AAD"s which I posted in an answer to LouDiamond's thread and didn't have to use it. Chris Chrzan Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kryos 0 #19 June 21, 2003 LOL ... oh, man ... I almost pissed myself! Great story. I really enjoyed that. Blue skies and thanks for the laugh! --rita Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jbrasher 0 #20 June 21, 2003 A few weeks ago my wife and I flew to Nortern California (no rig). I waltzed thru security (metal pins and all) but she was frisked and wanded and made to roll her waist band down and take off her shoes (sandals, mine where Nike's but didn't have to come off) and they conficated her finger nail nippers (really small siccors, really small, like a small wire cutter). They also checked her homeopathic medicine very completely which couldn't be x-rayed; small eyedropper kind of bottles. I feel safer now Red, White and Blue Skies, John T. Brasher D-5166 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Zenister 0 #21 June 21, 2003 i've had pretty good experiences with the TSA so far thru SEATAC, ONT & PHX no one really even blinked...almost sounds like you should pay them for entertainment costs Quote and they confiscated her finger nail nippers (really small scissors, really small, like a small wire cutter). things like this make me wonder if sheep are ever really aware how close death really can be, and marvel at the silly things they fear..____________________________________ Those who fail to learn from the past are simply Doomed. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
billvon 2,476 #22 June 21, 2003 >and they conficated her finger nail nippers . . . Amy once accidentally carried some surgical tools with her onto a flight. They confiscated the scissors but let her keep the needle drivers, which would be a much better weapon if you were so inclined - they were very sharp and pointed when closed. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
flyhi 24 #23 June 22, 2003 Currently posting from Hawaii after a week in San Diego. Carried my rig through JAX, Atlanta, San Diego, and HNL with no problems, but after reading this, it might be easier to just chuck it all and stay here. Also had several PC101 batteries in my gear which didn't even slow them down. Will pack them on my check baggage on the way home, if I go. Mahalo for the heads up.Shit happens. And it usually happens because of physics. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MikeTJumps 4 #24 June 22, 2003 Interesting story, Bill!Mike Turoff Instructor Examiner, USPA Co-author of Parachuting, The Skydiver's Handbook Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
flyangel2 2 #25 June 22, 2003 I've been very lucky with all the traveling I do and not had a problem yet. I have check my rig, and have also done the carry on thing. I have a cypress and carry weights with me too. The only thing that gets a second look are the weights. Bill, handling the situation as professionally as you did is the right thing to do. Getting angry or having an attitude doesn't help the situation. Hopefully over time problems like Bill had will disappear.May your trails be crooked, winding, lonesome, dangerous, leading to the most amazing view. May your mountains rise into and above the clouds. - Edward Abbey Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
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