freakyrat

Southwest has a policy on rigs and Cypres published in their OPS manual under Baggage. I have posted it here several times. Reservations doesn't know about it cause it's in a different computer data base. You can obtain a copy of it from a ticket counter superviser if you like. Here's what it says. Baggage-Parachutes- Parachutes equipped with the Cypres Automatic Activation System-AAD are classified as an unregulated item by the US DOT. Therefore Parachutes equipped with the Cypress Automatic Activation system are authorized to be carried as either checked or carryon baggage by our customers. Chris

Rhino I have a list of them from my local health food store. If you're going to be at the WFFC I'll bring this list with me. Chris Freakyrat

That's Orlando Sanford SFB I'm sure all it would take was some education like the situation with another Florida airport. West Palm Beach PBI O'h another good airport I traveled through with my rig with no problems was FLL- Fort Lauderdale Chris

The farm field that is across the main highway on the north end of the airport seemed to be a good out for landing when I was there several years ago for POP's Chris

No problems at: MDW ORD IAH HOU PHX ONT SNA LAX ATL CVG TPA MCO FLL PSP A minor problem last January which was straightened out by a supervisor. After which I wrote the TSA Director for the PSP airport who wrote me back a nice letter and said the his security personnel would be briefed on the efforts of the USPA and TSA on this matter. Chris

I forgot I was wearing mine and walked through the detectors at Newark in March and it didn't even set them off. Chris

Also I might ad, carry your rig in a non-descript kitbag. not out in the open. Chris

Don't settle for no from some of these TSA folks. Carry your support documents such as pictures of your Cypres and reserve pilot chute that you can take during your repack cycle. Carry your USPA documents with you and the letter concerning Cypres being approved by the DOT from the SSK website. carry the Cypres instruction manual (which states that Cypres is non-hazardous and non-explosive) and your logbook. Also print the post that Quade put in here ref. his e-mail from Ed Scott from USPA ref this whole issue. Stand your ground with the screeners with all this documentation and ask to speak to a supervisor or the TSA director for the airport. The director should know th policy refence parachutes and should have had his screeners briefed already. I did just that in Palm Springs last January and got through. I think Quade did an excellent job addressing this subject. Before TSA I flew Delta and also USAIR out of JAX with no problems. You really got a dummy who had the DB Cooper mentality. When I got a Supervisor at Palm Springs she said let the guy through they have plug doors on these planes and a parachute is useless to him and that Cypres is a non-hazardous item period. Hope this helps. Chris

Southwest uses the same terminal at Tampa as Continental. Southwest, who was the airline who was instrumental in getting the Cypres approved has this written policy in their internal ops manual. (A gate agent can get this from their office computer) Baggage-Parachutes-Parachutes equipped with the Cypres automatic activation device AAD are considered an unregulated item by the US DOT. Therefore parachutes equipped with the Cypres AAD can be accepted for transport either as carry on or checked baggage by our customers. Chris

This is a beautiful DZ. The only problem there is if the winds aloft are strong out of the north they can't jump because of the posibility of a load landing in Rosas Bay. They really watch this. I was there for a World Pops meet several years ago and I really liked the place. If the weather is bad you can drive into Figueros and see the Salvador Dali Museaum etc. as we did. The town of Empuriabrava and Rosas are really nice. Rosas has a nice beach. The towns close up during the noon thru 5pm time period for siesta. All in all the place is very nice. The hotels are located right next to the DZ and most of the things to do except the main part of town are within walking distance. Have a great time there. Chris

I agree on that stupid recording at Midway but the new airport is really good and will be better when all the gates are finished. Tampa by far is the best airport in the US. DFW (the American terminals) is the worst with Atlanta a close second. Chris

The reason they got the 30 mile TFR is because some of the idiot private pilots we have in Texas including a Piper Cheyenne pilot couldn't even stay out of a simple 10 mile TFR at the Crawford Ranch so the TSA and SS decided I suppose to penalize everyone. The Dallas TFR and Houston TFR inner ring were shortened this weekend to 6 and 8 miles respectively to allow the continued operaton of Addison and Redbird airports during his visit to Dallas and continued ops of the Houston Medical Center Helicopters when he visted Houston. I personally think 30 mi is to much of an airspace grab as do the AOPA and others. After all he shut down a major airport Dallas Love Field to all but air carrier ops for some 7 hrs yesterday. Chris

PINK FLOYD- MEDDLE AND DARK SIDE OF THE MOON LYNYRD SKYNYRD- STREET SURVIVORS (I HAVE THE ORIGINAL VINYL WITH THE FLAMING COVER) QUEENSRYCHE-OPERATION MINDCRIME SIMPLE MINDS-LIVE IN THE CITY OF LIGHTS BLUE OYSTER CULT-SECRET TREATIES DEEP PURPLE-DEEP PURPLE IN ROCK ( THE ONE WITH SWEET CHILD IN TIME) ALLMANN BROTHERS-LIVE AT THE FILMORE EAST. METALLICA-MASTER OF PUPPETS JETHRO TULL-AQUALUNG U2-WAR I can think of many more though some of which have already been listed by others. Chris

I was on the Skydive Houston Otter on load seven. I was sitting near the front and was watching the takeoff. We had just broke ground and were about 30-50 feet in the air when I heard two loud bangs The plane jerked oh so slightly. Adam was flying and did a superb job of handling the emergency. It wasn't a full load. The plane started to descend slightly but then begin to climb on the good engine. Adam identified the left engine as the one that quit and shut it down. We continued to climb to about 2,400 feet and almost all the jumpers jumped out single file. It was very orderly, I rode the airplane down cause it was one of the few times I had ever experienced an engine out emergency, The last two being a DC-3 and Twin Beech several years ago that were already near jump altitude when the trashed engines. We though one of the jumpers on the load deployed his reseve cause that's what he decided to do but later we found out he may have had a total on the rig. All in All it was uneventful and I can't say enough Kudos to Adam our pilot for his outstanding airmanship which was seconded by all who were on board. I would also like to complement the entire load for being cool and calm during the emergency. Chris

I only had a problem in Palm Springs last January and it was solved by a nice lady who was a TSA Supervisor. Otherwise, I had no problems at all recently in Houston or at Midway. The TSA screener at Midway new it was a parachute and just said to be safe and have a nice flight. Chris

Jeff Tate still has the best voice in Rock N Roll. I've seen them a couple of times but I thought the Empire-Mindcrime tour was by far the best. The visuals on Mindcrime were awesome. Chris

There are a lot of pissed off pilots in Dallas Today. He's going to shut down Love Field to General Aviation for 6 Hours. In a consolation they limited his TFR Prohibited Airspace to a six mile ring to keep Dallas Addison and Redbird open. He's going to shut down the Houston DZ's tomorrow from about 4-8 PM Chris

Southwest Airlines has the following in thwir baggage regulations. Baggage-Parachutes Parachutes equipped with the Cypres Automatic Opening System, AAD are considered an unregulated item by the US DOT, therefore Parachutes equipped with the Cypres AAD are authorized to be carried as eithe carryon or checked baggage by our customers. You can obtain a copy of this from one of the friendly Southwest Airlines Counter Supervisors. Have them type in the work Parachute or Cypres in their computer. It is listed under their baggage regulations. Hope this helps. Chris

USPA just needs to be made aware that SDF is making their own rules without a national policy in place and maybe USPA working with TSA can get this pencil-whipped policy changed. Chris

You know this thing about TSA security persons being ill-trained in damaging our gear when they can check the airline tag on the bag and have the person paged to come explain their luggage is just like one of us getting on a planr and pulling a life vest out from under the seat and inflating it. Both are life-support equipment. The whole thing is just stupid. Chris

Furst Off Louisville KY is served by Southwest Airlines, an airline that worked very hard in getting the Cypres declared as non-dangerous goods by the DOT and specifically addrsses this in their baggage policy. What you all need to do is go to the their counter during a non-busy time and ask for a supervisor. Get him to print out a copy of this and take it to the TSA Security Director for Louisville. A pencilled in policy is about as worthless as a pencil packed reserve. TSA was already suppose to have guidelines in place for skydiving gear it seems like all the work that USPA did with them has resulted in a sporadic eduacation program where some airports know about gear and others don't or just don't care to be educated. I personally stood my ground very politely in Palm Springs last January, got through with my rig and sent a large letter to the TSA Director for that airport with support documents from Cypres and USPA and he wrote back and said that he would make sure his screener staff got the mesaage. Chris

I took my rig through Phoenix last January with no problems. If you have any more problems have the Northwest people call the Southwest Airlines Supvr. Southwest has a blurb under their baggage rules that specifically addresses Parachutes and Cypres as a non-regulated item by the DOT and that it's Ok for carry on or checked baggage. You just got an ignorant security person ref the CO2. Ask the guard next time how he thinks that the life jackets installed under the seats are deployed? or the escape slides on the aircraft. Chris

Saw Alice with the Scorpions in Dallas a couple of years ago and was in the fifth row. He is very good in what he does on stage and makes a lot of eye contact with the audience. Chris

Sparky It is generated by SSK. They just have a letter on their website stating that Cypres is approved by DOT. As far as DCA goes, I think we'll just have to live with it. Use another airport, preferably Baltimore which is served by Southwest. Chris

your doctor didn't use enough lube. HA HA HA