kevin922 0 #1 August 26, 2003 Guys! Thought you'd be interested in knowing my experience when I went to the ballunar festival this past weekend.. aside from the festival being kick ass! (more on that in another post) when I was coming home I had the following happen. I have my gear in a big gear bag, which I was doing carry on with. On the way down (from washington, dc) i picked a screener who didn't even stop the conveyor belt as she was running it through - so I had no problems whatsoever. On the way back they ran it through then went through the outside pocket and took my cameras out, ran it through again and said, "are you a skydiver?" I responded with yes, and they opened up the big portion where the rig was.. then one of the TSA ladies said "oh wait, he has a parachute.. we need to call a supervisor, that's what the instructions say" I was like, what? actual instructions for how to deal with a parachute? no shit! They said they just came out last week, she proceded to pull out a TSA manual and i had a quick glance at it.. so the supervisor came over, did a "hand inspection" where she (as well as the xray operator) managed to miss a good 8 inch hook knife on my wingsuit (forgot to put it in my checked baggage) anyway, she did a "hand inspection" where she basicaly ran her hands up and down the rig and my suit squeezing it as if it were some girl's leg or something, then did the "bomb rub" on it with the little patch.. then sent me on my way. So it's official, as of last week the TSA screeners have actual instructions on how to handle parachutes. On a different note, those of you who were breaking the rules by turning your cell phone while the plane has been taxing.. well, as of the 15th of this month you're no longer breaking it.. if you still want to live on the edge you can turn on your pager or laptop which are still against the rules... this only applies to taxing to the gate, if you turn it on while taxing away from the gate you're still breaking the rules.. not sure the logic there, but oohkay. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kmcguffee 0 #2 August 26, 2003 It was good to see you Kev. Glad you made it back safe. How does it feel to be a celebrity!? Everyone at the festival seemed to be in awe of your shiny birdman suit. "Any fool can criticize, condemn and complain and most fools do." Ben Franklin Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Brains 2 #3 August 26, 2003 Good to meet you Kevin. Glad your experience in the airport was favorable. I automatically thought the worst when i read the title. Come back and see us again next year. Never look down on someone, unless they are going down on you. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
nathaniel 0 #4 August 26, 2003 That's odd. At Ohare 2 weeks ago I got nothing, and at Bradley (Hartford) yesterday I got nothing more than a 10 second glance at the X-Ray counter...could be Bradley is too small to get up to date on the rules tho. No hook knives, tho. nathanielMy advice is to do what your parents did; get a job, sir. The bums will always lose. Do you hear me, Lebowski? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Zennie 0 #5 August 26, 2003 QuoteEveryone at the festival seemed to be in awe of your shiny birdman suit. Except for TB99. who referred to it as the "baked potato" suit. Nice finally meeting you Kev. Glad you had a good time out here. Look forward to seeing you at BD! - Z "Always be yourself... unless you suck." - Joss Whedon Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CrazyIvan 0 #6 August 26, 2003 After reading your posting I checked the TSA's website and did a search for PARACHUTES and in the document I found this reference: Sporting Goods – Summer is also a great time to go scuba diving, catch some fish or go camping. Scuba tanks are not allowed on commercial airlines for safety reasons. Ship scuba tanks or consider renting a tank at your destination. Fishing tackle and sports gear – such as bats and lacrosse sticks – must be checked. Campers traveling with gas containers for grills or stoves must find another way to ship the containers separately, because they cannot be checked or carried onto a plane for safety reasons. Believe it or not, parachutes are another item that can be damaged as part of the security screening process. Consider other means of shipping or at the very least, please check parachutes closely before using.__________________________________________ Blue Skies and May the Force be with you. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jumperconway 0 #7 August 26, 2003 Hi Kev, Sorry to have not recognized you until now. I actually talked to you a little, i was on the "FUN" team, Allen Flynn's blue team. I never got to see the vid of the CReW swoop, but saw it from the ground and as I told you there, it rocked! Thanks for the 2 of you showing up. See ya again next year! Conway Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skydiverbrian 0 #8 August 26, 2003 Quotethen did the "bomb rub" on it with the little patch.. I got that coming home from Chicago. I wondered what it was all about... In a world full of people, only some want to fly... isn't that crazy! --Seal Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ChasingBlueSky 0 #9 August 26, 2003 QuoteQuotethen did the "bomb rub" on it with the little patch.. I got that coming home from Chicago. I wondered what it was all about... Hmm, that's interesting. I know my girlfriend didn't have any trouble at Midway or Tampa this weekend. She said they just stopped it long enough to look at her rig for a few extra seconds, nothing else. I hope I have the same luck when I travel with my rig twice in September._________________________________________ you can burn the land and boil the sea, but you can't take the sky from me.... I WILL fly again..... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TitaniumLegs 8 #10 August 26, 2003 QuoteSo it's official, as of last week the TSA screeners have actual instructions on how to handle parachutes. That's good, I think. Or at least a start. QuoteOn a different note, those of you who were breaking the rules by turning your cell phone while the plane has been taxing.. well, as of the 15th of this month you're no longer breaking it. Some airlines have been doing this in practice for a while. I've been on a couple flights this year when they did it. I just htought they were being cool. Quotethis only applies to taxing to the gate, if you turn it on while taxing away from the gate you're still breaking the rules.. not sure the logic there, but oohkay. The difference is that they don't want to have to walk through at the end of the runway and tell you to turn the phones off, especially since most people don't immediately comply. They don't want any chance of a phone being on during takeoff. Taxiing to the gate, the only risk is that you might still be on the phone while trying to get your overweight roller bag down from the overhead luggage rack. (Of course this already happens, so the additional risk is negligible). (>o|-< If you don't believe me, ask me. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
PhillyKev 0 #11 August 26, 2003 I had the 100% exact same experience...over a year ago. Down to calling the supervisor and them pulling out some paperwork taht specified parachutes were allowed and even explained the Cypress. Of course this was before TSA tookover screening. It seems some of the airlines had this info already. It just never made its way to TSA. Hopefully that been rectified. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lurch 0 #12 August 26, 2003 I'd like to give a shout-out to the USPA then, I think we can thank them for the fact that the TSA is finally capable of recognizing the fact that a parachute is not a terrorist weapon. I bet if we didn't have the USPA raising hell the TSA'd still be happily chopping up the occasional rig with bolt cutters just to see what makes it tick.Live and learn... or die, and teach by example. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jayruss 0 #13 August 26, 2003 Quote I got that coming home from Chicago. I wondered what it was all about... they do the bomb rub because the cypress looks like a bomb in the X-ray. If you had just packed a bomb in your rig your gear might have residue on it. That's what the bomb rub tab is checking for __________________________________________________ "Beware how you take away hope from another human being." -Oliver Wendell Holmes Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Remster 30 #14 August 26, 2003 Quotethey do the bomb rub because the cypress looks like a bomb in the X-ray. I think they just rub any electronics because it could be hidding explosive devices, not because it looks like a bomb. At least I dont think my Palm and laptop look like bombsRemster Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jayruss 0 #15 August 26, 2003 Quote I think they just rub any electronics because it could be hidding explosive devices, not because it looks like a bomb. At least I dont think my Palm and laptop look like bombs actually the cypress x-ray looks like a bomb, but any devise like that could be used to package explosives __________________________________________________ "Beware how you take away hope from another human being." -Oliver Wendell Holmes Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Remster 30 #16 August 26, 2003 Quoteactually the cypress x-ray looks like a bomb I think that if it looked like a bomb, they'd do more then just swab the control unit. It looks like an electronic device.Remster Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
freeflir29 0 #17 August 26, 2003 QuoteIt looks like an electronic device. Which could easily be a bomb....... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Remster 30 #18 August 26, 2003 QuoteWhich could easily be a bomb....... Definatly could. Just a s my evil laptop. I do hope that if these security types would do more then swab something that looks like a bomb... By the way Clay, do you knwo what chemicals these machines look for?Remster Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
freeflir29 0 #19 August 26, 2003 QuoteBy the way Clay, do you knwo what chemicals these machines look for? Not sure of the full list but I know they look for pretty much ALL the common explosive. Everything from Black powder to Symtex and the rest of the "military" explosives. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wmw999 2,589 #20 August 26, 2003 QuoteI think that if it looked like a bomb, they'd do more then just swab the control unit. It looks like an electronic device. Or maybe it looks like hair cream: from Wired QuoteI discovered an item dense enough to have been flagged as a possible explosive - it was hair cream. Wendy W.There is nothing more dangerous than breaking a basic safety rule and getting away with it. It removes fear of the consequences and builds false confidence. (tbrown) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Remster 30 #21 August 26, 2003 QuoteOr maybe it looks like hair cream: Maybe yelang yelang can be used as a chemical weapon....Remster Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kevin922 0 #22 August 26, 2003 Well i know my wingsuit had some m18 residue on it from the day before, and the lady swabed around the area where the smoke residue was but the machine either didn't pick it up.. not sure if it should have or not. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Remster 30 #23 August 26, 2003 m18 ? Whats that?Remster Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Brains 2 #24 August 26, 2003 Quotem18 ? Whats that? I've already been called gullable so i'll answer. Smoke? Never look down on someone, unless they are going down on you. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kevin922 0 #25 August 26, 2003 QuoteQuotem18 ? Whats that? I've already been called gullable so i'll answer. Smoke? yep it's smoke.. military grade smoke, same stuff the golden knights use and a lot of demo teams use. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
