ccowden 0 #1 December 30, 2003 I was curious if it was starting to be a problem carrying on a rig now that the threat level has been raised. Anyone heard or travelled with a rig these last few days?? I am flying United at the end of January and was considering FedExing my rig instead of carry on. I would rather carry it on if people aren't having issues. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
twnsnd 1 #2 December 30, 2003 Just make sure that your "terrorist escape device" is not in the same bag as your "deadly nail clippers" and don't ask to sit in an exit aisle. -We are the Swoophaters. We have travelled back in time to hate on your swoops.- Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AntiPinkChrissy 0 #3 December 30, 2003 My friend just flew Spirit on Saturday without a problem. She carried her rig on. ~La La Gang Member #2~ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bskyz 0 #4 December 30, 2003 I'm going to be next Thursday - Cross you fingers for me Blue ones Dave My site... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
eeneR 3 #5 December 30, 2003 Quotedon't ask to sit in an exit aisle Why, they gladly gave me the exit row back and forth to florida a few weeks ago, and I carried my rig on board.....good thing no one yelled DOOR. She is not a "Dumb Blonde" - She is a "Light-Haired Detour Off The Information Superhighway." eeneR TF#72, FB#4130, Incauto Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kjarv 0 #6 December 31, 2003 I just traveled from El Paso, TX to Naples Italy on the 28th of Dec with no problems carrying my rig on. The X-ray screeners didn't even give the rig a second look. I packed my rig in an inconspicuous black samsonite carry on luggage, along with my wrist altimeter, Audible... my rig has a Cypres too... Thank god I carried it on, my checked luggage didn't fare so well: after the TSA Screeners made sure they went through it the airline (Al Italia/Delta) lost it . It was found a day later--- I am GLAD my rig wasn't checked! Who knows what a TSA Screener goon would have done with it. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
falxori 0 #7 December 31, 2003 Quotethe airline (Al Italia/Delta) lost it somehow, as soon as i read "to Naples Italy " i knew the story would end with lost luggage... EVERY single time i've traveled with AlItalia, something went bad (lost luggage, delayed flights, connection switched to Milan when someone was meeting me in Rome, Etc.) unless i have to, i'll chose someone else, especially if my rig is involved... O "Carpe diem, quam minimum credula postero." Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
OutOfTheBlue 0 #8 December 31, 2003 We just traveled from Seattle to Phoenix and back over the Christmas holiday with no problems. We carried our rigs on, didn't check them. The security person that x-rayed them asked if they were parachutes. duh! Another one standing by asked if we had CO2 charges in them. We saud no and they lets us continue on. CO2 charges? What's that about? Its the second time we have been asked that by airport security in Phoenix. Does the Cypress use a CO2 charge?? Over Thanksgiving they decided to check my hubbie's rig for explosive residue (didn't find any) because they recognized by the x-ray that he had an AAD. My rig does also, but they didn't notice it. I don't even think they noticed that I HAD a rig in my bag. After not finding any explosive residue, they let us carry them on through. They kept asking us what fired off the AAD and we played innocent. So actually we had a harder time with airport security over Thanksgiving than we did over Christmas when it was an Orange Alert. Go figure!Cindy Life on earth may be expensive, but it includes a free trip around the sun! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
FIREFLYR 0 #9 December 31, 2003 When you take your rig ,check it in. DO NOT give it directly to your airline,tell them what is in it and they will tag it and let you hand it to the screeners. Tell them what it is let them x-ray it then lock it .It shouldn't be a problem."One flew East,and one flew West..............one flew over the cuckoo's nest" "There's absolutely no excuse for the way I'm about to act" Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
divnswoop 0 #10 December 31, 2003 Hey Chris, I carried my rig onboard at Jacksonville, Phoenix, and Las Vegas airports last week and didn't have any trouble at any T.A.S. station. After getting through, I asked every stupidvisor what the policy was and got a uniform answer from all three. "If the airline allows it, and there is no CO2 cart, it's ok." Sounds like they have all been edumicated on these parachute thingys.....swoop Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ccowden 0 #11 December 31, 2003 Well, cool! Sounds like people aren't running into any real problems. That is good news. Thanks for the input! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
partyboy 0 #12 December 31, 2003 Ok. Listen. I have just travled during this threat level, and I had NO problems. What other people say about the carry on thing, DO IT! take it as a carry on cause TSA is now just understanding what the aad is, and by their standards, if they have any doubt on any package, ANY DOUBT, that means saerch it, which means a reserve repack, and possible tampering with that expensive thing called a cypress/vigil, so please carry it on. It is stated in the baggage rules of the FAA that parachutes are accepted as carry on,s, so if you get any beef, ask for the floor manager, and he/she will no the info. Lastly, have that cypress card, and put the damn thing in a carry bag, dont just wear the rig, cause someone could pull that bull crap where you have a mysterious package?! But do what you like, just helpful hints here, Thats all Besides that, I even asked the floor manager of TSA at that time, and he said that he knew what the aad was, but he sounded all dumb, like " yea, that thing that pulls the pin" and I said yea, that thing, so obviously they are only as educated to know that it is not harmful, the only main concern with flights these days anyways, so keep a lower profile, and politness, it will go straight through the x-ray without question, I promise...PartyBoy One last thing I forgot to mention, dont worry about what if that ask how it works, and all that c02 and explosive nonsense, most really are worried about it passing the x-ray, and with that card, you will prove them wrong every time, and as said before, they really arent that knowlegeable, and really, if they ask one of those retorical questions where any answer is a "wrong" answer, just play the cold shoulder, and feed them the exact opposite of what they are trying to get to, yea. Have fun Man. Up High!! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CDRINF 1 #13 January 2, 2004 Traveled from KC to Phoenix and back with my rig as a carry on flying on the 27th and 1st. My wife's tote bag got more attention than my rig. CDR Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
brits17 0 #14 January 2, 2004 Just arrived in Atlanta carrying on my rig, no problems. Lately it seems they'll check and see what it is, then have no further questions. No biggie. _______________________ aerialkinetics.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
webracer 0 #15 January 2, 2004 I flew down to Ft. Myers (from Chicago) on 12/20, before Orange, not even a second look at carrying on my cypres equipped rig. I flew back 1/1, during Orange, the x-ray tech did a doubletake and stopped the belt, but let it through and didn't ask me a question. I carried my logbook, riggers ticket, USPA card, cypres book & card with me just incase. I checked my dytters and protrack along with my helmet My alitmeter is mounted on the rh legstrap, that went through with the rig. I was quite pleased with how the TSA handled it, the training is working (or maybe not). Anyway, no problems for me.Troy I am now free to exercise my downward mobility. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ianmdrennan 2 #16 January 3, 2004 No problems going to Eloy. In fact at both Providence and Phoenix the TSA officials asked if it was a parachute in the bag before even opening it. Seems like their education process is getting better. Of course you do look a little shifty so I'd expect them to break out the rubber glove on you Blue skies IanPerformance Designs Factory Team Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
PLFKING 4 #17 January 3, 2004 No problem here either.....carry-on through Greensboro-Houston-Phoenix last week and back through the same route this week. It was wanded for explosives the second time through Houston, but that was probably because I look like a suspicious sort. One of the pilots saw me carry it on, grinned, and said " Do you think you're going to need that?" I grinned back and said " I guess that depends on how well you fly this thing." Don"When in doubt I whip it out, I got me a rock-and-roll band. It's a free-for-all." Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Aviatrr 0 #18 January 8, 2004 No problems for me on XMas day going to Eloy. MCO-DFW-PHX. In MCO, they stopped the xray machine while my stuff was in it....called somebody else over.....then asked me if it was my bag. I said yes, they said they were going to have to search it...turned out they were looking at my suitcase, NOT my rig bag.....and saw a pair of fingernail clippers, so they had to see if there was a file attached.. Just make sure you remove any hook knife and put it in checked baggage. Mike Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Nick 0 #19 January 8, 2004 Travelled to Eloy with mine on the 25th and the 1st, both times checked in a semi hard case with no problems at all. Just listened out in case they called me. I did get searched at the gate without any problems (other than the hand held metal detector being set off by staples in my passport!). On the 1st I watched a friends rig go through the x-ray machine at PHX without a problem, if fact the operator wasn't even looking at the screen!! Nick Gravity- It's not just a good idea, it's the LAW! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
sunshine 2 #20 January 8, 2004 Stick with the big airports. I flew out of a tiny pudunk airport on Dec. 25th and it was obvious the TSA peeps there had no knowledge of parachutes. It was the first time i had to show my cypres card and really go into detail about what it is. Also having the printed out letter from the TSA helped. If not for those 2 items, i don't think they would've let me carry it on. After they took the rig out of my gear bag and all freaked out that i had a parachute, they ran it through xray again to compare pictures with the cypres card. It was rather amusing when the chick that was inspected my bag said in a panicked voice to the xray guy "she has a parachute here." So of course i invited her to come jumping with me in the spring. ___________________________________________ meow I get a Mike hug! I get a Mike hug! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
vt1977 0 #21 January 8, 2004 I had no problems travelling from London to Phoenix on Christmas Day and flying back on 3rd Jan. Vicki Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
WrongWay 0 #22 January 12, 2004 I did when I went to Eloy, and had no problems whatsoever. Just be sure to have your Cypress card. Wrong Way D #27371 Mal Manera Rodriguez Cajun Chicken Ø Hellfish #451 The wiser wolf prevails. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
newsstand 0 #23 January 12, 2004 I hope no one from TSA is reading this but I don't understand how having a laminated card with a bunch of circles and arrows that matches up to what they are seeing on the machine really proves anything. Now I have only seen a picture of one and not the real thing. What makes the card so magical? "Truth is tough. It will not break, like a bubble, at a touch; nay, you may kick it about all day like a football, and it will be round and full at evening." -- Oliver Wendell Holmes Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
WrongWay 0 #24 January 12, 2004 Actually I wondered the same thing, and they showed us (alanab and I) what it looked like on their screen. The card is an actual photograph of what the rig should look like thru xray scans, and it's EXACTLY the same. Wrong Way D #27371 Mal Manera Rodriguez Cajun Chicken Ø Hellfish #451 The wiser wolf prevails. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Flygurl 0 #25 January 13, 2004 I have flown from Denver to Dallas, Phoenix, LA, Oklahoma City, and Albuquerque. I never had any problems and carried it on every time with the TSA information printed out and ready. I never even got stopped. There's no way I'd check my rig. I've heard too many horror stories. Too much can happen from point A to point B.________________________________________ "One out of every four American's are suffering from some form of mental illness. Think of your three best friends. If they're okay, then it's you." Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
