flying with your rig

[Snowflake 0]

I will be having to travel next week and am looking for help getting my gear to it's destination I really don't want to check it as I don't trust the the handelers. I guess that I can pack it in a box with lots of buble wrap. The lady from the airlines didn't sound too confident about me being able to carry it on and asked what if I opened the door at altitude(whuffos you gotta love em). I replied that I'd most likely die just like someone with no parachute. She then suggested UPS. I really don't care for that option either. Can anyone offer some better suggestions
Blue Ones
JG
PS I don't have a gearbag for my rig yet and would be nervous checking that in too. I really don't trust those baggage handelers too much
JG

[ERICCONNELLY 0]

I would recommend you get a good hard sided case and pack your baby carefully. Buy the extra baggage insurance when you check the bag. It's not too much $$ and I think the handlers are more careful of the bags that are tagged as insured.
BTW I don't think the airlines will insure anything packed in a cardboard box. The last time I flew with something in a box they made me sign a waiver that allowed them to destroy the contents with impunity.

[dkearns 0]

Get some kind of bag and stick your rig in it and carry it on. Don't offer to show or explain anything to them until they ask and give them the minimum amount of info you can. I brought my rig as carry on from Kuwait to Australia and back and most recently (Oct 4) from Kuwait to the States and nobody said a word.

[Snowflake 0]

That sounds good the only thing that worries me is the cypress. Some over zealous person might mistake it for a bomb and then the fun will begin
JG

[Brokeneagle 0]

Carry your Cypres card with you just in case- don't volunteer information unless you have to. Galyans, Target, Walmart or Sports Authority all should have backpacks or carry-ons to fit yer rig.
Brokeneagle.
I'm really very gentle, no matter what my kung-fu teacher says...

[Kelly 0]

snowflake,
check the archives here. there is an article regarding the FAA's ruling that a Cypres is not a dangerous iteam. Its a good article to print out, and take with you.
kel
"i can not attest to what i did, just what i remember...."
~me, after one too many

[apoil 0]

Best bet is probably to wrap your rig up in some tight packing material with lots of duct tape and maybe some wires hanging out of it.
Get to the airport several hours early and see if you can't find someone to carry it for you.

[RemiAndKaren 0]

I though it was on this forum, but it might be on wreck... There have been several people flying in the US lately with no problem whatsoever with their rig as carry ons.
Remi
Muff 914

[dkearns 0]

I've looked at my rig on airport xrays and could not pick out any part of the cypress.

[riggerrob 643]

As for that arguement about "What if you open a door in flight?"
The person asking that question knows nothing about cabin pressurization. Airliner doors and windows basically plug into their frames and are held there by cabin pressure. As soon as the pilots turn on the cabin pressurizsation system, it requires super-human strength to open an airliner window. Many pilots start pressurizing the cabin before they push back from the gate.
This eliminates the whole hassle of little Johnny opening a window to wave good bye to grandma, the window falling on the taxiway, calling a technician to pick up the window, inspect the window, re-install the window and fill out a ton of paperwork. Busy airlines just don't have time for that sort of foolishness!
Most of the latches and hinges are formalities.
So the next time someone asks you about getting sucked out of the open door of an airliner, just tell them that if they have enough muscle to open that door, then they deserve to get sucked out!

[Aviatrr 0]

Quote

Airliner doors and windows basically plug into their frames and are held there by cabin pressure.

First of all, the ONLY windows that open in any airliner are in the cockpit - and yes, there are protections to keep them from being opened while the cabin is pressurized..

Quote

Many pilots start pressurizing the cabin before they push back from the gate.

Where does this myth come from? The cabin is NOT pressurized prior to takeoff - much less before pushback or taxi.. The majority of pressurized airplanes(this includes GA and corporate airplanes) are not able to pressurize prior to being airborne - but many airliners begin to pressurize DURING the takeoff so that there is no cabin 'bump' at liftoff..
Doors on pressurized airplanes normally have a seal that fills with air as the cabin is pressurized(which makes it much harder to open the door), and also have a pressure switch that will not allow the door to be opened while the cabin is pressurized.. Emergency exits are designed so that they must be opened to the inside of the airplane rather than the outside.. There is a lip around the door, on the outside, that does not allow it to go out - but ONLY in....which is pretty damn hard to do when the cabin is pressurized.. The force required can easily be upwards of several hundred pounds while the cabin is only pressurized a slight amount..
Mike

[SkymonkeyONE 4]

I just flew cross country to Perris and back for the PPPB world games. I checked my rig and all my other junk in my big rolling bag. Carry-on would not have been a problem either; I asked. They didn't even ask about it when they searched my bags at check-in.
Chuck
My webpage HERE