phillipabell 0 #1 August 17, 2002 Not to rehash this, but the last post I saw about this was more than a year ago, so ... I would like anyone's advice that has flown recently about taking one's rig on a commercial airline. I've never flown with a rig before. I'm flying United from Denver to Memphis. I do have a cypress, so I don't know if that's still an issue. As far as I know, my options are: 1. Take it as a carry-on. Better for me, since luggage is only insured to $500 or something like that - not enough to cover my rig. And it would be nice to know my precious is right there with me. 2. Pack it in luggage. Easier to get through security, but more of a risk if it gets lost. 3. Ship it to myself, insured. I think I can FedEx it to myself for about $30, but what a pain in the ass! I have no idea what hotel room I'll be staying in, so it'll be hard for me to address it. If anyone has taken gear on an airline recently and has some experince with this, please let me know and thanks in advance! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jessica 0 #2 August 17, 2002 We've discussed this at length in the past; run a search. There's some really good advice archived. Quote1. Take it as a carry-on. Better for me, since luggage is only insured to $500 or something like that - not enough to cover my rig. And it would be nice to know my precious is right there with me. I've carried on my rig on 6 or 8 separate flights in the last year or so, and security has completely ignored it, cypres or no. I've had them rummage through my backpack, do a complete pat-down on me, and show no interest in the gear bag. Tips: pack it in a gear bag; don't wear skydiving clothes; if asked, tell them the cypres "opens the reserve parachute." Don't tell them how.Skydiving is for cool people only Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Stacy 0 #3 August 17, 2002 I've flown several airlines in the last year (American, USAir, AirTran, SouthWest, Delta...) and carried on gear each time. Never a problem. I got stopped on my flight from St Louis to Champaign last week (American connection) not for gear, but for pliers in the gear bag. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AndyMan 7 #4 August 17, 2002 I've taken my rig carry-on about 6 times this year so far. In the last two years, mayeb 15 times? The only time I ever had trouble at security was the day that I drove to Chicago O'Hare when I was suposed to drive to Chicago Midway, and by the time I got to the right airport I had 15 minutes to make my flight. I always wear my rig on my back, cause I put my clothes in my gear bag. That one time I got hassled, I just pulled out my cypres card and all was fine. I then was sprinting to gate C15, and just made it in time. Fed-ex'ing it would be the easiest in terms of airport stuff, but you'd need to have someone to fed-ex it to, you'd need to ship it ahead of time, too. And while fed-ex rarely looses stuff, stuff does frequently get delayed. You risk your rig showing up when you're on your way home... I would never check my rig. _Am__ You put the fun in "funnel" - craichead. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ltdiver 3 #5 August 17, 2002 Never had a problem with carrying my rig on with me except the time I got asked to open my gear bag because there was something they couldn't see through! That something was my weight vest! They looked at it, understood (I'm 5'10" and only 135#), and waved me through. ltdiver Don't tell me the sky's the limit when there are footprints on the moon Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
NtheSeaOrSky 0 #6 August 17, 2002 If this helps any, this week 3 skydivers fly United Airlines. The 2 with rigs in their gear bags as carry ons, no problemo at all. The one who walked around with it on his back got the hassle. As an aside, through all the hassle with the rig as a carry on, no one ever noticed the bright orange hook knife attached to the leg strap Life is not fair and there are no guarantees... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lummy 4 #7 August 17, 2002 I've flown a few times on United over the last few months. I put mine in a gear bag and carried on too. Only thing that ever happened to me was having to send the gear bag thru a second time... Weight vests on the other hand... A useful piece of advice if you do check it in is to take a pull up cord and secure the reserve handle. rumor has it that the reserve handle looks like a really good way to pick up a rig to a whuffo... silly whuffo's....I promise not to TP Davis under canopy.. I promise not to TP Davis under canopy.. eat sushi, get smoochieTTK#1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jessica 0 #8 August 17, 2002 QuoteWeight vests on the other hand... Yeah, I've been hassled for the weight vest, too. They assumed it was exercise equipment though. Har! Check the weight vest. It looks BAD in an x-ray machine.Skydiving is for cool people only Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
phillipabell 0 #9 August 17, 2002 Thanks all for the replies - this makes me feel more comfortable with taking my rig as a carry-on. I don't have a weight vest, but I probably SHOULD have one, being 6'0" and 155 lbs - when I'm on belly in my free-fly suit even ghosts sink on me Don't have a rig bag yet either. Hope the thing meets the size restricions for carry-ons - it's pretty bulky. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
PhreeZone 20 #10 August 17, 2002 Get a rig bag... Go low key in the airports and its not an issue.. Walk up with a sport death Tshirt, rig on sholder, pull up cords hanging everywhere, cocky attitude and its going to cause issues. Square1, Aerostore and EG Sky can get a rig bag to you in a day or two. Yesterday is history And tomorrow is a mystery Parachutemanuals.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dbattman 0 #11 August 17, 2002 Depending on how much gear you have and how much traveling you think you will do, consider a rolling pilot-case or similar size suitcase. I have a Talon rig w/ a Falcon 195 and my rig fits right into a 25" roll-on. I can even get a few jumpsuits or a coat in there. The outside pockets hold my logbook, altimieter, brush, bands, etc and it still fits right into the overhead bin. No one gives me a second look because it looks like every other small suitcase out there. Of course, you might have to wear your helmet to avoid checking it. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skybytch 273 #12 August 17, 2002 I just flew from Ontario, Calif. to Chicago and back on Delta. Checked my rig in it's gear bag both ways. No problemo. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
KATO33 0 #13 August 18, 2002 QuoteI would like anyone's advice that has flown recently about taking one's rig on a commercial airline. I've never flown with a rig before. I'm flying United from Denver to Memphis. I do have a cypress, so I don't know if that's still an issue. I flew on southwest in Feb of this year. You can purchase additional insurance for your gear it cost me $13.00 US Covered up to $4000. Since I'm a newbie and I don't fly a VX94 IMHO my rig would have been to bulky as a carry on. Blue Skies Black Death Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
freakyrat 1 #14 August 24, 2002 I recently flew from Houston George Bush Intercontinental to Chicago Midway and back (WFFC) with absolutely no problems carrying my rig on board in a kit bag. I flew on Delta Connection carrier Comair and returned on Delta. Delta just wanted to know at Houston if I packed my hooknife in my checked bag Last weekend I flew to O'Hare from Houston on Northwest, again with no hassles. The guard at Houston just wanted to make sure that he was actually seeing a rig on the x-ray machine and was satisfied when I told him. TSA has taken over security at O'Hare and again the man running the X-ray machine knew exactly what was in my kitbag and was satisfied with what he saw. I have a MT size Mirage G3 packed in a Aero Tech Products of Deland, Florida kitbag. THis kitbag is really cool cause it is totally plain colored, is extremely well built, and has a backpack bag that unzips off the front that you can store your jumpsuits, logbooks and other items in. This makes it easy to get your bag in the overhead bin or under your seat and allows the bag to meet all the airlines carry-on size requiremwents. The airlines I've flow with my rig scince last September 11th have been Airtran, Delta and Delta Connection Comair, Continental, Southwest and Northwest with no hassles at all. Airports: Chicago O"Hare and Midway, Houston Hobby and Bush, Atlanta, Ontario, Ca , Minneapolis, and Cincinatti all hassle free. One word of advice though, If you get selected for random screening at the gate, of which I have not yet, just be polite and make sure they go through your things slowly and don't pull on reserve or cutaway handles. Chris Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
phillipabell 0 #15 August 24, 2002 Where, oh where did you get that kind of luggage insurance? I've been looking around on the web and calling people who say they only insure between $500-$1000 for luggage. American Express goes as high as $2000 if you're in their program, but it takes weeks to enroll. I think I would probably need $3500 or so. If you have a phone or website, that would work. Or can you just get this at the airport? - thanks! p Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
PhreeZone 20 #16 August 24, 2002 You can get the insurance right at the ticket counter.Yesterday is history And tomorrow is a mystery Parachutemanuals.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jose 0 #17 August 24, 2002 Why do the airlines care about a Cypress? Is it that it is an electronic device, pyrotechnic device, or somehow more devious than a rig without one? Why shouldnt we tell them how it works if they ask?Please slpain this to me, cause I am we Todd did. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Cornholio 0 #18 August 24, 2002 QuoteWhy do the airlines care about a Cypress? ... Why shouldnt we tell them how it works if they ask? Simply put, the Cypres has an explosive charge that fires the cutter. It is very unwise to say the word "explosive" in an airport. Just say that it cuts the reserve (period) If they ask how, I was told to show them the card, but never say that E word out loud. Butthead: Whoa! Burritos for breakfast! Beavis: Yeah! Yeah! Cool! bellyflier on the dz.com hybrid record jump Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jessica 0 #19 August 24, 2002 QuoteJust say that it cuts the reserve (period) Even the word "cuts" is not good in an airport. I'd only explain that far if pressed. It "opens" the reserve.Skydiving is for cool people only Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Cornholio 0 #20 August 24, 2002 true true... Thx Jessica! Butthead: Whoa! Burritos for breakfast! Beavis: Yeah! Yeah! Cool! bellyflier on the dz.com hybrid record jump Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
KATO33 0 #21 August 25, 2002 QuoteWhere, oh where did you get that kind of luggage insurance? I've been looking around on the web and calling people who say they only insure between $500-$1000 for luggage. American Express goes as high as $2000 if you're in their program, but it takes weeks to enroll. I think I would probably need $3500 or so. If you have a phone or website, that would work. Or can you just get this at the airport? - thanks! p Yeah Like Phree said right at the baggage check in counter Blue Skies Black Death Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
phillipabell 0 #22 August 29, 2002 Just thought I would let you guys know what happened, since you've been a great source of information on this. I packed my rig into a hard-side Sampsonite suitcase and marched right up to the United ticket counter and asked for extra luggage insurance. After giving me a look that suggested she was a ticket agent because she could not handle the intellectual challenge of her former job as a newspaper carrier, she said "I've never sold any - I don't think we offer that." Of course, being the meek and cowardly skydiver that I am, and not wanting to draw a lot of unwarrented attention to the fact that I was checking what seems to be a questionable item - a situation that would probably delay my getting on the airplane - I just checked the suitcase and walked away, while simultaneously reading the fine print of the ticket sleeve that clearly states extra insurance is available, and to just ask the ticket agent for it! I'm glad I'm not the only one working for companies that place the most incompetant people in the positions of most authority. Anyway, my (one) suitcase got a sticker that said it was extra-heavy, but they checked it and made it safely both ways, although I got some dirty looks from skycaps that tried to lift it. Interesting story when I was in Memphis. I went to Mike Mullins' place to jump the super King Air. It was out for 500,000 mile service and his Cessna was also in ill-repair, so he had another Cessna, complete with relatively new pilot flown up from Atlanta to keep the skydiving going. The pilot just dropped off the first load and came back down to land, and crashed the plane. Ouch! I was suited up and had all my gear walking to the hanger when I saw the plane come down and heard it skid off the end of the runway. No one hurt. I got picture of it in the ditch and got some video of everyone pushing it back up with the help of a tractor. Needless to say, the skydiving was done for the day, and this was the only day I had off of work. So I hauled my rig out there for nothing - didn't get to jump. That's what I get for missing first load! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
christoofar 0 #23 August 29, 2002 For me, it always seems to be the return flight where I encounter the questions. Most security @ San Antonio Int'l Airport know what skydiving gear is and that it's approved carry-on, but it seems that when I'm not flying American or Southwest I am most likely to run into probs. Anyone have any fun when getting screened again at the gate and explaining the rig? -C ____________________________________________________________ I'm RICK JAMES! Fo shizzle. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jlmiracle 7 #24 August 29, 2002 Sorry you didn't get to jump at WTS. We were glad to have you there though. Hope you can make it back sometime and actually get to jump. JudyBe kinder than necessary because everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
phillipabell 0 #25 August 29, 2002 I will definatley look forward to coming back - you guys were great to me for the ten minutes I was there ;-) Nice DZ too. Just bad luck with the timing. I was going to suggest we start drinking at that point, but I didn't want to sound like the brash yank - yet. Next time. Tell Nadine everyone from Colorado says hi and nice seeing her at the WFFC. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
