flyboy68 0 #1 August 29, 2012 Hello, I am new to this sport and have a question for you guys and gals out there. When you are going to different DZ's throught the world, how do you pack your parachute?..carry on? check it in?..fears that security will open it and "oops" put it back together again without telling...potential safety issue to say the least. Will security demand for you to open the parachute?...reserve? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
richardw38 0 #2 August 29, 2012 do a search, there are loads of threads on it. Some say carry it on, some say pack it in a secure bag. make sure to take the TSO letter http://www.uspa.org/USPAMembers/Membership/Travel/tabid/126/Default.aspx and the cypres letter http://www.cypres.cc/index.php?option=com_remository&Itemid=89&func=fileinfo&id=28&lang=en arrive early to check in as you may get called by security when the rig goes through x-ray. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bluhdow 31 #3 August 29, 2012 The TSA letter says to pack the container in s seperate gearbag by itself...but has anyone just worn it like a backpack and sent it through the scanner that way? It's a lot easier to carry on my back vs. in a gearbag in my arms... I'd never check it. They've lost enough worthless luggage of mine to prevent me from ever giving them something of value.Apex BASE #1816 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
billvon 3,006 #4 August 29, 2012 >Hello, I am new to this sport and have a question for you guys and gals out there. >When you are going to different DZ's throught the world, how do you pack your >parachute?..carry on? check it in? Generally I check it in a hard-sided case. Put nothing else in the case, just the rig and the TSA letter. If you want to hand carry it I suggest a backpack that fits it. Nothing says "ISSUE HERE! CHECK THIS CAREFULLY!" to security people like a parachute being carried over your shoulder. >Will security demand for you to open the parachute?...reserve? They might ask to open both. Bring a pullup cord just in case. (And know how to at least temporarily reclose or rebag your reserve if they have to open that; that will protect the gear until you can repack it or get it to a rigger.) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
missbrz 0 #5 August 29, 2012 Yes I have. As have plenty of others. but I don't like to. Mine has to go in the overhead and I was a nervous wreck worrying some enterprising soul would "helpfully" rearrange the over head to make room for their fat luggage by using those oh so convenient handles. So I prefer putting it in a rolling bag. Then joe schmoe can grab THOSE handles and not my precious rig. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
sundevil777 102 #6 August 29, 2012 QuoteThe TSA letter says to pack the container in s seperate gearbag by itself...but has anyone just worn it like a backpack and sent it through the scanner that way? It's a lot easier to carry on my back vs. in a gearbag in my arms... I'd never check it. They've lost enough worthless luggage of mine to prevent me from ever giving them something of value. I once had a TSA guy tell me that new guidelines required that they open the main and reserve. I asked him to show me the paper, since I knew that was not the case, he refused. He would not get a supervisor. My only choice was to open up both canopies or go back to the ticket counter and check it in, or keep arguing and probably get detained for causing trouble. To those that want to carry it on - not in a bag...this is not a good idea. Please suppress your desire to be cool with your rig on your back. There are plenty of nervous people out there that might get security people involved as you wait for your flight. We do not need or want that kind of attention, as the hassle resulting from such incidents will encourage individual airlines, airports, and even the whole TSA to revisit their policy that allows us to carry on our rigs. Having it visible will cause problems and hurt us all, so please just don't do it. You might have to check it in as I did anyway (unless you're willing to open both canopies), so you'd want to have in a bag for that possibility.People are sick and tired of being told that ordinary and decent people are fed up in this country with being sick and tired. I’m certainly not, and I’m sick and tired of being told that I am Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JohnMitchell 16 #7 August 29, 2012 Quote I once had a TSA guy tell me that new guidelines required that they open the main and reserve. I asked him to show me the paper, since I knew that was not the case, he refused. He would not get a supervisor. He refused? Man, what a needle-dick, powertrip prick! I point out the seal and say that it's been inspected and sealed by an FAA certified inspector and that they'll need a person like that to reseal it. It's worked so far. Nothing worse than a TSA person who thinks they're an expert on parachutes because they saw one in the army or some crap like that. I had one TSA genius point to the AAD on the xray and say "that's where they store the chute knife, just like in the Army!" Jeez, I was so glad when a supervisor showed up. Quote To those that want to carry it on - not in a bag...this is not a good idea. Please suppress your desire to be cool with your rig on your back. Too true. At least try to be low key. I showed up at Seatac one time with a boogie group freaking out because they were going to have to check their gear. I said "You guys have been strutting around with your rigs on your back, haven't you?" Luckily I was in a tie with FAA I.D. (I was flying up front with the pilots that night) and was able to reassure the ticket agents that my friends, while jackasses, were not dangerous or illegal. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
alexafox 0 #8 August 30, 2012 I put zip ties around my handles for both checking in and carry on... I also had a whuffo in LA at my hostel go "Cool a parachute!" and pick it up by the reserve handle! Luckily the zip ties were still on it and it didn't deploy the reserve... That whuffo got a talking to, and I highly doubt he will ever pick a rig up by the silver ever again! HahaI refuse to accept a mediocre life... facebook.com/chutefirst chutefirstapparel.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DocPop 1 #9 August 30, 2012 QuoteI put zip ties around my handles for both checking in and carry on... That's an incredibly bad idea! If you forget to remove them before you jump that could lead to a very bad day. Really you only need to protect your reserve handle (an airport cutaway is not the end of the world) and a better idea is to tie your chest strap around it - that way you will be sure to remove it before you jump."The ground does not care who you are. It will always be tougher than the human behind the controls." ~ CanuckInUSA Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
richardw38 0 #10 August 30, 2012 QuoteQuoteI put zip ties around my handles for both checking in and carry on... That's an incredibly bad idea! If you forget to remove them before you jump that could lead to a very bad day. surely that would suggest you don't do a basic rig inspection before you use your rig for the first time that day? isn't that an even worse idea? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DocPop 1 #11 August 30, 2012 QuoteQuoteQuoteI put zip ties around my handles for both checking in and carry on... That's an incredibly bad idea! If you forget to remove them before you jump that could lead to a very bad day. surely that would suggest you don't do a basic rig inspection before you use your rig for the first time that day? isn't that an even worse idea? And you would never make a mistake would you? It is much easier to miss a zip tie than your chest strap. Take this advice or don't, but people have dies from simpler fuck-ups."The ground does not care who you are. It will always be tougher than the human behind the controls." ~ CanuckInUSA Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
richardw38 0 #12 August 30, 2012 QuoteQuoteQuoteQuoteI put zip ties around my handles for both checking in and carry on... That's an incredibly bad idea! If you forget to remove them before you jump that could lead to a very bad day. surely that would suggest you don't do a basic rig inspection before you use your rig for the first time that day? isn't that an even worse idea? And you would never make a mistake would you? It is much easier to miss a zip tie than your chest strap. Take this advice or don't, but people have dies from simpler fuck-ups. never say never. I always check my rig in the same way, same order, every time. I personally would not miss a large, yellow, uncut, cable-tie on my rig (which is all black), but I get your point. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
browny05 0 #13 August 30, 2012 Richard, you can do as you please, but maybe read both the skydiving and base fatality lists. I bet you none of the people on the list thought they would make a such a silly mistake either....remember to take it easy.....and if its easy take it home.. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
richardw38 0 #14 August 30, 2012 fair enough, ok, I promise never to cable-tie my handles if/when I ever travel with my rig. After all its better to risk that your res gets accidentally deployed on the ground, than to find the res accidentally cable-tied on just after you've cut away! thanks for saving my life Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DocPop 1 #15 August 30, 2012 Quote fair enough, ok, I promise never to cable-tie my handles if/when I ever travel with my rig. After all its better to risk that your res gets accidentally deployed on the ground, than to find the res accidentally cable-tied on just after you've cut away! thanks for saving my life :Thumbs Up:"The ground does not care who you are. It will always be tougher than the human behind the controls." ~ CanuckInUSA Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
obelixtim 150 #16 August 30, 2012 Checking a rig before a boogie, I found a 2 inch nail seated beside the reserve pin. "WTF is this"? to the owner. Same deal, he'd put the nail in beside the pin in case someone accidentally pulled his reserve handle, while travelling. "When did you do that?" "Couple of weeks ago". "Have you done any jumps on the rig since then?" "Yeah, six or seven CRW jumps"...... "What about this nail?" The penny finally drops......... "I forgot"....... He went through two or three colour changes before slinking off with his ears ringing from a few choice words including: Fu§$%&/. Idiot. You. In a different sequence of course. I think he learnt several lessons that day about the dangers of temporary pins and checking your rig properly before you jump. Had he bounced, his rigger prolly would have had the finger pointed at him.....My computer beat me at chess, It was no match for me at kickboxing.... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bluhdow 31 #17 August 31, 2012 QuoteQuoteThe TSA letter says to pack the container in s seperate gearbag by itself...but has anyone just worn it like a backpack and sent it through the scanner that way? It's a lot easier to carry on my back vs. in a gearbag in my arms... I'd never check it. They've lost enough worthless luggage of mine to prevent me from ever giving them something of value. I once had a TSA guy tell me that new guidelines required that they open the main and reserve. I asked him to show me the paper, since I knew that was not the case, he refused. He would not get a supervisor. My only choice was to open up both canopies or go back to the ticket counter and check it in, or keep arguing and probably get detained for causing trouble. To those that want to carry it on - not in a bag...this is not a good idea. Please suppress your desire to be cool with your rig on your back. There are plenty of nervous people out there that might get security people involved as you wait for your flight. We do not need or want that kind of attention, as the hassle resulting from such incidents will encourage individual airlines, airports, and even the whole TSA to revisit their policy that allows us to carry on our rigs. Having it visible will cause problems and hurt us all, so please just don't do it. You might have to check it in as I did anyway (unless you're willing to open both canopies), so you'd want to have in a bag for that possibility. Thank you for your good advice. Much appreciated!Apex BASE #1816 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TriGirl 319 #18 September 4, 2012 So far, so good for me. My "gear bag" is a rolling duffel with a hard bottom and a separate section for the rest of my gear. My rig is protected on the bottom and sides by the construction of the case, and the top is protected by the jumpsuits, helmet and other gear I pack into the other section. I've checked it through to Turkey from the US, and back, a couple of times. I've also traveled around the US like that, checking it through each time. Sometimes I secure the rig compartment with a TSA lock, and put my Cypres card in with the rig, but so far, every time my luggage is randomly searched, it's my suitcase and not my rig. The first thing I do when I get it off of the luggage belt is to check my rig thoroughly (especially the handles and the reserve pin), but so far, I've had no issues. I also do make sure to check in with plenty of time for my gear to make it to the plane, and schedule flights so that any connections are comfortable ones. The one time my gear did not make it to my flight was because I got to the airport with less than 2 hours before my flight, and the line to check in bags was INSANELY long! Everything arrived the following day, in perfect condition. However, I am not willing to let that happen again (being my fault), and especially not internationally. One other recommendation: make sure all of your serial numbers/DOM information is WITH YOU if you choose to check your rig through. This way, if your stuff turns up missing, you'll still have your info with you when you need to file the report.See the upside, and always wear your parachute! -- Christopher Titus Shut Up & Jump! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Airman1270 0 #19 September 4, 2012 QuoteQuoteI put zip ties around my handles for both checking in and carry on... That's an incredibly bad idea! If you forget to remove them before you jump that could lead to a very bad day... _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Unless the rig is in use I always thread the chest strap through the reserve handle, wrap it around the lift web & secure it. Makes it damn near impossible to snag the handle or even pull it on purpose, and there's no way it can be jumped this way. Cheers, Jon S. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Remster 30 #20 September 4, 2012 I pick the most colorful pullups I can find and tie my handles with them.Remster Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Join the conversation You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account. Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible. Reply to this topic... × Pasted as rich text. Paste as plain text instead Only 75 emoji are allowed. × Your link has been automatically embedded. Display as a link instead × Your previous content has been restored. Clear editor × You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL. Insert image from URL × Desktop Tablet Phone Submit Reply 0
Remster 30 #20 September 4, 2012 I pick the most colorful pullups I can find and tie my handles with them.Remster Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
