Airport security and carryon parachutes....ugh....

[DSE 5]

http://www.cypres.cc/Downloads/6_7_1_information_material/CYPRES_2_Sicherheitskarte.pdf

Here ya go, Brook

[Marios 0]

I never had a problem when travelling in the States, even though one time they asked to scan my helmet once more and then they asked to see it which seemed a bit weird to me.

In Spain once I was asked to check it as luggage when passing from security. I asked for the manager and after showing the cypres card everything was fine.

In Cyprus they asked to scan it again and asked what it was.

In Greece and Australia I was told that I was not allowed to bring a parachute on a plane. Being kind I replied that I was allowed and asked for the manager. Both times they made sure the airline was informed that I was carrying a parachute on board and then let me pass.

Usually I do not say anything and place the gear bag on the machine. If they ask to see it, in a very kind way I let them know that it is a parachute and tell them that I will open the bag and answer any questions they have. Also I tell them not to pull on anything. The cypres card is always helpful because they sometimes ask about the wires they see on the machine screen.

Safe travels and safe landings to everyone

[iluvtofly 0]

Another question about traveling with gear...what's the best way to pack your helmet. I have a Z1. I'm already gonna have my rig as a carry on and was going to pack my helmet in my suitcase. My concern is that if they drop another heavy suitcase onto mine that it'll crack my helmet. I was going to try to pad it with clothing as best I could and even put clothing inside it for some support.

Any other suggestions or is this my best bet?

[billvon 3,070]

If a heavy suitcase can crack your helmet while packed in _your_ suitcase, you might be better off without it. I've never seen that problem.

[iluvtofly 0]

OK thanks...it may just be paranoia

[Springbock 0]

The funniest thing travelling with my gear was when they screened it and had a guessing contest between the security personell about what this thing might be. The winner was quiet happy to be cool around his colleagues and I went through only with a slight delay.
It always depends on the Person you are checked by and sometimes even how they are doing on that paticular Day.

Take care up there!

[drudchen 0]

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The funniest thing travelling with my gear was when they screened it and had a guessing contest between the security personell about what this thing might be. The winner was quiet happy to be cool around his colleagues and I went through only with a slight delay.

During this guessing contest, how many times did a 'bomb/explosive device' come up?

[happythoughts 0]

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Another question about traveling with gear...what's the best way to pack your helmet.

I have a full face and put fragile stuff inside.
I wrap my camera in some t-shirts and put it inside.
It protects it from breakage and makes it harder for
the baggage handlers to find and steal.
(Any airport in Florida requires a little thought about valuables)

[pilotdave 0]

I once got to a boogie only to find my Z1 visor was cracked. Luckily they had a gear store and I replaced it while I was there. It was packed in a helmet bag inside a duffel bag and was filled with soft stuff.

Dave

[FB1609 0]

It does feel good to have your rig with you on the plane, I always try to get the emergency exit seat for legroom anyways but I don't think they will open in flight.

[kmills0705 0]

I pretty much don't speak unless spoken to in terms of airport security folks.

I can fondly remember back to pre-9/11 days where I went through security with my rig, a laptop (which I kept in the bag) and a live kitten in a soft-sided pet carrier that looked like a duffle bag and didn't have a single question asked when I slid it on though the x-ray belt.

I am not sure putting the cat through was a good idea, but he survived it!

Kim Mills
USPA D21696
Tandem I, AFF I and Static Line I

[hackish 8]

I travelled from YOW to MCO and back. Every time I carry about 1/2" of documentation from the FAA letters to one I found online from westjet saying that you can carry on a parachute and one from the CATSA website that lists it as being allowed. I arrive an hour earlier than they ask and tell the screener up front it's a skydiving parachute.

There are also some reasons... A former employee now works for immigration and has access to all the CATSA stuff so I asked him and he polled some of his CATSA friends. He said you absolutely need to inform them up-front that it's a parachute because you're more likely to be escorted away if they hit the panic button. It also prepares them for the fact they're going to see something scary looking.

-Michael

[tetra316 0]

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There are also some reasons... A former employee now works for immigration and has access to all the CATSA stuff so I asked him and he polled some of his CATSA friends. He said you absolutely need to inform them up-front that it's a parachute because you're more likely to be escorted away if they hit the panic button. It also prepares them for the fact they're going to see something scary looking.

-Michael

Sounds like this works in Canada. But I would never do this in the US. From my experience (which includes a year of traveling weekly for work) it's much better to stay quiet and answer questions nicely, if asked. 1/3 of the time never they ask.

[ntrprnr 0]

Absolutely no offense intended, but you brought that upon yourself by not throwing the whole thing in a gear bag, and throwing the gear bag through x-ray.

_______________
"Why'd you track away at 7,000 feet?"
"Even in freefall, I have commitment issues."

[halorob 0]

Wish me luck because I am flying tomorrow with my rig as carry-on. I printed the paperwork but am still worried they will freak out. Maybe the fact that I am an explosive ordnance disposal technician will help. Or it could do the complete opposite and make them crap their pants. Yeah I think the quiet approach will be best.

[I3uller 0]

Just went through Raleigh Durham Airport the other day through O'Hare continuing to a final dest of John Wayne/Orange County. Carried the rig on without any covering. I zip tied the leg straps onto the shoulder straps, ran the chest strap through the center of the reserve handle and tucked my monkey fist into the spandex. Sent it through the X-Ray machine without a single word. I got yelled at for putting my laptop bag in the same bin as my laptop but thats the only thing they said to me. Throughout the 11 hour total trip only one perosn said anything to me and it was some huge guy behind me asking me why I have a wire coming out of my backpack. I explained it was the cutaway cable and its a parachute and got the standard whuffo: You can carry those on? I replied " yea sure man." To which I got "What are you scared of the plane that much?" hahahahha priceless. Soon after he said "Dang I wish I had one of those too...I'd feel way better getting on this thing."

Cliffs: Carried it on my back no cover and had zero problems at all. Didn't have to show any cards or anything. Made out to be way more of a big deal than it is.

[freakyrat 1]

" I never announce that I have a parachute with me. Half the time it goes through the xray machine without a second glance so why invite extra screening when you might not even get it if you had kept quite. Second I always take it out of the bag so it is scanned by itself. Saves time and no risk of them swabbing the bag and picking up some trace of explosives from something else. "

This is good advice as the trace EDT machine picked up a false positive on my gear bag at Houston Hobby recently and it ended up costing me a reserve repack. Mind you the rig itself was never swabbed.

Chris

[freakyrat 1]

If you are an EOD guy make sure you wash your hands frequently and wash your jumpsuits and possibly your gearbag with unscented TIDE before you travel in order to eliminate the possibility of a false positive from the EDT machines.

Chris

[repcool 2]

Quote

Just went through Raleigh Durham Airport the other day through O'Hare continuing to a final dest of John Wayne/Orange County. Carried the rig on without any covering. I zip tied the leg straps onto the shoulder straps, ran the chest strap through the center of the reserve handle and tucked my monkey fist into the spandex. Sent it through the X-Ray machine without a single word. I got yelled at for putting my laptop bag in the same bin as my laptop but thats the only thing they said to me. Throughout the 11 hour total trip only one perosn said anything to me and it was some huge guy behind me asking me why I have a wire coming out of my backpack. I explained it was the cutaway cable and its a parachute and got the standard whuffo: You can carry those on? I replied " yea sure man." To which I got "What are you scared of the plane that much?" hahahahha priceless. Soon after he said "Dang I wish I had one of those too...I'd feel way better getting on this thing."

Cliffs: Carried it on my back no cover and had zero problems at all. Didn't have to show any cards or anything. Made out to be way more of a big deal than it is.

Be carfeful with things such as zip ties and wraps. A buddy of mine used to put a little lock on the reserve so that it didn't get pulled by security. Wouldn't you know he realized on the way to altitude that he had forgoten to take it off!

[tinkievinkie 0]

hi ill be travaling to the states next year...
and can anyone help me with the links to the tsa and uspa guidelines for traveling???? (yes with a rig as carry-on in a trolly)

yes i am a lazy dutch a....hole
but thanks anyway

toet toet food driver

[I3uller 0]

Quote

Quote

Just went through Raleigh Durham Airport the other day through O'Hare continuing to a final dest of John Wayne/Orange County. Carried the rig on without any covering. I zip tied the leg straps onto the shoulder straps, ran the chest strap through the center of the reserve handle and tucked my monkey fist into the spandex. Sent it through the X-Ray machine without a single word. I got yelled at for putting my laptop bag in the same bin as my laptop but thats the only thing they said to me. Throughout the 11 hour total trip only one perosn said anything to me and it was some huge guy behind me asking me why I have a wire coming out of my backpack. I explained it was the cutaway cable and its a parachute and got the standard whuffo: You can carry those on? I replied " yea sure man." To which I got "What are you scared of the plane that much?" hahahahha priceless. Soon after he said "Dang I wish I had one of those too...I'd feel way better getting on this thing."

Cliffs: Carried it on my back no cover and had zero problems at all. Didn't have to show any cards or anything. Made out to be way more of a big deal than it is.

Be carfeful with things such as zip ties and wraps. A buddy of mine used to put a little lock on the reserve so that it didn't get pulled by security. Wouldn't you know he realized on the way to altitude that he had forgoten to take it off!

Lol I did the same thing on the reserve handle but as soon as I got home I triple checked everything to make sure its good to go. I ran that very scenario through my head a couple times haha.

[sagan 0]

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So, throw everything on the belt while getting some funny looks by the other passengers and mostly the security personnel.

Put it in a gear bag.

My exact same thought. I have the paperwork on the outside pocket. A copy of the paperwork I use is attached. I also have the xray card and copies of the xray card (as you stated, the TSA people are interested in knowing more too, so I give them a copy to keep so they can read up for themselves.)

Beyond having them swab it I've never had anyone give me anymore grief than that.

-Patrick

[sagan 0]

Be carfeful with things such as zip ties and wraps. A buddy of mine used to put a little lock on the reserve so that it didn't get pulled by security. Wouldn't you know he realized on the way to altitude that he had forgoten to take it off!***


RUMOR has a VERY prominent skydiving team had something like this happen...except they didn't realize until AFTER the jump. ... but again that's just RUMOR.

If your paranoid about your handles you could 1) Use a BRIGHT NEON colored pull up cord. or 2) Just use your chest strap... hard to put on a rig when the chest strap is tied on to the handle. Bonus this also keeps the MLW together nicely. I'll usually bundle mine with my leg straps and reserve handle and it keeps it in a nice rectangle.

-Patrick

[scytale 3]

When I feel the need to zip tie my reserve handle, I use a 14 inch long, hot pink, zip tie. I don't cut the tail off on purpose. It is very difficulult to miss once you get to your destination DZ.

[mnskydiver688 0]

I'm driving...

Sky Canyon Wingsuiters