Ever had a problem with your rig at the airport?

[Hazarrd 1]

I'm curious to see how many of you have had problems at the airport since 9/11. I would also like to see what airports are more/less friendly than others. If you could post the airports that you have used to travel with your rig and what the outcome was that would be cool. Thanks.

Friendly: Denver International, Baltimore Washington International,

Unfriendly: ?

.-.

[beowulf 1]

I have flown out of Dallas Fort Worth Airport, Chicago Midway and Atlanta International. I have had no problem carrying my rig on the plane with me. But I don't have an AAD installed.

[DBCOOPER 5]

Leaving out of Philly to Lost Prairie.Checked luggage. The TSA people went thru stuff. Didn't dick with anything just sent it thru Atlanta,I guess cause they took so long the luggage missed the flight.Did get it 5 hours later. What a lousy feeling when I got there and it didn't.

Replying to: Re: Stall On Jump Run Emergency Procedure? by billvon

If the plane is unrecoverable then exiting is a very very good idea.

[LouDiamond 1]

Do a search on this topic as there is a laundry list of peoples experiences with pretty much all the major and minor airports listed.

"It's just skydiving..additional drama is not required"
Some people dream about flying, I live my dream
SKYMONKEY PUBLISHING

[dzjmg 0]

I've carried-on my rig at least 5 times in the last couple of months. No problems at all. I had one TSA official tell me about his time in the 82nd. and I had another ask me very intelligently if I had a AAD.

Jay

[StevePhelps 0]

Been to Cancun (from Dallas) and back with no problems. Although in MExico, they would NOT let me carry on my helmet (I was carrying it in a backpack because my other luggage was stuffed)

Weird, huh?

[WFFC 1]

Latest venture flying home on 10-19 from MEM (Memphis). TSA held me long enough so they could grab an image of my rig to refer to in the future. TSA guy said they had been briefed, but had not seen a rig yet. Didn't even need my TSA letter.
Riddler on the other hand got gang raped by a rather large woman many times his size. He didn't even have a rig. Guess she thought he was cute.

[ryoder 1,590]

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Riddler on the other hand got gang raped by a rather large woman many times his size. He didn't even have a rig. Guess she thought he was cute.

Oh, we need LOT more details on this!

"There are only three things of value: younger women, faster airplanes, and bigger crocodiles" - Arthur Jones.

[brothermuff65 0]

i have only had a problem 1 time and that was years ago way before 9-11-01 but not a problem since than although i have had a few friends that have had problems 1 just recently in kansas city but after they contacted uspa and tsa they have fixed the problem and tsa said the people there at the airport did not follow theyre procedures and have been TOLD the proper way . so there should be no more problems there again till later

till later have fun & love each other seeya mb65johnny gates

[D22369 0]

I havent had any problems "YET"......... I have flown out of seattle, Portland, Los Angeles, Sacramento, Yakima, Las Vegas. Only once have they (baggage screeners) ever looked more than once was in Vegas when they backed the x-ray belt up twice and asked what was in the bag, when I told them they let me go after swabbing the zipper and doing their chemical screening........ They were Much more interested in my digital camcorder had to prove it really was what it looked like.

Roy

They say I suffer from insanity.... But I actually enjoy it.

[JohnMitchell 16]

I've never had a problem getting on the plane with my rig, although I sometimes check it instead. I've had my wife had to pull out her lead shot weight vest to explain that (big dark spot on the x-ray) but they couldn't have cared less about the rig. Also had to talk to a ticket counter agent for half an hour on my friends' behalfs because they were making a big deal about their rigs on the way to a boogie. She finally let them carry them on, but it took a lot of sweet talking. Get a gear bag, and be discrete, and you should get on the plane.

[riddler 0]

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Oh, we need LOT more details on this! Wink

SHhh!! I felt so violated, but strangely satisfied at the same time

Trapped on the surface of a sphere. XKCD

[CanuckInUSA 0]

I did not experience any out of the ordinary issues while travelling with my rig last weekend between Denver and Orlando.

Try not to worry about the things you have no control over

[flyangel2 2]

Quote

Quote

Oh, we need LOT more details on this! Wink

SHhh!! I felt so violated, but strangely satisfied at the same time

Okay, spill it. Let's hear all about it.

I've never had a problem traveling with my rig. But, a close friend whom I was traveling with out to Perris Valley the first weekend of October had a problem.
He and I both decided to check our rigs, we were both also flying on stand by. He is a pilot for the company that we were flying with. We checked the bags without a problem. Take the tram to out gate, arrive and then were told that there is a problem with his rig. He has to run all the way back to baggage check in, and once he arrives there, they tell him that they had already cleared the rig and it was on the plane. My friend then runs all the way back to the gate and we just make the flight. Notice, I didn't say anything about my rig being called to their attention. We were both told that all our bags made it on the same flight we were on. We arrive to Ontario airport and to our surprise, the bags aren't there. Learned a couple of lessons. First, never fly on a buddy pass with an airline captain. Second, don't check my rig. My friend and I both think that the TSA was on some kind of power trip, since his bag had a "CREW" baggage label on it. I guess they just wanted to let him know that they really have more power then he does.

May your trails be crooked, winding, lonesome, dangerous, leading to the most amazing view. May your mountains rise into and above the clouds. - Edward Abbey

[masher 1]

I flew to Perth to Brisbane via Sydney (with an interational flt from SYD-> BNE) that other week.

Carried my rig on with me. I rocked up a couple of hours early just in case, and had my cypres card and some letters from CASA, but it just went straight through security. No-one even blinked.

--
Arching is overrated - Marlies

[DiverDanH2O 0]

Personally, I've never had any issues other than the TSA at PHX and FPT asking what it was and then being cleared. However I do have a friend who flies on my buddy passes fairly often out of Newark (EWR) and without fail every time he does so with his rig, they stop his silly ass. Apparently, the Newark TSA is OK with something they can't ID going in cargo, but not up top.

Most airlines Security and Compliance departments (I work for one of them) have approved AAD's to fly on their aircraft, as has the FAA. USPA.org has some really good strategies for dealing with any TSA's (like Newark) that have no idea what they are looking at, including the approval letter from the FAA.

It's easier to ask forgiveness than permission.

[dropoutdave 0]

On Airline on tv last night there was a couple having trouble checking their rigs in with Ryan Air. Weird thing was that about 20 people had flown with the same airline a few days before and got through ok. They eventually got let on after a few phone calls.

The woman at the checkin desk said something like "We just had to make a few enquiries because people don't normally bring parachutes on planes."

Hmmm gotta love em eh.

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May Contain Nut traces......

[Hazarrd 1]

gracias for the feedback so far

.-.

[aneblett 0]

If you are travelling in Canada with your rig don't count on getting it on the plane with you.

I have walked onto planes with my rig on my back in the pre 9/11 world but since then I have had to check it.

And the reasons they give are absolutely hillarious.

Ignorance... ain't it grand?

S.E.X. party #2

..It is far worse to live with fear, than to die confronting it.