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How much of an alarm do BASE rigs raise going through security at an airport ?

I've done it twice, never had problems. If anything, it should be easier than a skydiving rig because you don't have the Cypress box (which shows up pure black on xrays iirc).

I suspect experienced jumpers have done it lots more without problems.

Edited to add; and if they ask what it's for, say "parachuting" instead of "base-jumping". That way you're still telling the truth (as opposed to saying "skydiving") but you're not talking about a sport that the majority of the population still perceives as an illegal activity.

My two cents though...

They usually just wipe it with one of those cloths and then run the cloth through that sniffer machine thingy...technical term there.
(Anyone know what they are really called?).

I've even left my hook knife on the chest strap and they didn't notice or didn't care.

edit to add: I was carrying it in a stash bag.

I took my rig to FL from the UK in Dec04 - and carried it as hand luggage - no one battered an eye..........

It can be a problem. Last summer, I was told that procedures were changed so that EVERY parachute rig had to be opened, reserve and all, if the Xray drew a red flag. That means if they'll unfold your parachute and dig through everything.

Personally, I fly 2-3 times per year on BASE trips and have had the following:

1) Inspector at the gate demanded I unpack the chute. I was able to convince him that it was merely the connector links he was after, so he let me undo the S-folds to show him. The problem areas are B-12's, connector links, and chest strap hardware.

2) Another inspector at the gate looked at my rig and then quickly yanked the shrivel flap off. My wife screamed at him, so he stopped. Gotta keep a close eye on your stuff!

3) Other rigs have been torn apart and inspected. Fortunately, I sometimes leave my round water rig unpacked for this very reason.

I won't even mention the two times I've had my luggage lost on overseas trips......I think travelling with large black watertight Pelican cases is also a problem for me. They routinely search my cases and if my 2nd rig is in there, I'm screwed.

Keep your rig in a stash bag and never show anyone. Well, maybe you can show the little old lady sitting next to you after the plane takes off.....ask her "why she didn't get her parachute when she boarded the plane"?.

Good luck.

Over New Years weekend, Kmonster and I flew from Seattle to Sacramento with our rigs on our backs (not in stashbags) and had our helmets in our hands. Not a word was said about it.

Why don't you just check it in?

i have done some trips whith 1 rig as handbag(in stashbag,whith out hookknife) only once i were take to the side and had to walk to a room were i did the strip,however i think it were a new guy that overreacted as the older once came i were told to pack up and an apoligy aswell...

7 day BASE trip to South Africa, 5 days with no checked-in luggage. Fortunately I had my rig as carry-on.

Never had any problems doing this (travelling in Europe, US and SA on US and European carriers) and I now put my skydiving rig in my stash bag as carry-on when I take that abroad.

I have (accidently) taken hook knives, both Jack-the-Ripper and little ones, through security without comment.

Jules

OK I was not thinking about international flights.

I have flown to europe several times and 4 out of 6 times in Paris I got my baggage lost! Never happened anywhere else but CDG!

I carried mine on and had no problems until I went through security in Paris. The security scanner didn't like the slider grommets and connector links and wanted to look at them and when I pulled my rig out of the bag they decided that no matter what it had to be checked.

So my thought is if you're going to carry it on don't have it packed so you can that if they want to inspect anything you can easily show them what the metal pieces are cause thats what they are interested in.

I know this is for skydiving but those guys can't tell the difference anyway.

Print one of those out and keep it with ya when flying: it looks like you are on top of things and done the home work.

Ive traveled with my rigs on 20 or more flights in the US alaska and Hawaii since 911.
Only had a problem once that was with atlanta airport had to open the reserve.

I have checked it, and carried them on.
My favorite is to use two velcro straps and velcro the leg loops up with the arms. then wear it like a backpack. ITs easy and they dont ask questions.

Good Luck

On a trip to Norway last year our luggage was lost in Amsterdam. Only one rig was carried on the other three were checked in. We had to miss our ferry the first day and the second day we decided that one of us would stay behind to collect the gear. The one who carried his rig on the flight jumped the second day. The rest of us didn't jump until the third day. That made me a believer of carry on. P.S. The people in the lost luggage depart. told us that Amsterdam airport had the highest rate of lost luggage anywhere that their carrier flew; My guess, something to do with all the pot they smoke. Ha, Ha,

Hah hah.

Very stereotypical of you, now you're gonna sue them, right ?!

I never had any problems either until the Paris airport where they charge 4 Euros for a can of Coca Cola. I was instructed any sort of parachute cannot be taken as carry on in France and must be checked (even though it was unpacked in the dufflebag).

I asked why. They told me the possibility exists to parachute out of the airplane and detonate a bomb remotely after exit. I explained to the nice lady the probability of surviving jumping an unpacked parachute out of a jet from 30,000' traveling at 500mph. Doesn't this sound silly? She politely agreed and said I still have to check it. Oh, well.

This has been talked about a few times so more answers could be had through a search. On the thread topic, everytime I fly I take all of my gear with me. I usually check it but I did carry my BASE rig once with no problems. Like I said a thousand times, if they want to take anything off of it like a H/K or whatever that you ask to mail it or break it right in front of them. I truly hate airport security and there "calibrated" senses of dangerous materials. They are below the mall cops in my security hierarchy.

edit: I have flown through france a few times and there hasn't been any issues with it. They almost knew what color my bag was by their "thorough" search.

Hi guys,
have been travelling in Europe with my rig on my back like a back pack (Geneva, Stockholm, Copenhagen, Helsinki, Brussel, Paris).
Had a problem once and it was in CDG,Paris.
I refused to check it in saying it was my life saving equipment and that I never loose sight on my gear.
They understood and said the only one who could overide them was the pilot or the commander.
I asked them to ask and after a while I was in yhe plane with my rig on my back :)
One funny thing that happened was on a flight from Stockholm to Tampere, was in a small propeller plane and was sitting right next to the emergency exit... The sweet flying attendant asked me kindly to place my back pack in the front of the plane... my neighbour was quite shocked when he heard me telling it was my parachute
My luggage was delayed twice while transiting in Amsterdam Schipol, thanks to that I got a brand new Hugo Boss suit as mine was in the delayed luggage and had an important business meeting the next morning
I'm flying soon across europe and to US. I think I'll prioritize and take as a hand luggage the rig I'll need the most the days following my flights.

Hopefully one day we'll be able to fly with our gear and without hassle..

Jul.

I was recently on a trip and was "selected" by the gestapo, I mean Homeland Security, to have all of luggage, checked and carry-on, searched. As I was being told what was going to happen I mentioned that I had a rig in my carry-on and one in my checked luggage. The security person became quite excited and called out to his supervisor. He came over and look at my rig and stated that he had never dealt with any parachuting gear before. At this point I was past being pissed off and calmly told them that I would help them in any way possible. I helped them to unpack both of rigs and they proceeded to pat down every inch of fabric. What I did to help minimize my troubles in getting my gear back into my suitcases was to unfold it in such a way as to allow them to search my canopies to their liking and allow me to field pack my rigs at the same time. All in all it was fairly painless, but f*ck those guys.

Yeah....I bet you gave him a real show too...
<snap...snap> (the sound of a pair of rubber gloves being put on).....

Your luck sucks! I've flown with my rig probally 15 times post 9-11 and never even had a bllnk at it. I flash my USPA card if there are questions and away I go. If you have the document number the UPSA gives you the supervisor has no footing to stand on.

The last thing I'm gonna bring on a BASE trip is my USPA card. But you do have a good point though. Actually, I think that TSA parachute PDF in one of the posts listed above is a valuable tool.

Maybe my old CJAA membership card will do?

All in fun.....

I have printed copies of the TSA rules regarding parachutes in my bag on top of each of my rigs:

http://www.tsa.gov/...l/editorial_1147.xml

One of the screening supervisors that read it one day commented that it was a really good idea..

Mark

Edit: I just realized someone already posted the PDF version in this thread. I'll leave the link since it is to the official TSA page.

On entering New Zealand a customs dude there voiced his concern about seed dispersal from the canopy at altitude. Having told him it was a skydiving rig his concern was where it had been packed last (on grass??).

I assured him it was always packed indoors and never on grass . Pleading with him to get sniffer dogs or anything else he needed to NOT open the canopy so I could catch my connecting flight (departing in 10min) seemed to work.

When you think about it - it's a valid point - packed on the grass in one country and then dumped at altitude over another. Not good

g.

I also geared up prior to a flight pre-9-11 on a flight gear on, no problem. Just a few odd glances, but now, i carry on in a suitcase.

nite, nic

I have travelled 3 times these past three weeks with a BASE rig. My observation has been that the TSA staff is usually more suspicious when the Skydiving rig comes thru the X-Ray machine. No doubt due to Reserve PC spring and the AAD stuff.

"Sir, does it have a Co2 cannister?"
"No"
"I'll have to run a test"
This is the wipe with cloth test that Russel mentioned. Then there's no problems. I carry my rigs inside a stash bag or a skydiving gearbag. It is better not to alarm passengers. You could spook someone.

Now what about carrying a rig on on International flights? What about carrying on two rigs?

Kris.

I usually travel with 2 rigs when I go to the U.S. 4 maybe 5 times a year. I always check them in, mostly because of the trouble of carrying camera, papers and 2 rigs while i buy tequila for my friendsand never had any problems. You can always smile to the lady @ the counter and ask her for a priority luggage tag for your rigs

sorry my bad english but traveling whith 2 rigs 2 times this year i would like to know what you mean by that..

I had one bad exerience at my local airport trying to carry on my rig. The inexerienced TSA agent told me that parachutes were not allowed to be carried on. He also tried to open my container. When I asked for his supervisor, I was told it would be "awhile" before he could get to the gate and I would probably miss my flight (too much time spent in the bar...). So, I just checked it, making sure to ask Delta their policy and they said parachutes could be carried on. Ever since then I have just checked it with no problems so far. The funny thing is, my good looking blond female friend didn't have any problems with her rig, which was ran through the x-ray right in front of mine.

The lesson - don't let the uninformed TSA agent bully you around (unless you'll miss your flight).