Recent experience with TSA, soaring type parachutes, and commercial airlines?

There are a few old horror stories about taking your parachute on a commercial flight. Anyone have good/bad experience with TSA in the last year or so?

On Saturday, December 1, 2012 12:29:24 PM UTC-7, son_of_flubber wrote:
There are a few old horror stories about taking your parachute on a commercial flight. Anyone have good/bad experience with TSA in the last year or so?

I flew to Colorado from Arizona and back on Southwest a year or so ago with my parachute in its bag and it didn't get a second glance. I'm not sure that many TSA agents would know what a parachute looks like!

Mike

On Saturday, December 1, 2012 2:40:48 PM UTC-5, Mike the Strike wrote:
I'm not sure that many TSA agents would know what a parachute looks like!

TSA ignorance is exactly what I'm concerned about. TSA employee have been know to open parachutes to look for contraband.

I guess I could ship the parachute via UPS.

Much older story; back in the mid-70s I delivered an Air Force T-33a from
Fairbanks to Anchorage for wing spar modification. They didn't have TSA
then, but the security dorks popped my bailout bottle and wouldn't allow the
parachute in the passenger cabin.


"son_of_flubber" wrote in message
...
On Saturday, December 1, 2012 2:40:48 PM UTC-5, Mike the Strike wrote:
I'm not sure that many TSA agents would know what a parachute looks like!

TSA ignorance is exactly what I'm concerned about. TSA employee have been
know to open parachutes to look for contraband.

I guess I could ship the parachute via UPS.

On Saturday, December 1, 2012 6:57:05 PM UTC-7, Dan Marotta wrote:
Much older story; back in the mid-70s I delivered an Air Force T-33a from

Fairbanks to Anchorage for wing spar modification. They didn't have TSA

then, but the security dorks popped my bailout bottle and wouldn't allow the

parachute in the passenger cabin.





DB Cooper was still fresh in their minds. Any chance the return trip was an Alaska Airlines 727?

Frank Whiteley

On Saturday, December 1, 2012 6:57:05 PM UTC-7, Dan Marotta wrote:
Much older story; back in the mid-70s I delivered an Air Force T-33a from

Fairbanks to Anchorage for wing spar modification. They didn't have TSA

then, but the security dorks popped my bailout bottle and wouldn't allow the

parachute in the passenger cabin.


I remember hopping in KC-135's and noting there were only enough parachutes on the wall for aircrew, not PAX.

Frank

Not had a problem either carry on or checked parachute.
Taking a parachute as checked baggage, mine always has a laminated tag on the carrying bag, as below.
Something that has raised more than a few eyebrows is the Handpresso handheld espresso machine I carry on. Like a small bicycle pump with a bit sticking out the side at one end, it looks a bit like "one of those".
Jim

Airport Security:
(TSA logo)
This is an emergency parachute
It has been inspected and repacked by an FAA certified rigger.
My life may depend on this safety equipment. Please respect it.
If the seal is broken, or it appears to have been tampered with, it is not considered airworthy.
X-ray it and swipe the container all you want.
Questions: You know where to find me.
Thanks!

In fact, the return *was* on an Alaska Airlines B-727. Also, by chance,
there was a bomb threat telephoned to the airport that morning and they
unloaded all flights and had us each walk out separately, identify our
baggage, and board the flights. I was wearing an orange flight suit and I
identified my parachute and the baggage pod from the T-Bird which
concidently looked somewhat like a torpedo. Both went back into the baggage
compartment and the flight departed without further incident.

About 5 years after that incident, I received a rejection letter from Alaska
Airlines. It was delayed due to being in the baggage of a National Airlines
B-727 which crashed into Pensacola Bay.


"Frank Whiteley" wrote in message
...
On Saturday, December 1, 2012 6:57:05 PM UTC-7, Dan Marotta wrote:
Much older story; back in the mid-70s I delivered an Air Force T-33a from

Fairbanks to Anchorage for wing spar modification. They didn't have TSA

then, but the security dorks popped my bailout bottle and wouldn't allow
the

parachute in the passenger cabin.





DB Cooper was still fresh in their minds. Any chance the return trip was
an Alaska Airlines 727?

Frank Whiteley

On Saturday, December 1, 2012 11:29:24 AM UTC-8, son_of_flubber wrote:
There are a few old horror stories about taking your parachute on a commercial flight. Anyone have good/bad experience with TSA in the last year or so?

This should be comforting news
http://www.naturalnews.com/038154_TS...#ixzz2DiMgqNIN