Topic: gear on airplanes

[weroflu]

Anyone have security problems with your gear as carry-on luggage?

Im curious if TSA can construe microphones, cables, or mixers as weapons.

[Fatah Ruark (aka MIKE B)]

Never a problem. I fly frequently with my gear. Once I had them ask what it was. Recently I've just put it through the X-Ray machine and pick it up on the other side, no questions asked.

My "travel" rig is pretty small and not at all professional looking (other than the mics). That might help. A larger rig might get more attention, but once you tell them what you've got, I doubt you'll have a problem.

ALWAYS carry it on.

Probably not a bad idea to get to the airport a hair early. I've found smaller airports seem to have tougher security...or dumber. I sail through at big airports. I've nearly missed flights due to SLOW security at small airports (partially due to dumber flyers though).

[vanark]

I haven't had any real issues.  Like above, one time I was asked what it was and another, they were more concerned with the xlr cables.  I've learned to pull it out and put them in its own bin.

[tailschao]

Never flown in the USA, but I've flown through numerous airports in Europe with shit-tonnes of gear in carry-on. I'm talking several handheld wireless audio recievers + spare antennas, dozens of spare antenna cables & 3.5mm cables, bags of AA rechargebales, multiple handheld recorders, a preamp, small mics, etc. Before I started taking wireless audio kit on with me, I checked regulations to make sure there was not some specific ban on radio gear.

I was often pulled aside and asked to unpack the stuff into more and more trays. The gear was packed so tightly and with so many cables snaking around everywhere, I guess it made stuff hard to see on the x-ray monitors. I think the record was I had to put the stuff through the x-rays 4 times in a row! But always got through. One time they took a roll of duct tape off me because it was too stiff and hard to tear, but the other roll I had with me was easier to tear by hand so it was OK!

And one time in Finland the security lady asked me to open up my bag (it had all the gear in), she took one fraction of a glance inside, saw the spine of a book I had in there also, exclaimed "Oh! Game of Thrones!" and waved me straight on through. I LOL'd.

[gewwang]

Only issues I've had in the past few years was with my stand. One time I made it thru TSA just fine with the stand but when boarding the plane, the flight attendant forced me to check the stand. Minor inconvenience as that adds 30 minutes or so on arrival to get the stand out of baggage claim. Another time, I checked the stand and when I got it back, the top of the stand was bent during transit and I was no longer able to secure my bar to it because I couldn't screw it onto the threads of the stand.

A few times, TSA made me turn my HD recorder on but let me go once they saw the lights and confirmed that it was a recorder.

[weroflu]

So, it looks like it's a good idea to keep cables in checked luggage just to keep things visually simple for the simple minds?

I read somewhere else that they might ask you to turn things on, but what if you don't have batteries?

I was definitely planning on not packing batteries to keep the weight down.

[daspyknows]

My old RBox always got the attention of TSA.  I would check it and TSA would thoroughly go through my luggage even to the point of unrolling dirty underwear.  With my NBox the Vegas TSA agent saw it and and what instrument I played and I picked up on the question and explained.  I have found the easiest airports were JFK, Dulles and Heathrow which is ironic given those where where the bombers flew out from.  Schipol (sp?) and Oakland have been the most difficult.  In Dublin their version of TSA saw me wearing a Roger Waters tshirt from the show and asked me how the show was as he searched my bag.  I gave him cds and he thanked me. 

I don't have a stand and my rig is a small stealth rig so can't comment on that type of gear.

[page]

Batteries (specifically lithium based) are the biggest flags in my experience. If you have a large rig and pack like 3 or 4 lithium batteries, you're at a risk of being pushed over the limit (and that's a hard stop as in "you're not getting on the plane with those"). I've never gotten there, but I can see how someone could if they have a preamp, adc, recorder, and batteries for each. Look it up on the TSA site for what the max is anymore.

Other then that, they like to see the recorder (if it's big and complex) be easily removable for swabbing but that's it. I once flew with a stereo LD mic (ala LCD2 or BSCS-L) and that got flagged cause of the shape and internal wiring which looks like a pipe bomb. Once I pulled it out they swabbed it and we were on our way. As long as you can remove stuff from the bag easily, and you're under the max lithium content for a carry on, then you're fine.

I never flew with a stand, that's just asking for trouble IMHO (not with security, but having a working stand when you arrive).

[fleish]

Only issues I've had in the past few years was with my stand. One time I made it thru TSA just fine with the stand but when boarding the plane, the flight attendant forced me to check the stand. Minor inconvenience as that adds 30 minutes or so on arrival to get the stand out of baggage claim. Another time, I checked the stand and when I got it back, the top of the stand was bent during transit and I was no longer able to secure my bar to it because I couldn't screw it onto the threads of the stand.

This is why I won't check my stand anymore. Luckily I managed to thereifixedit well enough with some pliers, but it was lesson learned for me and nowadays I would just look for someone local that has one to borrow or clamp on to.

[mccordo]

I just flew round trip from Orlando to Portland this weekend and brought my full rig with mics, cables, V2, Tascam DR-100, and 2 external Naztech batteries (but substituted clamps and 2 ~24" extension poles for a stand) as carry-on luggage. TSA gave me no issues whatsoever in Orlando, although I was worried when the sign said no "club-like objects, including golf clubs, etc." are allowed when I had the extension poles in my bag.

On the way back from Portland they scanned my bags and pulled them aside because they said the cables and Pelican case with my mics made for a dense x-ray picture. I calmly explained that it was simply audio taping gear and that I had nothing illegal or anything to hide. The TSA agent swabbed my cables and a bit of my gear, re-scanned the bag with the Pelican case removed from the bag and sent me on my way.

IMO, the extra 5-10 minutes spent with TSA at the security checkpoint was worth knowing that my gear isn't going to be manhandled (or looted) by a baggage handler and not having to wait for a checked bag when I landed.

[candor]

I haven't had any real issues.  Like above, one time I was asked what it was and another, they were more concerned with the xlr cables.  I've learned to pull it out and put them in its own bin.

The biggest problem I've had is that the bag shows up on the xray as a bunch of wires and metal bits.  f things are stacked they can't see clearly which gets my bag selected for hand screening.  I found if I spaced things out in the bag, including computer cables and other electrical equipment I get less attention.  I've been through every major US airport as well as London, Sydney, Perth, and others with no problems.

[stevetoney]

IMO, the extra 5-10 minutes spent with TSA at the security checkpoint was worth knowing that my gear isn't going to be manhandled (or looted) by a baggage handler and not having to wait for a checked bag when I landed.

For me, it's all about being ripped off if I check the stuff, which has happened to me with regularity when I travelled alot.  It's a huge problem worldwide and airports just don't care...or if they do anything about it, it's CERTAINLY not motivated by making sure passengers aren't getting ripped off.  A news organization planted an Ipad that they were able to track it's location.  They tracked it to the TSA guys house (I think in New Jersey) and he of course denied that he had the ipad even though it was obvious he was lying because the ipad was in his house.  I think he ended up getting fired, but I honestly doubt the TSA did anything to beef up their processes on the back end to make sure stuff isn't getting ripped off, preferring to put the issue on the shoulders of the traveler by saying you shouldn't pack anything valuable in checked luggage.

[tgakidis]

I just flew round trip from Orlando to Portland this weekend and brought my full rig with mics, cables, V2, Tascam DR-100, and 2 external Naztech batteries (but substituted clamps and 2 ~24" extension poles for a stand) as carry-on luggage. TSA gave me no issues whatsoever in Orlando, although I was worried when the sign said no "club-like objects, including golf clubs, etc." are allowed when I had the extension poles in my bag.

This happened to me in Raleigh my last trip.  TSA said put the ext. pole and super clamp in the bin next time.

[Scooter123]

My NBox looks like a bomb, so I put everything I can inside a gal zip lock and have it open and never had an issue

[Phil Zone]

Around January 15th I think ill be flying to Florida. With my big bag with 2 littleboxes, 4 mics, batteries, hopefully a dr680 and cables. Do you guys think I'd have a problem! It In a lowepro nova 200 bag, so pretty big....