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Flying with Recording Equipment
Brian Skalinder:
I searched and searched and searched and couldn't find a thread in the Archival Info forum on flying with gear, so...
Thanks to everyone who's chimed in over time on the various threads about flying with gear. Some rough notes from those threads:
[*]Allocate extra time to get through security - I've had it take anywhere from an extra 5min to 60min
[*]Remain calm and act professional at all times
[*]Carry on your gear - mics, pre, ADC, recorder, batteries, cables, shockmounts, etc. Do NOT check it.
[*]TSA / the airline may or may not require you to check your stand, depending on the airport, personnel on duty, airline, etc. Bottom line: be prepared to check it. IME, they won't allow you to ship the stand loose, it requires packing of some sort. Most shipping supply shops will carry cardboard tubes that work well for packing stands.
[*]If discussing gear or answering questions, refer to your batteries as "power supplies", not "batteries"
[*]Leave the bat...I mean power supplies disconnected
[*]Carry Material Safety Data Sheets for your (ahem) power supplies. For SLAs, you can find them here:
[*]Powersonic MSDS PDF
[*]EcoCharge MSDS PDF
[*]Panasonic MSDS PDF
[*]If your manufacturer isn't listed, you should be able to find the MSDS on their website
[/list]
[*]Let the security personnel know up front your bag of "professional audio recording equipment" is usually flagged for a follow-up check after running it through the X-ray machine - I find this helps set them at ease and also suggests you've been through this before and that it's totally routine for your gear[/list]
spyder9:
Below is a nice mic stand case for flying. Hand made for Native American Indian flutes, but can be made for any length. Plastic tubes, hand stitched nylon wrap, with padding. Raven is the one I'm going to order, as pictured below. A little pricey, but well made, with plenty of room to toss in clamps, bungys and what not. Good investment if you fly alot with your equipment. Checking it at the desk would be a relief.
http://oregonflutestore.com/home/of1/smartlist_24/protective_flute__cases.html
Genghis Cougar Mellen Khan:
I haven't had problems in the past, but on my return trip from Jackson, WY the screeners would not let me through with my Eco-charge EC-90. I had no Issues leaving Cleveland Hopkins, but it was a no go on the return trip. I had the documentation from Eco-Charge but it still wasn't enough. I'm thinking I might have been ok if I had it padded in a small Pelican Case, but I couldn't get a straight answer. They got hung up on line 2 "The batteries need to be properly packaged for protection against short circuits and secured in a rugged outer package". I had the battery in it's padded carrying bag and it was packed in clothes in my carry on, they wouldn't accept it in my check baggage either. As a last resort I placed it in a Fed-Ex drop box in hopes that it might get back home. To save the hassle next time I might have a ground shipping plan in place if the airline or security will not let it through.
spyder9:
--- Quote from: Genghis Cougar Mellen Khan on July 11, 2005, 07:03:22 PM ---I haven't had problems in the past, but on my return trip from Jackson, WY the screeners would not let me through with my Eco-charge EC-90. I had no Issues leaving Cleveland Hopkins, but it was a no go on the return trip. I had the documentation from Eco-Charge but it still wasn't enough. I'm thinking I might have been ok if I had it padded in a small Pelican Case, but I couldn't get a straight answer. They got hung up on line 2 "The batteries need to be properly packaged for protection against short circuits and secured in a rugged outer package". I had the battery in it's padded carrying bag and it was packed in clothes in my carry on, they wouldn't accept it in my check baggage either. As a last resort I placed it in a Fed-Ex drop box in hopes that it might get back home. To save the hassle next time I might have a ground shipping plan in place if the airline or security will not let it through.
--- End quote ---
Telling them they are power supplies, not batteries, goes along way with the TSA.
http://www.ecocharge.com/PDF_forms/transportationpolicy.pdf
Genghis Cougar Mellen Khan:
--- Quote from: spyder9 on July 11, 2005, 09:59:13 PM ---
--- Quote from: Genghis Cougar Mellen Khan on July 11, 2005, 07:03:22 PM ---I haven't had problems in the past, but on my return trip from Jackson, WY the screeners would not let me through with my Eco-charge EC-90. I had no Issues leaving Cleveland Hopkins, but it was a no go on the return trip. I had the documentation from Eco-Charge but it still wasn't enough. I'm thinking I might have been ok if I had it padded in a small Pelican Case, but I couldn't get a straight answer. They got hung up on line 2 "The batteries need to be properly packaged for protection against short circuits and secured in a rugged outer package". I had the battery in it's padded carrying bag and it was packed in clothes in my carry on, they wouldn't accept it in my check baggage either. As a last resort I placed it in a Fed-Ex drop box in hopes that it might get back home. To save the hassle next time I might have a ground shipping plan in place if the airline or security will not let it through.
--- End quote ---
Telling them they are power supplies, not batteries, goes along way with the TSA.
http://www.ecocharge.com/PDF_forms/transportationpolicy.pdf
--- End quote ---
Yes, but the link you provided, which is the documentation I had, cleary states that it is a Sealed Lead Acid Battery Sysyem. I personally referred to it as a "power supply". The TSA in my case brought it down to United and asked if they would allow it in my carry on or check baggage, United told me I needed to find an alternate way to transport the battery and that they considered it "hazerdous material" reguardless of the provided documentation.
It just arrived yesterday from Fed-Ex, I dropped it in the Fed-Ex drop box and it probably left on the next United flight the next day. I'm guessing their packages don't go through as much if any screening at all. It cost a few dollars, but I'm very happy to see that it made it.
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