Topic: Question on going through airports

[Jimna]

i know not to let my tapes go through a metal detector, but what about the x-ray machine?  and is a memory card in danger?  hard drive?  ive never really flown with most of this stuff before.  i usually keep it simple.

thanks
jim

edit to add:  anything else im forgetting?

[Patrick]

I have flown with my gear hundreds of times with no problems from the x-ray machines.  Just have your bag open from the get-go and be prepared to step aside and have it swabbed.  99% of the time that I fly with gear this is what happens, just get there a little earlier and you'll be fine.

[boojum]

I have read here that it is wise to refer to "batteries" as "external power supplies."  "C" cells, "D" cells and 9 volts jobs cannot pass, but the weird stuff some of us use can.   

[Jimna]

is there any real danger to a computer, sd/xd/cf cards, ipods ect in these machines?

+T for the help  

[SmokinJoe]

I figure a typical SD microphone (like my Nak's) looks just about like a stick of dynamite on an X-ray, with lots of wires and batteries.... why would that raise suspician? 

So I tell them when I put on on the belt "there are microphones and recording gear here... it's probably gonna look pretty wierd on the xray".  At the other end they sometimes stop and say "open this up"... not a big deal.

is there any real danger to a computer, sd/xd/cf cards, ipods ect in these machines?
Not that I know of.

[Jimna]

I figure a typical SD microphone (like my Nak's) looks just about like a stick of dynamite on an X-ray, with lots of wires and batteries.... why would that raise suspician? 

So I tell them when I put on on the belt "there are microphones and recording gear here... it's probably gonna look pretty wierd on the xray".  At the other end they sometimes stop and say "open this up"... not a big deal.

is there any real danger to a computer, sd/xd/cf cards, ipods ect in these machines?
Not that I know of.

thats what i needed to know.  thanks.

[twatts (pants are so over-rated...)]

My thoughts on flying with gear:

1)  Mail your questionables (batteries, etc...) to your destination.  Either to someone you meet here or to your hotel.  FedEx with tracking works great.  Call your hotel and tell them you are going to send them a pax for you to pick up upon check-in.

2)  Walk up with your bag open and everything easily accessible.  Just like a laptop, expect to be asked to pull your stuff out.  With that in mind, unhook cables, etc. and pack it away neatly in ziplocks.  This makes for easy inspection of everything.

3)  You have nothing to hide, be cool and cooperative.  The Security people are just trying to do their jobs.  Don't get bent, it'll only cause problems.  Make sure that they know you are totally cool and that you just have a tape recorder and mics, etc...  Kiss their ass if you have too, they can delay you or inconvenience you beyond belief...

YMMV,

Terry
 

[gewwang]

I fly twice a week with 2 laptops, lacie ext hard drive, mics, interconnects, 722 and occasionally a sax and r09 with SD cards as carry ons. In fact, at least 1/2 of the people that fly these days are flying with their laptops. I've been flying with at least a laptop about 75-100 times per year since 1997. In that time, the only time I was forced to check a piece of gear which resulted in going back to the ticket agent and subsequently missing my flight was when TSA would not let me carry on an Oade ext battery back in 2000 at LaGuardia.

All my gear goes right thru the x-ray machine and I've never lost any data on a hard drive, SD or CF card. As of 2 weeks ago, they just started asking me to put the 722 in a separate bin as well as my CPAP machine but I haven't been delayed by any TSA people beyond having to take these out of my bags in addition to the laptops.

[Jimna]

good to know, thanks again.  ive flown with gear in the past but it was all dats and AA's.  now ive got a laptop, + A/V...

funny how life complicates itself.   im stoked to see seattle!! 

[china_rider]

I've traveled with gear about 20 times.  I only had an issue once about a month after 9/11.  I was required to step aside and assemble the gear and power it up to prove it would run.  For the most part I could have just hooked the batteries to the pre and they would have been happy to see the lights come on, but I was so nervous I hooked up the mics too.  During the process of setting up I was told the Nak mic bodies through X-Ray looked sort of like pipe bombs and thats why I got flagged.  I've had no issues since.

Funny.... I've got more security flac from my Sonnic Care tooth brush than my taping gear.  Something about how the internal batteries look through xray. 

[Patrick]

So I tell them when I put on on the belt "there are microphones and recording gear here... it's probably gonna look pretty wierd on the xray".  At the other end they sometimes stop and say "open this up"... not a big deal.

Do NOT say this.  The TSA agents don't care what is in your bag until they see it on the screen.  Saying that something "is going to look funny on the xray machine" is suspicious.  I know that you are trying to be courteous but they are going to find out what is in the bag soon enough.  There is no need to draw any more attention to your bag than necessary.

I'm really not trying to be rude, but this is just what I have found from flying with my bag literally thousands of times. 

[grayp]

i take anything that has a battery out an put it in its own bin like george said.    computer goes in a bin by itself, m148 in a bin by itself and 722 by itself.   typically i never have a problem.   when i ran a lead acid to power the sbm/d100 it used to get swiped with the anti explosive pads every time.   

never had any problems though.    i stopped flying with a stand a long time ago (unless its a small fob one i just put in my checked suitcase).   has anyone tried to bring a stand onto a plane recently?    i figured we would get grief for that.

[JoeKiller]

I always pack my gear such that I can put everything into individual bins.  Never had a problem.  Patrick flies a whole lot btw.

[Wiggle]

i stopped flying with a stand a long time ago (unless its a small fob one i just put in my checked suitcase).   has anyone tried to bring a stand onto a plane recently?    i figured we would get grief for that.

I've flown from Canada to the US and back again with a stand on a number of occasions. I think United was the only airline that made me check it. They put it in a big plastic bag and I had to pick it up in a special section for oversized items when my plane landed. Other than that I've never had any problems.

[manitouman]

You're gonna love Seattle!! Was just there a few days ago. Have fun!! Oh, and don't stay anywhere near the SeaTac airport. I did and unless you're into hookers and pimps yelling at them all night, don't stay in that area.