On a Febuary business trip to Florida, I may attend a sod farm launch as well. Can used, but cleaned reload casings be packed into checked baggage without raising a ruckus? Is it better to pack as carry-on & show what you've got? Or do they just look too pipe-bombesque to the uninitiated? What luck have you had flying with reload hardware in a "post 9/11 world"? -- Richard "already heard today's news about guy with golfballs" Hickok
see:
U.S. Department of Homeland Security - Transportation Security Administration List of Permitted and Prohibited Items, rev. 11/18/03
Personally I would check them in, and tell security that I was carrying them and be prepared to show some rocketry related ID. I don't think APCP residue would set off any alarms, but BP certainly will.
Being up front can only make us look like responsible travelers, casting both the hobby and its practioners in a good light.
Who knows, you might even gain a convert!
just my $0.02
- iz
Rhhickok wrote:
When I travel with rocketry related items (no propellant, BP, ematches) I pack them in a bag to be checked and I throw a rocket magazine in on top of them as a sort of explanation in case anyone cares. I've never had any real delays.
One short anecdote:
On my return trip from BALLS this year I had a suit case to be checked with all sorts of rocket stuff in it, including a 4" fiberglass nose cone that was packed with electronics, several altimeters, some used graphite nozzles, and other random items. They x-rayed my bag with me standing there and the operator got pretty excited. There were several calls made over the radio and soon a supervisor showed up. They asked me a bunch of questions relating to my citizenship, travel destination, etc. Then they opened the bag. Now all the rocket stuff was on the bottom with clothing packed on top for padding. At the last minute I had also thrown in one of those ratcheting hold down straps for securing things to the roof of a car, and this was lying on top of the clothes in plain view. Apparently, it was the tie down thing that had set off the alarm! When they opened the bag, they saw the tie down and they then closed the bag and sent me on my way. I asked them, "aren't you interested in anything else in there?" and they said no. Go figure. Total delay before boarding my flight, about 6 minutes.
-Jeff Taylor
Rhhickok wrote:
Thanks for the advice so far. I'd either buy reloads (propellant) from on-site vendor or order 'em & have shipped to a club member down there. -- Richard
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