I took some KAP gear to Spain in June (but never had sufficient wind to use it) and paid the extra baggage charge to avoid any hassle at the airports.
One essential KAP gear item for me is a Leatherman tool and I certainly wouldn't bother trying to take such an item in your hand luggage. I don't see that the rig or anything else would cause any issue, but others may know otherwise......
I had problems at Bristol airport when I put a kite reel in my hand baggage - the security woman said I'd be able to tie the passengers up with it! It showed up on the XRAY and the operator didn't know what it was. They made me open the bag and called the woman over.
Since rigs have lots of metal bits I think they'd be seen as suspicious too. I always put my KAP stuff in a checked bag (except for soft kites).
I had problems at Bristol airport when I put a kite reel in my hand baggage - the security woman said I'd be able to tie the passengers up with it! It showed up on the XRAY and the operator didn't know what it was. They made me open the bag and called the woman over.
Since rigs have lots of metal bits I think they'd be seen as suspicious too. I always put my KAP stuff in a checked bag (except for soft kites).
I was asked to open my suitcase at Amman airport once because the X-ray operator spotted something he thought were handcuffs. After explaining what a climbers 8 is for he apologized and wished me the usual "Welcome in Jordan". The rig with all it's wires and batteries and screws didn't cause a second glance. But in the hand luggage? Hmm, could be problematic in these times... Up to now I only transported my flowform in the hand luggage. Without any problem.
Recently I've been carrying the batteries with me on the plane. With lipo, there's a minor risk of flame or explosion and they don't want them to be in the hold unless they're stored in a special flame proof bag. Apparently it's fine to bring them on board because if they do start to burn up, you'll know right away and they can do something about it.
Just to avoid questions at security gates I normally check inn everything. In the UK I also found out that you are limited with one piece of carry on. Upon arrival I was never questionned by security or customs but always carry some kind of KAP ID such as AKA membership cards with the mention “certified Kite Pilot” on which I added a fake stamp from Bora Bora showing a lizard and an “official” signature (Custom officers seem to like stamps, signature and anything that looks “official”) as well as a booklet of KAPshots; luckily I was never asked any questions on the content of my luggage but would be very careful to carry a RC controller or anything that may look as a surveillance device. I also have a certificate from French Polynesia customs (also covered with blue and red stamps) listing the content of my bag, this is usefull when I come back but also in case I am questionned anywhere in the world., so within the EU or anywhere I suggest you check inn everything, you may lose 15 minutes waiting for your bag but may save lots of answers to many questions.
One day I was embarking on Rio de Janeiro's airport and the X-ray machine operator, with a very serious, almost menacing voice, asked me:
- Sir, are you carrying an antenna on your backpack?
I forgot to put my RC transmitter in the checked baggage!
He got a bit more relaxed when I explained what it was for. He just asked me to remove the batteries and allowed me to carry it with my backpack.
So, it seems you could carry a transmitter without antenna and batteries (they won't detonate anything that way, right?), but if it is in your checked baggage, you might save yourself some trouble and have one less story to tell when you get home. :)
Some KAPers refuse to check baggage due to the risk of theft. Sometimes thefts occur due to dishonest airport employees, sometimes from other people randomly stealing bags. At a minimum, I would suggest not checking anything that looks valuable to someone going through your things and to pick up your checked bags promptly.
I travel a fair bit for work and I aways take my kite(s) and KAP gear.
I used to do all carry on (kite, string (halo hoop), auto kap rig and camera).
Ran into the following:
- got stopped was in Heathrow...where security claimed my kite line was a security risk....made me check the bag....
- lost luggage in Italy (Rome to Catania) - got bag back three days latter as I was leaving.....
Currently I am checking one bag that contains my auto KAP rig, WW stratospool and backpack. I carry on my kites and my cameras. Works ok. I travel about 2-3 trips a month (US, EU, Asia) with no security issues.
Two carabiners lost to the security at Paris-Charles DeGaulle Airport. There were OK incoming and transferring flights, but upon exiting the country I was told that the carabiners could be used as weapons ..... as a "brass knuckle". Too late to put them into checked baggage, they are now lost ..... to me. BTW: all other KAP gear ... kite line, halo, KAP rig, etc. was fine in my carry-on.
Hy Dough, It seems that "Aéroports de Paris" are the worsts "kap (un)friendly" around the world... The problem is not the aerial companies but the "security" people who check the hand luggages. I have had a "organised" thieft when I board to Corsica. They took my line (500 m of a nice and light braided Dynema...). No way to put it in the hold ("en soute"), it was closed. I explain, show example of kap, ask to see the Captain (he went down from the plane...). No matter. I just could let my line. Obviously, I was in a big hurry ! Even more when I search on adf.fr website the "law" of what is prohibited in planes. No rope was on the paper...
Of course, security is a big deal, but is it their may target ? They never see the knife I forgott in my backpack... Morons !
So, to answer to RedBerry, put everything out of you hand luggage. To avoid thievery (in hold, this time), be aware that Air France put backpacks in a big plastic bag. But take care that most of companies think to billing non-cabin luggages for 2010 or 2011... Hope it helps !
Yes, airport security is one of the most stupid organizations around :)
Once I was flying home from outside of European Union changing planes in Frankfurt. At first airport duty free zone (that outside EU) i bough a bottle of cognac. It was of course allowed as carry on luggage as that was bought at their airport. Then we landed in Frankfurt, got through all EU custom check and only security was left. They found that bottle and said it could not fly in carry on luggage. And they didn't found anything other suspicious. Fortunately we had a bit of time and a rucksack which could be turned into checked luggage. When repacking things we found a very sharp and long knife lying there together with the bottle. We simply forgot about the knife when packing. The knife passed security on both airports. So all that stupidity failed to find a certainly dangerous device at least two times in a row, yet they still make people troubles because of a factory sealed bottle or tiny scissors or similar stuff.
And my humble advice how to carry such dangerous stuff like kites, bottles of cognac, etc is: put the stuff into checked luggage but if you're changing planes check it only to the first (closest) airport, pick it up there and check in for the next flight personally. And arrange your flight such a way that you have at least 2 hours to change planes. If your next plane comes in such short time that you won't be able to recheck in your luggage don't count on that airport service will do it -- if the changing time is less than an hour you might be pretty sure that your luggage won't fly with you on that next plane.
But if you want to carry large knife, a gun, a riffle or a pack of hand grenades just take them as your cabin luggage - no one will stop you ;)
Yeah, sometimes you can get really agitated when they check carry-on luggage. They "stole" my first-aid scissors (labeled to be fine for carry-on) in New Zealand. It was about the 10th flight i took with it, and i even passed Heathrow and LAX. But i was amazed by the security guys on a trip to Norway last year (i'am in the Netherlands). I took my Peleng 8mm fisheye in my carry-on, that particular lens has a strange bowl shaped metal lens-cap. Really every security check i did go through that trip they wanted to doublecheck my luggage. And only because of that strange lens cap. I was just amazed that all 5 security people wanted to check that same part. I think it does show that they did have some sort of similar training.
So don't take the Peleng with the cap in your carry-on luggage. ;)
I've carried my BBKK auto-KAP rig, plastic reel with string, FlowForm kite, and delta kite as carry-on on intra-US flights and on US-UK flights without any queries about the rig or reel. Once going out of the UK, security decided the Delta kite (which was in its own cardboard poster tube) exceeded the dimensions allowed for carry-on, so I had to check it. I didn't quite understand this, as I'd been allowed to bring it over on the same plane as carry-on, but they said that their security policies were stricter at Heathrow than in the US.
I am quite surprised that no one has ever asked about the rig, as it seems that it would look rather strange on X-ray.
Actually, I think on one of our flights a few weeks ago, one security person did ask about the reel, but said 'O.K.' when I explained what it was (without further opening the bag).
From reading your experiences above, it seems a good idea to check in early and to have a checkable bag in case security does require something to be checked. But I prefer to travel light enough to not have to check any bags if at all possible.
When I go away, and much to my wifes annoyance, I go away packing KAP gear and also my panoramic photo gear plus tripod (which usually goes in her suitcase!)
My last flight from Florida back to the UK I checked in my KAP rig and also my machined 360Precision panoramic head, a fine and large piece of engineered aluminium, as usual. At the time of packing I jokingly said to my wife that I was surprised that I had not been stopped before with all of the wires, metal and batteries that were in the case and in close proximity to each other and wondered what they looked like on the Xray screen.
I have TSA locks on my luggage and when I unpacked at home there was a nice leaflet inside the case from the US Border guys saying that they had opened the case for a "routine inspection" - guess the Xray screen finally got their attention!
Down side is that My wife now won't take my tripod because she is worried that they will open her case and rummage around her dirty underwear!
Post 9/11, I've been "random" searched in every North American and European Airport I've gone through. Had I known I was that lucky, I would've bought a lottery ticket!
I recently flew to Greece from the UK and took all my KAP gear with me. It was divided between my hold luggage and walk on. My walk on consisted of the DuneCam gear, rig, MacBook and cameras. The rest went in the hold and for safety I used zip ties on the sail bag as there was no easy way of securing the bag. Just in case I was stopped I decided to include a very, very small pair of snips and spare zip ties to facilitate any potential search.
All went well until my walk on bag went through the x-ray. It was put through several times till the operator brought it to me. Surprisingly the issue was not all the electronic gear or rig but the small pair of snips, after much consultation I was finally allowed through. These snips by the way are smaller than a pair of nail snips. Offensive weapon it is most certainly not but I suppose you could do a lot of damage to wiring if inclined.
I travel with my equipment all the time. I always take it as carry on. Never ran into a serrious problem. A few times had to open my bag and explain what it was, but that has only happened on a few domestic flights. Never had a problem going international, but I do expect one day to have an issue. There is nothing illegal or dangerous in a KAP kit, I understand their concerns with the kite line though.
Take your gear, if you don't have it, you can't use it.
I also put my framed kites into rigid cardboard shipping tube that I attached a carry strap to. This protects the kites and the frame pieces when in the overhead compartment.
