Can I take my new reg on an airplane?

[peterjmaerz]

Hey Folks,

I dive travel about four times a year. Been to St. Vincent and Fiji since the full TSA restrictions took effect. I carry on two items: a medium sized Pelican case for my camera housing and a fairly large L.L. Bean backpack. Inside the pack, I have a Deep See reg bag with reg, mask and my Suunto in a separate bag. In the pack I also have a full sized laptop, battery charger, spare Nimh batts, the laptop power supply, assorted pens, books, palm pilot, etc.
Have never encountered a problem (nor paid extra for the 45 pounds the pack generally weights) other than an extra scan or two of the backpack and occasionally having to unpack everything. Have found the TSA folks to be friendly and curious about photography/diving.
Having traveled for years as a musician, I can corroborate that slapping a "Fragile" sticker on a case only invites a loftier toss by the baggage handlers onto the cart or the belt. If you want to protect your delicate gear, IMHO, bring it on the plane.

 

[MORPHIOUS]

Charlie99 once bubbled...


What sort of planes had unpressurized cargo bays?

I don't know of any jet-powered aircraft that have any unpressurized cargo bays, since that would require a pressure bulkhead between the cabin and the cargo. With the more or less cylindrical shape of most aircraft it would seem to be easier just to have the whole cylinder at the same pressure.

TIA

Charlie

I sorry if my post wasnt clear, Most planes do have pressurized cargo bays but not all bays are presurized on all planes. There are usually 4 bays on an airliner. Bays 1 and 2 are typically airconditioned/heated and pressureized and share the forward bay door. Bays 3 and 4 if there is a 4 are not heated or pressurized. All perishable items are always put in the front of the aircraft. For example, any perishable food items, live animals, and human remains. This is typical with all DC9's, A320's, 757's. Im not sure about the 747 aircraft though. Dont be fooled by movies that show people getting into cargo areas from the passenger part of an airplane. It is simply impossible, the only way in or out is through an exterior cargo bay door. Anyway I would just carry on your reg and computer because things do get slammed around alot.

 

[Ari]

I carry it with me as a carry on, either in my bag or in a dedicated reg bag.

Ari

 

[Norm]

Probably as long it isn't too deep and you've been trained for penetration dives.......just kidding.
Yes you can. I always carry mine on, not so much for the regs but for the consoles and/or computers.
Norm

 

[Charlie99]

MORPHIOUS once bubbled...
Most planes do have pressurized cargo bays but not all bays are presurized on all planes. There are usually 4 bays on an airliner. Bays 1 and 2 are typically airconditioned/heated and pressureized and share the forward bay door. Bays 3 and 4 if there is a 4 are not heated or pressurized. ....This is typical with all DC9's, A320's, 757's. Im not sure about the 747 aircraft though.

My understanding is that forward bays are heated and ventilated, but not all rear bays have heating, nor are they ventilated while on the ground.

However, my understanding (based simply on physics and logic) is that both forward and rear bays ARE PRESSURIZED. If the rear cargo bay were not pressurized, then the flat cabin floor in the rear half is a pressure bulkhead. I don't think the cabin floor has the ability to support the 500+ pounds per square foot pressure differential between the cabin and an unpresssurized rear cargo hold.

Does anyone out there have a definitive answer?

 

[Grajan]

It is hard to find anything definitive but the physics is pretty obvious and ALL airlines carry pets as checked baggage. This would not be possible unless the baggage areas were pressurised.

 

[Ushuaia]

Folks,

I'm a Boeing 767 pilot and also have a B.E. (Aero). I assure you: all holds are pressurised, including the rear ones and the "auxiliary" bulk hold ones (where they sling the last minute bags). Cabin and hold altitude does reach about 8000' max with pressurisation (you have to have the aircraft at about 40,000' for that). Heating/venting: variable, depends on design and can be automatic or involve some degree of control from the fright-deck.

Cheers

 

[jbichsel]

Beginning of June We flew from Denver to Honolulu. I'm wearing T-shirt, shorts and sandals.

TSA intelectual giant was somewhat confused over my Aqualung Legend LX in my checked bag. His supervisor told him it was ok.

Then, the next TSA Einstein wannabe has me sit down, take my sandals off, show him the bottom of my feet, stand on the mat, raise my arms so I can be "wanded". He wands my sandals.

During this, I'm watching several Arab/Hindu people dressed in long, flowing, baggy garments with faces covered, breeze right through without a second glance.

I also observed several people with boots, platform shoes make it through without having to remove their boots/shoes or show the bottoms of their feet.

Returning, there was no incident at all leaving Honolulu.

I will NOT check my regulator. If everything else ends up lost or stolen, I can rent. But I want MY regulator.

 

[RiverRat]

Scubaroo once bubbled...
I had regulators in carry-on rejected by TSA agents when flying from Florida to California. Funny thing was, the week before, when I'd flown from California to Florida, there had been no problem. Unfortunately TSA is yet to compile a comprehensive list of good/bad items, and things like regulators are up to the agent's discretion. We were forced to check our entire carry-on bag as a result.

So you might run into problems with *individual* TSA agents, but I hear of people taking regs in carry-on a lot without problems.

The agent we had claimed they could be used as a weapon if you swung them around your head...

Does this mean that because I have a red belt in martial arts a TSA agent is going to cut off my arms so I don't punch someone in the throat? Oh, but wait, don't let me take a reg onboard? This whole TSA thing is a joke. They have NO clue what security/screening is all about. Random BS checks to appease the "public". Excuse me for spouting off, but I've been traveling quite a bit on business over the last 2 years and this security BS ticks me off. I've gone through with bags unchecked etc. Not enough is being done and what is being done is all wrong.

 

[Wristshot]

In June 2003 I flew San Jose - DFW - Cancun with Reg and Computer (and spare computer) and borrowed UW Camera in my carryon. At San Jose the x-ray bag screener asked if the "black thing" was a regulator. That was it. (how did he know it was black?) No problems at the Cancun airport. They have seen dive gear before.

Also flew to Florida in November with no problems. I just have to remember to remove the built in knives and keep them in the checked bags.

When I travel for skiing, I carry my boots with me for the same reason as I carry my reg and computers for diving: I can rent everything else, but for those I really want to use MINE and mine alone.

Keep the most important, the most expensive, the most indispensable items with you at all times. This could also include your buddy, but not necessarily.

Wristshot