Travelling with a pony

[Web Monkey]

It is a PIA. Several recent threads have appeared on this specific topic. Try using "TSA' and 'pony' in the search term. Bottom line, your friend is right - don't bother. Here is a excerpt from one of the recent threads:
[SCUBA cylinders are now prohibited from both carry-on and checked-in baggage by the TSA: http://www.tsa.gov/public/interapp/e...orial_1190.xml "Dive tanks or any compressed gas cylinders are prohibited from carry-on and checked luggage."]

It's not quite that simple.

SCUBA Cylinders are allowed in checked luggage if the valve is completely removed:

TSA: Compressed Gas Cylinders

That said, it's still a crap-shoot as to whether you or your bag or your tank will be allowed on the flight regardless of what you do, since not all TSA agents have a complete understanding of current regulations, and arguing with them and even showing the actual regulation is not productive.

Also, the airlines are not required to allow all the items the TSA does and many simply refuse all compressed gas cylinders.

Terry

 

[Flightlead]

The tank has to have positive pressure to keep from compromising the interior. A tank with no gas creates the potential for water or other contaminants to get in.

I understand that extended storage without positive pressure might cause these issues. although I seriously doubt one airline flight with a piece of plastic or a plug in the neck is likely to cause any problems.

my question was, why would it void the VIP?

 

[jiveturkey]

I understand that extended storage without positive pressure might cause these issues. although I seriously doubt one airline flight with a piece of plastic or a plug in the neck is likely to cause any problems.

my question was, why would it void the VIP?

Would you buy cokes at a 7/11 if you knew the employees opened and closed all the bottles in the fridge?

The filler can no longer be sure of the tank's integrity without that pressure. The VIP sticker means your tank has been inspected and sealed by a certified inspector. Without gas in the tank the seal has been broken and compromised.

This isn't my rule, it's an industry standard. You'll learn this in any visual inspection course.

 

[tfsails]

Aluminum tanks are much less susceptible to corrosion from humid air than are steel tanks. Assuming you travel with an aluminum pony with a current VIP sticker on it and you drain it and remove the valve to comply with TSA and hazmat regulations, who's to know that you just screwed the valve on at your hotel room and you need a quick fill before your first dive?

In several trips to the Caribbean, I've seen tanks that are way out of hydro and with no evidence of ever having a VIP sticker on 'em in daily service. So far, none of 'em has blown up on my back...

 

[jiveturkey]

I wouldn't worry too much about the tank blowing up on your back. If it's going to blow, a tank will usually go during the filling process and even then, this is extremely rare. The shops down south will fill a coke bottle if you pay them.

Perhaps the OP's LDS will honour his VIP when he gets back but he should call them and ask what their policy is. The standard says you need a new VIP regardless of whether or not a few days without pressure will cause corrosion. If having the pony is important enough I'm sure a $20 fee won't prevent the OP from taking it.

 

[Colliam7]

That said, it's still a crap-shoot as to whether you or your bag or your tank will be allowed on the flight regardless of what you do, since not all TSA agents have a complete understanding of current regulations, and arguing with them and even showing the actual regulation is not productive. ... Also, the airlines are not required to allow all the items the TSA does and many simply refuse all compressed gas cylinders.

And THAT was really my point, about the PIA part - IOW, 'Do you feel lucky?' So, in many ways it really is just that simple. If you don't want a hassle, or to have to worry about whether your checked luggage and/or you will make it on board or be delayed and miss the flight, don't try to travel with a pony, whether checked or not, whether the valve is removed or not, whether you make advance contact with the TSA people at the airport or not. You may be successful. But, you may not be.

 

[InTheDrink]

Indeed, flight regulations do frequently depend on what individual you are dealing with on the day. That said, it sounds like it is doable, and I think if I'm going to be going places where I'd like that extra level of comfort, I'll spin the coin and hope I get a sensible, accommodating, articulate - yet attractive - individual at the airport. I certainly did the last time when I was carrying my buddy's diving knife in my carry-on; and yes, you can guess the conversation that ensued -
Security (on finding the knife): What is this!!!
Me (sheepishly): It's a diving knife
Me (explaning/digging deeper): God, this is SO embarrassing, it's not even mine!
Security (alarmed): So you are carrying someone else's items!!!!!
Me (increasingly alarmed): Er, yes, I just picked up my friends bag this morning, I didn't know it had a kinfe in it...
Security (motioning to other security staff): So someone else packed this bag sir? You did not personally pack this bag?
Me (resigned): Um, er, actually, well, yes. Kind of. Ish.

Thankfully as they rummaged through the rest of my carry-on (which was mixture of mine and my friends) they found a copy of diver magazine and other artefacts associated with diving but not normally useful to a would-be terrorist and they had the good sense to simply confiscate the knife and some other bits and bobs that were vaguely sharp and let me get on the flight.

When I arrived and met up with my buddy he was a little bit peed off that I'd had his knife confiscated but kindly repaid the favour by swiftly losing mine when I leant it to him on a dive.

Slightly off topic... sorry... I guess the point is I'll try to avoid carrying my knife AND pony in my carry-on

 

[spectrum]

I understand that extended storage without positive pressure might cause these issues. although I seriously doubt one airline flight with a piece of plastic or a plug in the neck is likely to cause any problems.

my question was, why would it void the VIP?

If it were me...

Take it on the flight with the valve removed, opening covered with clear wrap & rubberband or something similar.

Reinstall valve at hotel

Have "life is good" resort fill opertor fill the bottle.

Use it on vacation.

Reverse the process to get it home.

Once home flush it with air from another tank just to be sure, reinstall the tank valve and transfill it enough to get a full top-off.

Also, since aluminum cylinders are not as vulnerable to the atmosphere as steel I'd talk to my local shop in advance. The biggest reason for requiring the visual on an empty cylinder is the potential for the introduction of water. If the shop knows the history a reasonable person would ask you about your vacation, take a peek inside the freshly unwrapped cylinder, wind the valve into place and fill the thing for the going fill rate.

Pete

 

[cave_diver]

These days, I would not take any tank or bottle (except for Single Malt) on a plane. Several years back, some Mexican custom guys confiscated my brand new HID dive lights (two of them). They told me batteries are not allowed on planes anymore. I didn’t have any problems flying to Cancun, the way back home was the problem. Asking for a supervisor did not help, so I guess they just wanted to get cave certified.

 

[ClayJar]

The visual inspection serves two purposes. First, it is an inspection of the physical condition of the cylinder itself. Are there any areas of significant corrosion? Is there pitting? Are the threads intact? That sort of thing. It's also a check for contaminants. For standard compressed air service (i.e. not oxygen service), this is basically a "Does it smell? Is it funky? Is there crap in it?" (to use the technical jargon :biggrin.

The physical condition of the cylinder is not going to change over the space of a couple flights and a short vacation much more (if any more at all) than it would over the course of any other diving. Obviously, you look for any big dings, but you do that whenever you fill any cylinder (don't you? ). About the only thing that I'd consider worthy of an extra glance would be the threads, as with the valve off, there's a chance that there may have been damage there. As for potential contamination, a quick sniff and a glance inside is all that's needed to judge whether there's contamination sufficient to require a full workup.

If the threads look unremarkable and the sniff-and-peek has nothing of note, on goes the valve and in goes the air. Your annual visual inspection will be coming around when it comes, but I see no need to enforce a draconian inspection policy.