Taking Parachutes Along
As a result of USPA and Parachute Industry Association efforts, the Transportation Security Administration has issued nationwide guidance to its screeners, inspectors, and supervisors about the carriage of parachute rigs on board commercial airlines. First and foremost, the directive makes it absolutely clear that the TSA allows parachutes on board as both carry-on and checked items. The guidance also advises that some parachutes contain internal components (automatic activation devices) that are also allowed and are not considered to be hazardous. X-ray images of an AAD-equipped rig are also supplied. Finally, the guidance describes how screeners are to process parachute rigs.

Here is what skydivers need to know.

While rigs with or without AADs are now officially accepted as carryon and checked items, skydivers may still encounter occasional problems. TSA screeners have a duty to thoroughly inspect any item that raises suspicion, and to refuse items when their suspicions cannot be resolved. Screeners have been advised that under no circumstances are they to touch or pull handles or otherwise forcefully open any parachute. Further, if screeners determine that it is necessary to open a rig for complete inspection, then the owner of the rig must be present and allowed to assist. For this reason, skydivers are advised to add at least 30 minutes to the airline's recommended arrival window.

The TSA uses a variety of explosive detection systems at various airports. USPA has run a variety of rigs and AADs through the systems at a TSA lab. Results show that rigs and components will not trigger explosive detection systems. However, there are a variety of substances that skydivers may encounter in everyday life that will trigger these systems, things like grass fertilizer, fireworks, and firearms residue that contain nitrates, and hand lotion which contains glycerides. As a result, someone who has recently walked a golf course, shot off fireworks or firearms, or applied hand lotion, and then packed their rig for travel may have ensured that their rig will trigger a trace detection machine, which will require the screener to open a rig for thorough inspection.

Following are suggested ways of reducing suspicion when traveling with a rig.

Carry On
Skydivers may find that taking their rig as a carryon item may prove to be more hassle-free than checking the rig. Rigs should be inside a gear bag or other suitable carryon container. No other items should be packed with the parachute, as they may create suspicion and necessitate further search. Obvious TSA attention-getters are things like lead weights, hook knives, and flotation gear. Such items should be checked if possible. Screeners should no longer be surprised or confused by suspicious-looking x-ray images of AAD-equipped rigs. If screeners suspect an item in the bag for some reason, they will request to look inside the bag. If suspicions remain, the screener may swab the bag and rig to determine if there are any trace explosives. The screener should require the rig to be opened for a thorough search only if trace explosives are detected. If a rig needs to opened, the owner will be allowed to assist and the search may be done in a location away from the checkpoint and with enough space. The owner will be allowed to repack the rig. (The necessity of a gear bag will become obvious to the skydiver who threw his rig over his shoulder, not expecting to open his reserve, and not equipped to then close it.) All in all, chances are excellent that the rig will smoothly ride through the x-ray machine.

Checked Item
If checked, chances are slightly higher that a rig may have to be opened, and then only at the smaller commercial airports. Again, screeners will not open rigs without the owner being present and able to assist. Large commercial airports run all checked bags through sophisticated explosive detection systems. Bags are only opened and hand-searched if they trigger the machine, so chances are slight that a gear bag and rig will need to be opened (unless packed after golfing, fertilizing your lawn, shooting fireworks, and applying hand lotion). Small commercial airports use less sophisticated explosive trace detection machines supplemented by random hand searches. At these airports, chances are increased that a gear bag may be randomly selected for a hand search. If the screener determines that the parachute rig needs to be opened, the owner will be paged and told where to report to be present and assist.

In certain circumstances at check-in, the passenger may be offered an opportunity to withdraw the rig from checked baggage and take it as a carryon item through the passenger-screening checkpoint. However, this will not be an option if the screener has begun the search of the item. After check-in, it is likely that the checked rig will be screened by TSA within 30 minutes. Therefore, remaining near the ticket counter for 30 minutes and paying close attention to airport paging announcements could hasten the process if the TSA needs to open the rig. If TSA cannot locate the rig's owner, the rig will not be transported on the flight.

Problems?
Skydivers encountering problems with screeners should request that the screener's supervisor become involved. Skydivers should insist that the supervisor review " Chapter Section 17.2 of Version 4.0 of the Screening Checkpoint Standard Operating Procedure." Skydivers encountering unsatisfactory treatment should contact USPA at 540-604-9740 or e-mail us. Be ready to provide the airport, date and time of flight, airline and flight number, and names of TSA officials involved.

Jumpers may want to print a copy of this "travel tips" from the TSA website explaining the new procedures and carry along their USPA membership card.

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