Traveling with your RC??

[woody]

I am in the near furture, finally gonna make it back to the states after a long arduous duty in Okinawa. My only question, is have any of you guys ever flown with an RC?? I mean recently?? Or should I say since 9/11?? I know there are so many restrictions, I'm just wondering if I'm going to be able to fly with my RC?? Anything I should do to prep the vehicle??

Woody

 

[Rolex]

I don't see any problem with it as long as you are not transporting fuel, and the tank is empty. I would also suggest removing all the batteries in the transmitter and receiver. Batteries are usually a red flag for closer inspection when boxes or suitcases are x-rayed.

 

[woody]

Batteries, did'nt think about that. I guess a 6v hump pack could look like a bomb?? Maybe they think while being onboard flight for like 15 hours I could make something out of it? Thanks for the insight Rolex! Have you ever flown with an RC??

Woody

 

[olds97_lss]

Hell, it may cost you a bit of money, but maybe you should just pack it up nice and ship it.

I'd have to think with all the bomb sniffer stuff and whatnot, regardless if the tank is empty, it's going to set something off and you may not get it back.

Just a thought.

 

[FastEddy]

I wouldn't take any chances, Just ship it.
What if.....
You get some butthead who doesn't understand what it is and decides to kick it off of the load? It could be a big headache. Just ship it a week or two before you leave so you know its on its way.

 

[Rolex]

Batteries, did'nt think about that. I guess a 6v hump pack could look like a bomb?? Maybe they think while being onboard flight for like 15 hours I could make something out of it? Thanks for the insight Rolex! Have you ever flown with an RC??Woody

I fly R/C, but I don't fly WITH R/C. It was just some common sense with today's increased security. Dogs might hit on the smells coming from fuel or oil residue, also, so I would agree with the others. Ship it.
The last time I flew, you could go look in the cockpit and talk to the pilots with a cigarette in your hand.

 

[woody]

Well, I'm gonna have it as a carry on. Not as checked baggage! So, no dogs! The only places I would be screened, is once when I am trying to check my baggage, and then again when I try to get into the terminal. So, I'm thinking the worst that could happen would be that they make me take it out, and look at it! Inspect the gas tank, fuel lines, etc... So, you guys suggest I ship it?? Damn, that's like $50 a pop X 3 = $150. I will not ship it in my household goods!

Woody

 

[Rolex]

If you're military, and traveling in uniform, you might get a little more slack, but be prepared to open it up for inspection. Lots of mechanical parts on X-ray will probably warrant a closer look.
You gotta' remember, it was a Toshiba tape deck that took down Pan Am's flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland.

 

[FastEddy]

If they wont let you take it on for some reason what then? You going to leave it there? Think shipping is expensive on your own, see what they will charge you to ship it from the airport if you get a jerk at the security line.

Its a gamble.

 

[olds97_lss]

If they wont let you take it on for some reason what then? You going to leave it there? Think shipping is expensive on your own, see what they will charge you to ship it from the airport if you get a jerk at the security line.

Its a gamble.

Exactly. A friend of mine had his $300 tool kit confiscated at the metal detector. For our job, we were given a pretty good tool kit to work on the printers and whatnot we set up at job sites. Between the Fluke meter and the soldering iron, they almost made him strip down... I packed mine in my luggage.

This was before 9/11.

 

[ZANDOR]

Don't take the chance package them up really good and ship them back to the states.If you try to carry them on theres a very good chance that you won't be flying that day.Call air port security.and ask about it first.Make sure you get names of any one you talk to about it and what threr position is.

 

[Rolex]

Zandor makes a good point.
The other thing I just thought of is SERVOs. That's what's often used to set off a remotely triggered device. I'm sure they are all trained to identify a servo in the X-ray scanner. One paranoid or 'power tripping' security person, and it won't matter what you tell them.
For the extra bucks, shipping it will avoid what might become a MAJOR headache.

 

[PiErow]

I'm going to daytona in november. I want to take the savage since its about the same time I'm getting parts for it. Not no more!

 

[jetmechG550]

I work in Aviation and travel both on private aircraft and the airlines. I've traveled with my rc's both electric and nitro and never had any problems although on private I'm the screener for myself. On the airlines though I have just packed it in my bags and checked things in never as a carry on. Chances are they will swab it if it is a carry on. Call the airline you are traveling on and check with them first, if they allow you 3 bags you may want to just pack all you rc's into one suitcase. Even if they charge you $50 for extra baggage it would still be cheaper than $50 each for shipping. You also may want to flush the tank just in case, it really doesn't take much to be considered HazMat. I would say from experience that you should be fine if you have them checked in a suitcase. Good luck

 

[wannarunem]

...u may have to prove that ur transmitter actually goes to the receiver...they may ask u to pull the trigger and see if it moves the servos. I had to do this..but it was before 9/11

 

[Buncrana]

Don't take the chance package them up really good and ship them back to the states.If you try to carry them on theres a very good chance that you won't be flying that day.Call air port security.and ask about it first.Make sure you get names of any one you talk to about it and what threr position is.

Good advise and get there extra, extra early just in case. I would have the batteries installed and charged though as they will very well ask you to turn it on and show them it works as it is supposed to do. You can not even bring in a laptop without it being able to turn on now. Now, if it is too big for carry on, ask your airline/security to fully inspect it in your pressence, box it and seal it as "inspected" so no one decides to open it up again without your knowledge. Oh, and do not describe them as "nitro" rc's but rather as "gas powered" rc's.

 

[Lightning1]

Hi i recently flew from england to australia..
Firstly i phoned up the Airline and explained that i wanted to take my RC Nitro car on the plane with me.. They said that it would not be a problem as long as the car was Completly cleaned out of fuel so that if you smelt the petrol tank and the engine it should not smell of fuel atall.
So i stripped down the car and cleaned it completly i cleaned the engine out of fuel and cleaned the inside of the tank too.
I took the RC on the plane as hand luggage and all my spares and receiver and controller batteries in my suitcase.
I had no prooblem atall I took the car through customs and it waant even checked.
I would sugest to take the car on as hand luggage so that if thier are any quieries you are thier to answer them.
Also if you have any spares or batteries put them in a small bag in your suitcase and lable them so that people know what they are when the suitcases get checked.
Just make sure thier are no batteries left in the controller.
I hope this helps i had no problem when i took my RC car stuff with me and that was a couple of months back.

 

[RAMTech-RC]

I travel all of the time with my Savage and/or E-Maxx.

1) Remove the fuel tank, and put it in a sealed bag in your luggage.
2) remove all batteries.
3) Transmitter in luggage.
4) wheels, body in luggage
5) cleaned truck in a clear plastic bag, then in a duffel bag. Carry it on.
6) RC magazines in the duffel bag, so they know what it is, and you can show them pics of other similar "toys".

Worst comes to worse, tell them its a gift for your son, so they don't think your a grown man playing with toys. About 18 flights, and only once was it a hassle, but early on, before I learned all of these tips.

Rob

 

[Hypedonrc]

Batteries, did'nt think about that. I guess a 6v hump pack could look like a bomb ?? Maybe they think while being onboard flight for like 15 hours I could make something out of it? Thanks for the insight Rolex! Have you ever flown with an RC??

Woody

He said "flight" and "bomb" in the same sentence! Quick, someone call the FBI! LOL!!!!!!!!

This is very interesting. I always want to take my RC/'s on vacation, but am nervous of them being confiscated. Another thing to consider is you are flying into the US, not Australia. I went to Australia last year, and customs there were as if it was a continental US flight, but on the way back they were very picky. It could have been the day, or agents I don't know, but I will say it is alot easier for a US citizen then it appeared to be fo the Aussies, New Zelanders, and Asians also on the plan. Good luck, and let us know how it turns out.

Also, you could ship the questionable parts like the fuel tanks, batteries, Tx, and Rx all in one package for the $50, and bring the rest on the plane. Just another option.

 

[windy city maniac]

Not To Worry I Flew From Chicago To Texas My R/c As A Carry On, No Hassel At All I Just Wouldnt Bring Any Screw Drivers Or Any Tools As Carry On.