What is allowed on planes nowadays, I am flying with my DW and kids to Chicago in Oct. and was wondering if I can take my DR PSK on the plane or if I have to check it?

Mike

P.S. All of the items below will travel with me if allowed except hospital pager

You won't be able to carry on the Swiss Army knife. Any fishhooks in the personal survival kit would probably be confiscated at security screening. The Leatherman might also be a problem.

Here is a complete list of prohibited items from TSA:

http://www.tsa.gov/travelers/airtravel/prohibited/permitted-prohibited-items.shtm

As you can see, no knives so the SAK, Leatherman, and the scapel blade and maybe fishing hooks from the PSP are out of the question.

Grant,

You might have trouble with the fishhooks, scalpel blade, tinder quick and sparklite.

When I flew this summer, I changed some of the items and pack location to look less obvious.

• Stuck freshnel lens in paperback book. If asked I would have replied that it helps me with the small print.
• Took extra pair of showlaces, put them in ziplock baggy and added the duct tape. Looked like repair kit.
• Put the signal mirror in ziplock bag with comb, toothbrush, small tube of toothpaste, cheap bic razor. Looked like a shaving kit.
• Took DR PSK and added bandaids, motrin, tylenol, alcohol wipe with other FAK type items. Looked like small first aid kit.

The goal is to look ordinary and safe while carrying allowed items to suppliment PSK. It wasn't perfect, but I felt like I covered most contingencies for 2 hour overland flight.

Edit - You also might be able to carry pack of safety matches.

kd7fqd,

What is allowed and what you can carry are two different things. My DW and I traveled to Alaska and back this summer using two airlines, four airports and through 2 countries. My carry on had a DR PSK with original contents, ham radio, AMK FAK, batteries, headphones, couple of MP3 players, wires, antennas, cameras, etc. Never did anyone give it a second look. My wife's purse with a metal aerosal container caused panic in the TSA workers. Go figure.

I did attach my pocket knife to a chain and dropped it through the handle opening of my checked bag so I could easily retrieve to cut the zip ties with which I secured all the luggage.

I flew to Reno last month and put all of my PSK,FAK and outher items in my check bag. With no problems. No lighters thou, TSA is death on lighters, the matches made it thru ( go figure.)

There's been a change in the lighter ban. New Policies for Lighters Pictured are Bic, Cricket and Zippo lighters.

The problem is that the TSA does not follow their own rules and has a tendency to make them up as they go. Do the words arbitrary and capricious come to mind? Do yourself a favor and simply put anything questionable in your checked luggage. None of us like flying "naked" but its a better alternative than having to throw something away or miss your flight arguing with someone who could care less.

Craig.

Common Lighters with fuel are prohibited in checked baggage.

Thank Guys (and Gals) really helps, I think I will check everything and save myself the headache of being naked if I leave anything behind

Mike