Hi WScott,

Robbie the Pict used to carry his Scottish Broadsword as carry on gear before the restrictions on what was allowed and what was not allowed on International Flights. I don't know about today though.



Robbie the Pict.

I would still argue that this is pretty much the worst attitude you could have if you were ever so unfortunate as to be involved in an airliner crash. I've heard studies that many survivors of disasters turned out to be the ones who went on board with at least some sort of action plan in mind.

Maybe for overland flights your odds fare better, but the statistics for transatlantic flights do not support your optimism. I know of no water crashes on commercial flights with any survivors.

Though the odds of a catastrophic event in commercial aircraft flying over the north Atlantic are highly unlikely, the outcome seems even more certain when such an event does occur. It doesn't seem to matter what plans get made. Once the crash in the water up there is inevitable, the outcome is pretty much going to be permanent.

I favour the "be prepared" philosophy rather than the "give up" philosophy. You don't say where you will be flying from or what route you'll take, but at least some of it will be over land. Air plane crashes vary a lot. If the pilot has some control they might be able to divert to land, or to put down on the water relatively gently. So it is worth taking what you can.

You will probably need to have it in your pockets, as you shouldn't expect to carry your hand-luggage off during an emergency evacuation. Pay close attention to the safety briefing - for example, the best crash position varies between aircraft. Remember that you release a car seatbelt by pushing, and an aircraft seatbelt by lifting (people have died from getting this wrong). Don't assume the briefing will be repeated if there's an actual emergency. There may not be time. The pilot may be too busy to keep the cabin crew informed.

Make a plan. Count the number of rows from your seat to the nearest exit in front and behind you. There should be strip lighting on the floor which changes colour at an exit, but that's not much use if the aircraft is upside down and full of smoke.

Other people have given good advice for what to carry. I'd emphasis good footware, clothing, water, and a light or two.

Personally I take a smart-phone with a lot of e-Books on it, plus one or two paper books (that don't need batteries and don't make the cabin crew nervous). Also, since you mention geocaching, it can be fun to take a GPS unit on board. Last time I went skiing I took my GpsMap60Cx, which got good signal inside the plane and on which I had loaded maps of the plane's path.

No, you can carry knives if you have a good reason. "Self-defence" isn't a good reason, but taking home one you've just bought is.

Is there any truth to what I've heard -- that of course nothing is worn under a kilt ... because if one were wearing underwear underneath, it would be a skirt and not a kilt?

I carry 12-inch long heavy-duty plastic cable ties on-board all the time. I've never been questioned about them -- but they are of course (ahem) to secure the zippers on my soft-sided luggage, instead of messing around with those fakakta TSA-approved padlocks.

here's what i carry whenever i fly. it's all legal as carry-on and if I survive the crash should keep me from becoming carrion.

emergency poncho
tube tent
emergency blanket
50ft 550 cord
Swedish flint
butane Bic lighter(legal again, horray! ^_^)
bandanna
large Nalgene bottle
steel cup fit on bottom of Nalgene
small PFAK. (band-aids, single sized advill, alka seltzer, pepcid, pepto, imodium, benadryl, week of Rx meds, gauze pads, med tape, small folding scissors)
Wild Cards (deck of playing cards printed with pics and descriptions of edible plants)
Howler whistle
2 pairs of extra socks
two pairs extra underwear
iPod
laptop
Inova X1 with one extra battery
dogtag in my boot
two good books

It all fits in the detachable pouch on my Breakaway Bag. The evil, terrorist aiding Leatherman and Altoids PSK are in the main pack with my clothes as Checked Luggage.
I've yet to be stopped for the Swedish flint. the steel striker for the flint could be sharpened on a rock, as could the stainless steel ID tag attached to my carry on. The blanket and tent would serve well for signaling as well as shelter. This is ETS so i won't go into the paracord.

I understand your point here, but one of the only reasons I check bags any more is to pack survival gear such as a knife and multi-tool. As a frequent traveller, however, my instincts are to NOT check luggage because it so frequently gets lost or, at a minimum, delayed. To me, that's when it really matters what you have in your carry-on. More than once I've been stuck in a LaQuinta Inn near an airport with only what I had in my carry-on. That's when I'm happy to have at least the bare minimum with me. So while I agree with you that an hour or two in an airport doesn't warrant extensive gear-obsessing, an hour or two often turns into an involuntary sleepover.

In reply to your question about undergarments. I and several friends were invited to a Scotish wedding. We were all expected to wear the traditional costume. Preparations were made that this French contingent including myself would be equipped with said costume at a reputable outfitters in Glasgow.

The day before the happy day the troup set off to the aforementioned outfitters. Each was presented with the appropriate kit and like you the question was asked and the reply was.....nothing.

So picture if you will 15 Frenchmen and one Brit standing proudly in the church grounds waiting for the ceremony to begin and praying ferverently for the wind to stop blowing and the that the Scots to stop smiling at us in that " first time in a kilt" kind of way ; )

All the ladies on the forum will understand that I never realised how cold a church bench can be until your wear a kilt.