Hi! I'm a longtime reader first time poster. In my line of work, with the US gov, we get notices from time to time on security issues and the like. Our latest one suggested checking out www.TSATravelTips.us. After checking this out, I'm beginning to wonder if PSKs are going to be prohibited in checked baggage also. I haven't flown since 9/11 and would be interested if anybody has any experience with the new regs.

-Torus

For one thing, I never call it my "PSK." At least not in public. I never use the word "survival." PHRASECENSOREDPOSTERSHOULDKNOWBETTER. don't like it. Sounds aggressive. I use the word "preparedness," or I call it my Enhanced First Aid Kit, or simply my kit. It does contain first aid items and it is enhanced. I was asked about it just once. I replied it's a homemade First Aid Kit with a thyroid condition. The person laughed and that was it.

if you arent sure weither they acsept PSK's in checked in baggage, sent them up ! just take one of those express mail envelops or whatever you call them with you to the airport. ask the custom folks weither it's alouwed or not, if not trow your PSK in the envelop and post it. ( you could keep it at home, but that not why we carry PSK.... )

Are there any PSK-type items in particular (besides strike-anywhere matches) that you thought wouldn't be allowed in checked baggage? Just curious.

Upon reflection(i.e. reading more carefully), I was thinking about pointy things in carry-on to include fish hooks and safety pins; flammable and incendiary for checked baggage: matches (all types), spark-lites, etc. Curiously, small lighters such as BICs seem to be ok "on your person". I understand that it's not vital to have a carry-on PSK on commercial flights and I do ship my gear/tools ahead of time to the installation sites and my PSK goes with it, but it's somewhat annoying that I can't just carry it on. FWIW

-Torus

Over this side of the pond (UK) you would not get a SAK or a multi tool of any kind into the aircraft. I thought the need for preparedness is to be able to help yourself and othersif the situation takes a turn for the worse. Seems we have to rely on SAR to live up to their usual standard of excellence and effect a rescue asap.

I meant only inside checked luggage that is stowed in the luggage area.

Obviously any edged tools are a No Go these days inside the passenger cabin on any plane on either side of the pond.

This is a source of my worry. No matter how prepared I can be a lot of my skills revolves around tools. Take away everything but leave me with my Wave and I be all right. Leave me a PSK and I be surviving in style. The chances of anyone surviving a high speed commercial airliner crash are almost equal to zero but I like to think that I would be the one who makes it out. As a part of my future survival education I will slowly start to rely less on tools and more on my hands. A good book I picked up few days back (Air force Survival Guide) has a few pointers for tool less way of living.

I can't argue about airlines security policies because I barely made it out of the WTC so I think they are justified. On the other hand Kenya Airlines still serves dinners with stainless steel forks and knives.

Matt

Look on the bright side. In the case of a commercial airline crash, you will probably only have to survive for minutes or hours (if you survive at all). Most crashes occur at takeoffs and landings, and the location of the plane in flight is known quite accurately. If by some chance, help does not arrive immediately, you will be able to search through the checked baggage for survival items.

Three years ago an Alaska Airlines flight crashed into the Santa Barbara Channel just off of Anacapa Island. A boat arrived on scene within fifteen minutes (no survivors).

Probably the items most useful after a crash would be first aid knowledge and equipment - the ability to stop bleeding and stabilize fractures should be paramount. Help will arrive soon.

I share your feelings - I am not fully dressed until I have strapped on my Leatherman. I am less than thrilled at placing mine in checked luggage, but planes have been hijacked with less.

Guys;

Don't want to toot my own horn here, but I like to think I know something about security - I am a Certified Protection Professional from the American Society for Industrial Security and a Certified Information Systems Security Professional, as well as being (by employment) a Senior Information Security Analyst for a major Defense contractor.

Bottom line is, you can hijack an airliner with a wooden toothpick, if the passengers and crew will let you. OTOH, in 1970, an El Al pilot foiled a hijack attempt by two Palestinian terrorist who were armed with guns and explosives. He understood, 31 years (to the month) before 9/11, that if you're going to hijack an aircraft, you need to stand up; and if you stand up, you need to undo your seatbelt; and the minute you undo your seatbelt, you're toast with marmalade. I defy anyone to maintain their footing in an airliner with an ex-fighter pilot at the controls doing negative-G aerobatics . (The male hijacker was shot and killed by Israeli air marshals; the female, Leila Khaled, was knocked unconscious and woke up in custody.)

The real problem on September 11 wasn't that the hijackers had edged weapons. All you can do with a box-cutter is slash a couple of throats, and to be blunt, you could do far more damage in a shopping mall in Boise, Idaho than you could in an airliner. The problem on September 11 was the inappropriate responses of the crew (not their fault, because it was due to inappropriate training) and the lack of basic security precautions on board (such as having a locked cabin door).

It's flat out wrong to say, as Polak31 said, that your chances of surviving a high-speed plane crash are almost zero. Most fatal airline accidents have at least one survivor; in the Sioux City crash, approximately 2/3 of the passengers survived. There was one crash in Alaska where the pilots had to make an off-airport landing on a frozen river; the most serious injuries were frostbite to the passengers while waiting for rescue.
There was a crash in the Alps some years back where it took several hours for rescuers to find the crash; in the end, it was a news reporter who was first on the scene and guided the rescuers in by cell phone.

I agree, in the Continental US and southern Canada, rescuers will almost certainly be on the scene within minutes. In other parts of the world, including northern Canada and Alaska (or at least parts thereof), it may take some time to mobilize a response. Even if it doesn't, ten minutes standing around in minus 40 temperatures is a lot less fun than the same ten minutes at plus 60 or 70.

I agree that your most important survival considerations will be a good first aid kit (although they'll probably confiscate the paramedic shears if you have any), plus - depending on the weather conditions you expect to encounter - some way of constructing a shelter and building a fire for patients suffering from shock, frostbite or hypothermia.

If you really need a blade, buy a bottle of wine in the duty free shop. Then you can smash it and use the broken glass if you need to. <img src="images/graemlins/crazy.gif" alt="" />

>>If you really need a blade, buy a bottle of wine in the duty free shop. Then you can smash it and use the broken glass if you need to.<<

Ooh, good call! Not only as a blade but it'd also make an excellent bludgeon in the tiny chance someone is ever stupid enough to attempt to hijack another plane with any weapon less than high-capacity firearms or some form of explosives. I'm off to the duty-free shop! <img src="images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Personally I flew over Christmas for the first time since 9/11, mainly due to economics, not desire or any real concerns. I packed a picture cube 3"x3" made out of heavy plastic (Lucite I think) with sharp corners. In the incredibly small chance of something happening I figured it would be fairly effective either thrown or wrapped in a shirt and wielded like a flail. (Does anyone else's wife (or husband) think they're hopelessly paranoid?! <img src="images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" /> )

the sucurity folks dont really look for sharpeners...
so if somebody wants a "good" blade they could take a sharpening stone with them and sharpen the stanisless steel knife you get with your meal ( in the WC.. )

Did I get that right? They don´t allow you to bring pointy things on board and issue potential weapons when you´re on the plane <img src="images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" />?

those stainless steel food knife aint sharp ! ( that why the sharpeners come in handy for idiots ). you can make cutting movements with the knife on your arm without cutting your self... atleast with the airlines i flown with...

The bit about them giving you a fork and a knife reminds me about George Carlin's airline security routine! Anyways, I went on a flight
out of Regan over the Thanksgiving holiday, and I had packed a first aid kit altoids tin in my shaving kit, which was in my carry on (I'm a big believer in NOT checking luggage). It's makred first aid, but it is sealed with tape. I got stopped at 3 out of four legs of the trip and was searched. They went through my bags and my shaving kit, but nobody even batted an eye at my firstaid kit. Either they just weren't suprised at it, or they thought it was an actual altoids tin, or they missed it. Looking back at the experience, I think I'm going to make a special travel first aid kit for airplanes, and keep it with my luggage. The main difference would be that instead of using tape, I'd use ranger rick's rubber bands or a similar item to close it up; that would make it easier for the security personel to search it.

-Chris

Well, maybe you could still stab with the knife or the fork? Blunt tools cause very nasty wounds.

As I understand, this forum is not simply about how to bring your PSK in to the airplance, but about how to survive if you will not die during the airplane crash! <img src="images/graemlins/smirk.gif" alt="" /> Well (in my humble opinion), if you manage to survive airplane crash (as Polak187 said, we have very small chance of surviving the real crash), then there should be also a few other survivors who will survive it too, shouldn’t be? Even if you have your PSK, you will have to share it with other people, and I do not think it would satisfy needs of all survived passengers, because there are not many people who carry PSKs. <img src="images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" />Therefore, I do not think PSK will considerably improve your chances of survival and you will still not be able to sustain long period. Also, in some countries rescue missions may be delayed simply because of speculations that you did not survive, should be already dead, or simply cannot find you. <img src="images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" />So, you will need to ask for help and ask it quickly (if airplane already did not send its coordinates after crashing). Therefore the best option, to my opinion, is to keep GPS and satellite phone with yourself on the airplane and all the rest put in luggage. Also, GPS and satellite phone will help you more than knives and guns if you travel abroad, because in some countries you can be regularly searched by police that you will prefer not to have even a pen knife in your pocket to reduce possible troubles with police ( this is usually practised in countries with high crime rate, especially of former USSR) <img src="images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" /> . In case of danger you can use satellite phone to call for help. I do not think you should take the risk to bring in a prohibited item into the cabin of an airplane, especially when you have higher chance to be caught than to use it . What do you think?
Regards,

>> I do not think you should take the risk to bring in a prohibited item into the cabin of an airplane, especially when you have higher chance to be caught than to use it .<<

I agree 100% with that. t doesn´t make sense to try and sneak it into the cabin. For me it just doesn´t make sense to prohibit items that could possibly be used as a weapon (e. g. the 2" nail file or a ball point pen) and give items (e. g. the stainless steel knife or fork) that could be used as weapons with little or no effort to the passengers when they´re on board the plane.