- Hello all. I am going to be traveling on an airplane carrying some Trimble equipment. I have a mega case that holds all of the receivers, chords, radio etc. etc. is this allowed as a checked baggage? I??ve never flown with my equipment before. I have a bag that has the tripods rods shovel etc. etc. in it And plan on carrying on my data collector with all the extra receiver batteries. Will there be any problems does anybody know?
Keep the batteries with you as a carry on - like small backpack. You will be fine. FWIW, golf club hard cases are great for survey gear.?ÿ Depending on where youa re going, it may be cheaper and easier to just buy a shovel, etc. etc. and leave behind.?ÿ
thanks for the reply. Thats kinda what i figured but didnt want to show up at airport and get rejected! I have a Seeco bag that holds my tripods and other equipment?ÿ
I would order cheap batteries on Amazon (if they exist) and not attempt to fly with them. That way if they balk, you won't need too throw the good-expensive batteries away to get on the plane.
Then you can UPS Ground the new cheap batteries back to the office when you return.
Sometimes I get away with 12 batteries, other times they limit me to one. It is just easier to have some $12 batteries arrive a day in advance at the hotel.
When I carry receivers overseas, I always break the receivers apart from the cables and pack them with my underwear. I think the cables make them threatening on the xray machine. If you leave the country, it can be a real mess to transport GNSS receivers and do the paperwork to make the process legal. Much better to just sneak around. If they ask you what they are, claim they are a cpap machine.
Thanks Mark for that input. Im flying from Texas to Nevada. I have 4 batteries for my receivers and 4 for my TSC7. I'm going to carry them on in my collector bag and everything else I'm gonna try and check in the Mega Case. No time to order batteries. I will update my success or failure when I return. Thanks again.?ÿ
Until last February I flew quite a bit with equipment.?ÿ Here are a couple of pointers.
1) I don't ship my gear as baggage.?ÿ Instead it goes as air cargo.?ÿ You have to plan ahead for this but years ago I was told by some the baggage handlers that this is the only way to go.?ÿ Firs it is way cheaper, I can get a couple of GNSS receivers, an instrument, 3 tripods and kit to S. CA for less than $200.?ÿ Second, it is palletized and does not get thrown around like a tire at the ape exhibit at you local zoo.?ÿ As I said above, it takes a little pre planning.?ÿ You need to get registered as a know shipper with each airline you plan on shipping from.?ÿ It is a TSA thing and I've never figured out why the list is not good for all carriers.?ÿ Second, most often you need to take it to a different part of the airport.?ÿ I usually get to the airport several hours before my flight departs, drop off the cargo, check myself in and then enjoy some adult quiet time in the airlines lounge (worth the yearly fee).?ÿ For the most part my equipment fly in the same plane as me.
2) Batteries are a big issue now days.?ÿ You cannot have any Lithium batteries under the plane.?ÿ I just throw them all in my carry on.?ÿ I don't think this will work with the larger external batteries but I've carried like 15 batteries loose in my carry on with now problem.
Made it fine to Reno. Mega case works Awsome!! Everything except collector ?ÿand batteries checked as baggage just fine. It was 220 bucks for 3 bags but, well worth it. Collector and batteries (8) carry on no problem. Beats driving 25 hrs for a small 2 day job. Turned 6 days of travel into 2!
