Author Topic: Airport security and airplane parts (Read 809 times)

Wolfala · « **on:** December 15, 2006, 08:59:57 AM »

A funny thing happened to me while trying to go through security yesterday. To recap, i'm heading out to Alburquerque NM to do an annual on a SR-20 and then drag it back to California. So my suitcase is filled 1/2 way with clothes, and the other 50 % is airplane parts. Barney at security sends it through the x-ray and has the WTF expression on his face. Keep in mind this is checked baggage, not carryon so like the inspection ruler, mirror and anything sharp is in that. It took a good 20 minutes of explaining why I was carrying on oil filter, dry sump pump, handheld radio, and induction filter and all the other misc items in checked baggage.

With that excitement out of the way, I get pulled out of the regular security line for 20 minutes while they run bomb residue tests on an insulin pump! Guy can't catch a break - even with a military ID.

****in A.

Wolf

SFRT - Frenchy · « **Reply #1 on:** December 15, 2006, 09:45:49 AM »

I had many stories of barneys at airport security. Similar to you, I had Barney pining me for carrying a headset in my carry on. Then he inquired about my flight maps/approach plates. Had to wait 10 min for his supervisor to come and tell him : "He's an airline pilot, he's supposed to carry this stuff"... Yeah ... WTF you think I'm in a pilot uniform for?

Airscrew · « **Reply #2 on:** December 15, 2006, 09:49:09 AM »

You expected different? from a TSA employee working a job that probably its minimal educational requirement is a GED, and to be able to get to work on time.

Bodhi · « **Reply #3 on:** December 15, 2006, 10:04:33 AM »

Wolfala, I regularly carry aircraft parts on airlines. Along with large tool boxes and such (checked on these). Your absolute best bet, is to treat the TSA personnel like two year olds that are kings of a country. Just be up front and open about what you have in a bag. They will be look, not understand it, look it up in their regs, and generally let you along your merry way. I have only had one problem and that was with a screener in DFW, so, I just said I was going to check it, and went through another line 20 gates down....

BigGun · « **Reply #4 on:** December 15, 2006, 10:14:21 AM »

the worst is when you are in Lubbock Tx, trying to fly home, and they won't let you past security because your Drivers License is 3 days expired. Made me miss the flight, but after 45 minutes they eventually let me pass, only after looking through all items.

LLv34 Jarsci · « **Reply #5 on:** December 15, 2006, 10:51:35 AM »

And guys, this **** is getting worse every day and spreads everywhere...

Our airport manager at EFOU seems to be a security fanatic and now we have more security personnel running over here than other combined. Airline pilots tend to get picked up and checked more often than standard passengers, own staff has to be checked every time and go thru metal detectors and xrays... even that we have coded ID passes which tell where we have rights to enter.

SHEEESH...

When its 10th time you pass the security port inside same day you start thinking that the terrorists have won... because all this Fu*****ed up S**t cannont stop a single determined terrorist but causes enormous costs and problems for normal passengers-->on shorter trips other means of travel start to see much more comfortable...business shooting on its own leg.

Couple of months ago they issued orders about liquids on the trip.. ludicruos!

100ml of liquids in closed zip bags...

Rino · « **Reply #6 on:** December 15, 2006, 11:20:05 AM »

Quote

Originally posted by SFRT - Frenchy
I had many stories of barneys at airport security. Similar to you, I had Barney pining me for carrying a headset in my carry on. Then he inquired about my flight maps/approach plates. Had to wait 10 min for his supervisor to come and tell him : "He's an airline pilot, he's supposed to carry this stuff"... Yeah ... WTF you think I'm in a pilot uniform for?

To pick up airport bar chicks..sheesh, I thought these guys got training!

Chairboy · « **Reply #7 on:** December 15, 2006, 11:25:04 AM »

One time I was flying back to LA w/ my flight bag as carryon. The TSA guy was alarmed at my headset, charts, etc, and began grilling me. He called his supervisor over.

Supervisor came over, checked out what I had. "Pilot?" he asked. I mentioned I was a student. "Good headset, I like the Dave Clarks too. When you've got some more hours, give me a call (he hands me a card, it identifies him as part of the Civil Air Patrol) if you'd like to know more about what we do. Have a good flight, and good luck with your training."

The original TSA guy was confused, didn't quite understand what had happened as I walked away. Judging by the look his supervisor gave him, the boss guy wasn't terribly impressed with this guard's spidey senses.

Golfer · « **Reply #8 on:** December 15, 2006, 11:47:00 AM »

Troy Smith had to check his Heisman Trophy when the TSA wouldn't let him carry it on.

I'm sooooo much safer today because I was protected from having my eye poked out by the finger on the Heisman Trophy.

Vipermann · « **Reply #9 on:** December 15, 2006, 01:34:56 PM »

Just as a counter-balance to these stories, I went through 6 screenings in the past 1 1/2 weeks and only was stopped once to make me turn my laptop on.

Of course on my 2nd to last trip, in the St. Thomas airport all the TSA guys too busy with the 2 elderly people in front of me going through their bags to see if there was any explosives in the hand cream the poor woman had forgotten to put in a plastic bag.

wooley · « **Reply #10 on:** December 15, 2006, 02:05:22 PM »

Here's my week:

Monday morning: Fly from John Wayne to Oakland - get selected for additional screening because my name is 'Graeme' and obviously that weird foreign spelling makes me a terrorist. Remove all items from bag plus the usual belt, shoes watch etc etc. Wipe everything down for traces of explosives. Get questioned over how someone with a British accent came to have a California drivers' license by someone with a Vietnamese accent so strong I can barely understand them then told to hurry up whilst repacking delicate electrical equipment.

Monday 10am: Arrive at Federal Building in San Francisco - get selected for additional screening because my name is 'Graeme' and obviously that weird foreign spelling makes me a terrorist. Remove all items from bag plus the usual belt, shoes watch etc etc. Wipe everything down for traces of explosives.

Monday 1pm: Take client for lunch then return to Federal building to continue meeting - get selected for additional screening because my name is 'Graeme' and obviously that weird foreign spelling makes me a terrorist. Remove all items from bag plus the usual belt, shoes watch etc etc. Wipe everything down for traces of explosives.

Monday 5pm: Fly home from Oakland to John Wayne. Join queue for security that runs the entire length of terminal building, out the door and along most of the exterior. 80 minutes later, get selected for additional screening because my name is 'Graeme' and obviously that weird foreign spelling makes me a terrorist. Remove all items from bag plus the usual belt, shoes watch etc etc. Wipe everything down for traces of explosives.

Repeat on Wednesday and Friday.

The terrorists are winning - I'm not scared to leave the house. I'm just totally fed up with the hassle.

Skuzzy · « **Reply #11 on:** December 15, 2006, 02:10:51 PM »

Well, if you did not have that oddly spelled last name of 'Graeme' you probably could avoid being selected for additional screening as it is obvious that weird foreign spelling makes you a terrorist.

Change it to 'Smith'. Not 'Smythe' (see the first sentence in this post as to why). Just 'Smith'.

Chairboy · « **Reply #12 on:** December 15, 2006, 03:21:45 PM »

Time to get that private pilot certificate. Perhaps the TSA is actually just one big plot by the AOPA to revitalize general aviation.

Chairboy · « **Reply #13 on:** December 15, 2006, 03:26:22 PM »

BTW, the reason you can't get accurate cellphone coverage maps?

To stop the terrorists.

http://redtape.msnbc.com/2006/12/why_cell_phone_.html

And yet, there are still people on this board that think everything is ok. Astonishing.

Russian · « **Reply #14 on:** December 15, 2006, 03:27:13 PM »

It was quite amusing watching those dudes pull apart A and C bags of 50 airmen from my squad. And then they started checking for bomb residue.

That was after we spend a week in the field where we blow up 4 large craters in a runway with over 300 pounds of explosives. Surprisingly none of us got arrested….