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sound devices and all audio gear on airliner


alidav

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I fly 2 to 4 times a month with my gear and since 4 years I am done with all the hassle, so I bought a big suitcase for check in, no on board for me anymore. Everything goes in there including boom poles. I only do take it on board if production really insists. Usually camera department is in deeper shit if the cargo doesn't make it so that's that. 

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There is an exiting thread about this (sort of) and I’ll add the link below. Here was my response: 

 

I travel exclusively for gigs (150K+ actual miles every year) and I have my kit streamlined for it. My two carry ons consist of:

1) my bag rig with 5 transmitters + lavs, all neatly buttoned up.

2) my run bag backpack with necessary accessories, including 4x98mwh batts, a few IFBs and hops. 

 

I then check all all other gear in one 1650 pelican. My goal is to have everything I need to shoot for a day or two as carry on in case of lost luggage. The only necessary thing I don’t carry on is a boom pole as I’ve been stopped before and ordered to check the pole so I don’t bother trying any more.

 

Be aware that TSA is different at every airport (and even maddeningly fluctuates within each airport on any given day) and you will more than likely have your rig set aside for additional screening. Leave time for this, as some agents may want you to disassemble your whole bag to run it through again. After years of dealing with this I’ve gotten pretty good at talking them out of that level of nonsense - but there’s always a chance some newbie is too scared to just swab it and let it go.

 

Cheers,

Evan

 

 

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I carry on my bag + transmitters + supporting accessories (batteries etc) onboard so if my checked equipment doesn't make it, I can make do for a day or so while they try to find my luggage or we source local parts.  I hate the idea of landing and having 100% of my stuff missing.

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I would have thought that with products such as SD Mix Pre 6, with a twin channel Rx (or two) and Tx's, plus a small boom mic (I am liking my Senn 8050 in a Cinela Cosi) one could put together a tiny, emergency kit which could easily become a part of one's hand baggage. Put the rest of the (grown up) kit in the hold and enjoy belt and braces, the best of both worlds.

 

It's all getting smaller and smaller......

 

Simon B

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I carry on my bag with my lithium ion batteries and check everything else. There is always a chance of getting stopped at security but it usually only takes an extra 5 minutes for them to swab it and move on. 

 

Batteries are are the biggest hassle as each TSA agent thinks they know the rules when they actually don’t. 

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8 hours ago, Dalton Patterson said:

Am I the only one that thinks FedEx/UPS with insurance up the wazoo. Just ship that ish straight to the hotel. Have it waiting for you a week in advance. 

 

that's interesting for inner country flights, but for international travel poses a few problems:

it's usually quite expensive, sometimes gets delayed on the way, plus you might get hit with customs problems.

(I've had fedex parcels stuck in some international depot for a week without anybody being able to tell me exactly what the issue is).

 

however, I do like to ship the batteries ahead (with an emergency one in hand luggage) since if they get lost they can be usually sourced quite fast again.

christoph

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1 hour ago, Dalton Patterson said:

FYI- USPS Lithiums are No Go. 

 

true, it's getting harder and harder to travel with lithium (or any batteries really, I've run into airport security who didn't want to let me take NiMH on board recently).

what I'm planning for the next international project is shipping a few NiMH batteries ahead and have some in the carry-on, chances are pretty good that one or the other will make it.

If there's enough time for coordination the easiest seems simply rent the batteries locally, but it's a bit scary not having things under control, specially if you have to start shooting right upon arrival. 

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There are IATA regulations that are quite clear :

 

The lithium ion batteries must have a power rating of not more than 100 Wh unless the passenger has approval from the operator, in which case the lithium ion battery must not have a Watt-hour rating exceeding 160 Wh.

 

I don't understand why they don't follow that rool?

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On 11/21/2018 at 11:26 PM, Patrick Tresch said:

There are IATA regulations that are quite clear :

 

yes they are, but that last time at the airport the person who was responsible picked up a thick folder with regulations and after over half an hour said to me "no batteries over 12V are allowed", and when asked if I could talk to someone about it she said she's the person in charge for this.

luckily she took mercy in the end and said that if each of us only took one battery and the people at the x-ray let us through it is ok (we were 6 people, had 4 batteries and were about to miss our flight, so I didn't argue this logic).

that was in germany btw.

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7 hours ago, Dave Pullmer said:

Are most of the frequent flyers here using a pelican 1650 as their check in?

 

What other check in bags are your choice to travel with? I currently use a 1535 and a backpack, but have been thinking about getting a bigger bag to check in so im not so tight for space.

I am traveling to a lot of difficult areas for journalists and film crew, so I always use strong regular suitcases. Since I do that I get stoped about never. Before that I was always picked out by the police at certain airports/countries. I could count on that.

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On TSA regulations, I am reading that spare batteries exceeding 100 WH are not allowed also in the checked luggage, what is your experience about it.

Since I have 2 V-Mounts camera batteries with dtap, (1 of 98 Wh and one 165 Wh) I thought to carry the 98 on the cabin in the bag with my sound devices and leave  the 175 Wh in the pelican case suitcase for checkin with the rest of the equipment, (cable, receivers etc.)

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1 hour ago, alidav said:

On TSA regulations, I am reading that spare batteries exceeding 100 WH are not allowed also in the checked luggage, what is your experience about it.

 

no lithium whatsoever in the checked luggage.

I forgot to take out a powerbank-flashlight (10Ah/5V -> 50Wh) from the checked luggage, had a note in the bag on arrival that it was removed and I could pick it up within 30days at the starting airport.

 

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7 hours ago, Vincent R. said:

I am traveling to a lot of difficult areas for journalists and film crew, so I always use strong regular suitcases. Since I do that I get stoped about never. Before that I was always picked out by the police at certain airports/countries. I could count on that.

Nice. Also less of a target for theft. Most of my travel is pretty tame (around north america), but I would definitely ditch the pelicans in situations theyd stick out too much.

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8 hours ago, alidav said:

On TSA regulations, I am reading that spare batteries exceeding 100 WH are not allowed also in the checked luggage, what is your experience about it.

Since I have 2 V-Mounts camera batteries with dtap, (1 of 98 Wh and one 165 Wh) I thought to carry the 98 on the cabin in the bag with my sound devices and leave  the 175 Wh in the pelican case suitcase for checkin with the rest of the equipment, (cable, receivers etc.)

No lithium’s in checked luggage. You can end up with mega fines from the TSA. Even possible jail time. Only carry ons for lithium’s and you can only have 2 batteries between 100-150Wh. If they are under 100wh them you can have as many as you can carry. Over 150wh are not allowed. 

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12 hours ago, Vincent R. said:

I am traveling to a lot of difficult areas for journalists and film crew, so I always use strong regular suitcases. Since I do that I get stoped about never. Before that I was always picked out by the police at certain airports/countries. I could count on that.

 

I need to go incognito like that in a week or so. What brand of durable “civilian” luggage do you use? I need a strong rolling case. 

 

Cheers,

Evan

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1 minute ago, hobbiesodd said:

 

I need to go incognito like that in a week or so. What brand of durable “civilian” luggage do you use? I need a strong rolling case. 

 

Cheers,

Evan

Sorry no brand here, Just a cheap one from a local seller with a good weight capacity. Actually the gear is in stronger bags and cases which I dump inside the bigger case. It's big enough to hold 4 meter boompoles as well so I really just look like a 'traveler' when I'm on the move :). It's actually funny to see all the guys getting hold up with all the fancy pelican/portabrace/arri cases when I'm already outside getting a smoke. I just disguise them basically, the 'name brand' cases/bags. 

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I think it's safe to say that traveling this day and age with gear increasingly sucks overall...

 

I bought a big/small "Ricardo"? set from Costco a few years back.  Was pretty cheap (maybe $150?) and I love the fact that carry on one fits my K-Tek Stingray Junior bag which I fully load with receivers/transmitters etc and then I put all my NiMH AA's / NP-1s / Chargers etc surrounding it as there's room to spare (this all goes in the overhead).  I then have my Pelican backpack which I'm pretty sure is more spacious than a NYC apartment which holds shotgun mics / cables / all the usual accoutrements you'd want with you + my MacBook Pro (I try to always sneak this also in the overhead even though it's a 2nd bag.  If not applicable, it can go under my seat albeit I'll admit not totally comfortably).  Be forewarned though, I've been taking some rural regional jets lately and the overhead bins will NOT fit typical overhead bags.  That's why I have this little foldable bag that I keep (uses hardly any space) just in case I'm forced to gate check the bag so that I can at least take out my batteries (FAA policy) and then carry them on.

 

I've found this whole song and dance setup to be "the best" I've come up with yet (misc / backup goods always get checked in my big suitcase).

 

I'll be packing it all for a flight this weekend and I'll try to remember to take a picture of it all.

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