Flying with a tank!

[teknitroxdiver]

Transportation of compressed gas cylinders is regulated by the Interstate Commerce Committee. For transport by air they must be empty, and to prove they are empty, the valves must be removed. I will search my bookshelf to see if I have an exact reference.

Still, no. The ICC covers, as the name implies, commerce. Think about it...if ICC rules applied to private, non-commerce operations, you would be required to secure your tanks in your car upright and with proper straps, just like the Airgas truck does. A private aircraft is no different than your pickup truck. If it's not in the FARs, and part 91 to be specific, it doesn't matter for a private flight.

 

[DougK]

I would tend to think the FAA would govern what can be taken on flight, private or public in US airspace. Just to focus this a little bit the ICC would not apply at all I would think.

 

[flots am]

The TSA does not regulate private flights.

I assumed the OP was talking about a private charter (for hire).

If he owns and is flying his own plane, he can carry whatever he feels like, since nobody is going to stop him, in which case, I have no idea why he even asked the question.

flots.

 

[teknitroxdiver]

I assumed the OP was talking about a private charter (for hire).

If he owns and is flying his own plane, he can carry whatever he feels like, since nobody is going to stop him, in which case, I have no idea why he even asked the question.

flots.

The TSA doesn't regulate charter flights either, only scheduled air carrier operations. (basically, the airlines)

 

[luscioman]

Going back to your original question OP. If i were to bring tanks on the private flight i would bring them in the cabin and either have no air in them and have a VIP done at your destination or leave no more than 600psi in them.

 

[teknitroxdiver]

Consider this: nobody would even blink if a tank was overfilled by a couple hundred pounds, yet that is an order of magnitude greater pressure change than putting the full tank in a plane and climbing as high as you care to.

It's not illegal. It's not unsafe by any logical measure. Just load up the tanks and go.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using Tapatalk 4

 

[CurtSchu]

Playing devils advocate, What would you do if you were looking to dive some exotic island that did not have a compressor only accessible via private small airplane?

 

[nimoh]

Playing devils advocate, What would you do if you were looking to dive some exotic island that did not have a compressor only accessible via private small airplane?

I would put a compressor on my plane

 

[CurtSchu]

I would put a compressor on my plane

We're gonna need a bigger plane...

 

[Mycrom]

The FAA is pretty clear that any compressed gas cylinder that's over 43.8psi is considered a "hazardous material" and has to be treated as such. Basically as an individual you can't fly with a pressurized gas cylinder, it should be empty. There are exceptions in FAA regulations allowing (and in some cases mandating) compressed gasses for use on the plane for emergency situations but those have been approved for flight and definitely don't cover recreational scuba cylinders.

Now having to empty it completely (Below 43psi) and remove the valve that's a TSA inspection issue that applies to commercial flights at any time you will be inspected by the TSA and not required by FAA directly.

Pack Safe – Scuba tanks, pressurized