TSA Courtesy Notice

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On that note, you can just get a starter pistol from Dick's and use that to get the locked box treatment. This way, you can fly anywhere in the world and never run afoul of gun laws.
Good luck with that, unpermitted you can't fly into CA, Chicago, NYC, DC, CT, MA, Puerto Rico and possibly more places. So you'll have quite a bit of explaining to do before you even get out of the USA, nevermind foreign countries like the UK, Ireland, and the EU. (Seriously did you even research blank guns for 30 seconds before writing your post?)
 
Good luck with that, unpermitted you can't fly into CA, Chicago, NYC, DC, CT, MA, Puerto Rico and possibly more places. So you'll have quite a bit of explaining to do before you even get out of the USA, nevermind foreign countries like the UK, Ireland, and the EU. (Seriously did you even research blank guns for 30 seconds before writing your post?)

I have traveled with over $80k in photography equipment for over a decade around the world. A starter pistol that has its barrel modified so a projectile can't pass and also modified that it can't accept standard ammo isn't considered a firearm by the ATF and therefore isn't illegal in CA, Chicago, NYC, DC etc as well as many other countries. However, airlines consider them firearms so you get the full manager inspection, lock, etc where they make sure not to lose your luggage. You have to check to make sure your model is approved as not being a firearm in places you are traveling. For instance, some starter pistols are outlawed in the UK due to their ease of being converted into standard weapons. (The Olympic .38 vs the Olympic 6 for instance).
 
When I lived in Jamaica there was a lot of theft by mail handlers. I had a stamp made that read FECAL SAMPLE when I mailed anything to the states. I've had a few run ins with TSA people over the years. I had one inspector tell me that a three piece light fresh water spinning rod was verboten because it could be assembled into a weapon. His supervisor backed him up.

On the other hand I once had a small Jamaican Boa in a pillow case in my carry-on as I was leaving Jamaica. It was detected during hand inspection.

"Sir! De bag did move. What in de bag, sir?"

Me: Um, just a small snake.

"A SERPENT! 'im 'ave a serpent in de bag! Lawd Jesus!"

Policeman arrives, some discussion.

Me: It's harmless. Let me take it out and show you.

"NO MAN!! You may enter the departure area now."

That fabulously lovely Jamaican Boa is now part of an endangered species AZA breeding program, having fathered many offspring at several zoos, adding desperately needed genetic diversity to the small inbred US population. They are vanishingly rare in Jamaica because Jamaicans almost invariably kill them on sight. I was bitten and a bit bloody after I captured the snake, and I was assured that I'd soon be dead. So far so good.
 
Has anyone got a notice to TSA that they are particularly proud of?
I'm looking to tape something inside my Pelican case, so TSA doesn't kill my new JJ CCR (even tho I'll be carrying the head separately). Actually, the same thing really applies to my carryon when it goes thru x- ray and they want to open it up.

Thanks!

Back to the OP

I have the following stuck on the inside lid of my Pelican cases. Generally if I can I carry the head on with me. I travel Internationally a lot and I have never had any issues with the unit and only once have I been called by security about the unit and had them fully inspect all my luggage and it was actually once I landed and Indonesian customs wanted to make sure I was not importing goods into the country with out paying tax on them. After some back a forth they realized its just for personal use and they let me go. When I carry the head one every once and a while I get asked about that as well. Keep a copy of the manual in your phone and keep some pictures of you diving the unit. Haha one time when I was going through Thailand the security lady was really interested in my pictures she keep asking to see more more more and all the sudden I had a crowd of about 3-4 around me, they could case less about what was in my bag they were just amazed by the underwater pictures.

I find Europe to be the easiest to travel through. Don't think I have every had them look in my bag or even stop me or question me even with head in my carry on. I think China is the worst especially if you have batteries. I generally travel with a lot of batteries, power bank, electronics with batteries etc. Every time I go through China they want to see every battery and read the label on each one. If the battery does not have a label especially power banks they will take it and most speak very little English and you cant do anything about it unless you want to miss you plane trying to argue with them. If you look behind the little conveyor thingy you will always see a box full of power banks they have taken.

This is my note:

NOTICE TO BORDER / AIRPORT SECURITY PERSONNEL

This apparatus is a Closed-Circuit Rebreather (CCR) diver life-support system and may be safely transported as cargo, checked, or carry-on baggage. During inspection please handle with care as this unit consist of delicate life-support equipment that can be damaged easily. The components of this CCR system consist of a scrubber head, scrubber body, breathing loop system, and scuba regulators. Additional open-circuit scuba diving equipment may also be carried with this CCR life-support system. For more information on the unit please visit https://jj-ccr.com the user manual is available for free download.

NONE of these components offers a threat to the security and safety of inspection personnel, other passengers, carrier vessels, buildings or other property, and all components conform to FAA (Federal Aviation Administration), TSA (Transportation Security Administration), NOAA (National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration) and WRSTC (World Recreational Scuba Training Council) recreational scuba equipment guidelines for transportation by commercial air carriers.

Upon inspection of the unit please do not use sharp objects/probes on the material/fabric, there is a special waterproof membrane behind the fabric that if punctured will damage it rendering it useless.

If you have questions /concerns, please contact the owner traveling with this unit:
Global Entry/PASSID/TSA KTN:
Passport Number:
Nationality:
Australia Mobile:
USA Mobile:
Indonesia Mobile:
WhatsApp:
WeChat:
Viber:
Skype ID:
Email:

Also my flight information is on the airline baggage tag please have the airline page/intercom me if am not reachable via the above contact methods.


After inspection is complete can you please seal the box with the below provided zip-ties.


Thank You
 
My dad's a pilot. They wont read that past the first paragraph. If even that far. It's too long. It has to be short and to the point
 
Yeah, that's what I found between my first and second versions. There's just too much production pressure on the agents.
 
CRITICAL LIFE SUPPORT

DO NOT USE PROBES

Please treat these contents as if your life depends on it, as mine does.
Please repack carefully. If there are any questions or concerns, my address and cell phone are below.
 
I’m on a trip from Toronto to Florida with dive equipment in my carry-on, passed through TSA no problem in TO, had a layover in Detroit went outside for some fresh air came back through TSA and they stopped me, they looked in my bag and apparently one of the wrenches I had was too long and they snapped it up. It was one of my favourite old Snap-On’s... They did say I could check my bag on and keep the wrench.
 
I just came back from Cocos yesterday. I put 3cf Spare Air on my backpack so I can open the regulator and put the disassembled parts (empty bottle & regulator) on a separate tray for TSA inspection. No problem passing TSA inspection in Houston airport (IAH), but not on the way home at San Jose airport (SJO).

SJO TSA (#1) asked me what it is in Spanish and I explained to him that it is an extra air tank for SCUBA diving in English. He didn’t understand me, so he sent another English speaking TSA (#2) to translate what I just said. After some discussion among themselves, #2 asked me, “Why not you put it in your check-in luggage?” I told him that TSA requires air cylinders to be visibly empty and removed from regulators. I carried it with me so TSA could inspect it on the spot. I showed them page 10 of the manual “Traveling with your spare air”, especially step.4 that explains that it can be put in carryon luggage. #2 read the page and translated it to #1. Then there were some more discussion. TSA #3 was brought in.

After some more discussion amongst themselves, #2 asked me something that didn’t make any sense about whether it was oxygen bottle. I just simply said yes, when it was used for diving it contained 200 bar of 32% oxygen, as shown in the label on the tank “NITROX up to 40%”. Then #1 asked in Spanish about my dive watch. I showed him my dive computer on my wrist. He finally waved me go.
 
Security people outside the US are a huge hit or miss, as the procedures aren't very well codified. At Auckland, I helped explain what was in my bag, explaining what she was seeing on her security scanner. In Japan, three of the four flights I took the security people had no issue with my AL19 pony, but one of the flights at Haneda (the mostly domestic and Asia international airport in Tokyo) the screening person wouldn't let me take it, and had ANA check it (which were great they brought out a box and wrapped it in so much bubble wrap and didn't charge me a thing despite already using my 23kg baggage allowance).

Of course then you had my recently screen in Atlanta where I had to practically empty both carry ons before the ahole of a xray screener would let me back into the terminal after customs. I was so angry that I was almost at my bursting point.
 

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