TSA and checking in parachutes on civilian airliners

http://www.tsa.gov/traveler-information/parachutes

Parachutes

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Traveling with Special Items

Parachutes and Security Screening

You may bring skydiving rigs with and without Automatic Activation Devices (AAD) as carry-on or checked luggage.
Typically, a rig will move through the checked luggage or carry-on security screening process without needing physical inspection.  However, TSA security officers have a duty to thoroughly inspect any item that raises suspicion.  If security officers determine that they need to open a rig to inspect it, you must be present and will be allowed to assist.  For this reason, we encourage skydivers to add at least 30 minutes to the airline's recommended arrival window when they are traveling with their parachutes.

Checking Your Parachute as Luggage

Pack the rig separately without any other items in the bag. Additional items, if suspicious, could trigger an inspection of the entire bag.
Security officers will not unpack a parachute without the owner present to provide assistance.  This means that the passenger will be paged and asked to return to the ticket counter, so they can be present for inspection.  Depending on the size of the airport and passenger volume, it is likely that the checked rig will be screened within 30 minutes.  Remain in the area of the airline ticket counter and pay close attention to airport announcements for up to 30 minutes after you check in.
If we cannot locate the parachute owner, the uncleared parachute will not be transported on the flight.
Parachute owners may help our security officers unpack and repack the rig.

Carrying Your Parachute on the Aircraft

Pack the rig separately without any other items in the bag.  Additional items, if suspicious, could trigger an inspection of the entire bag.

If security officers need to further search your bag, they will make every effort to search it without opening the chute.

If a chute is opened, you can assist. Security officers will search the chute away from the checkpoint so that they have enough space for the search and for you to repack your the rig.
Parachutists should thoroughly inspect their parachutes at their destination to make sure that it has not been tampered with or damaged in a way that makes it unsafe.

Latest revision: 19 December 2012