Airplanes and GPS

[Couch_Potato]

quote:

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I personally wouldn't take an ammo can on an airplane. It _might_ be OK in checked luggage, but there is no way you'll ever get to carry one on!

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Why not? Ammo cans seem like a nearly indestructible form of carry on luggage . It would probably be searched at every opportunity the 'security' personnel, but an ammo can, in and of itself, should not be objectionable. As long as you can show the contents of the can are safe why would they not be allowed?

 

I think they may actually cause more trouble in checked baggage. Imagine the appearance of the ammo cans on an x-ray. They'd probably shut down the whole ariport and blow up the bag. It seems better to have them out where they can be examined and deemed safe.

 

The best idea is probably call the airlines or airport security and ask what's best to do with them.

 

I'm not lost!

I just don't know where I am.

[+mrp]

quote:

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Originally posted by SuperGenius:

I ... was wondering if I would be able to take an amo can on the plane.

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While you might get away with it, I wouldn't take the risk of making airport personell nervous. It shouldn't be too difficult to find a military surplus store in the area, and buy one there. The only disadvantage I can see is that you probably wouldn't have an opportunity to paint it or prepare it much. You could probably get away with just slapping a geocaching sticker on the can. I've seen a lot with exactly that level of preparation, and they seem to work fine.

 

-- Mitch

[+Number 6]

I e-mailed Garmin tech support to ask what they know about GPSrs on airplanes. I got back a very good, detailed reply that cites regs and experience.

 

Regs permit them, policy varies by airline, and technology offers no reason to disallow them.

 

Bottom line seems to be that regardless of the airline's pro or con policy that use of a GPSr aboard an airliner is at the discretion of the Pilot in Charge. An American pilot may allow it and a Delta pilot may disallow it. They recommend asking the flight attendent to ask the pilot and never argue with the crew.

 

Be Seeing You!

[+Criminal]

There are two kinds of people in this world, those who believe they can do anything not specifically prohibited, and those who believe they can do nothing unless granted permission. I fall into the first group. The problem is that if you ask and they aren’t sure (and they usually are not) “NO” is easier than taking the time and trouble to find out. My advise stands, set it up and use it. If they ask you to turn it off- turn it off, and ask the stew to check with the captain.

 

><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><

What is the price of experience, do men buy it for a song,

Or wisdom for a dance in the street.................

[+unclerojelio]

quote:

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Originally posted by Pneumatic:

It shouldn't be too difficult to find a military surplus store in the area, and buy one there.

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You aren't going to find a surplus store in Cloudcroft. I doubt it in Alamogordo. But I bet you would hit the motherlode in El Paso.

 

... Two roads diverged in a wood, and I--

I took the one less traveled by, ...

 

unclerojelio

[mountainpete]

Hi,

 

Just thought I would pass on my experience with using my E-trex Vista on a couple of flights during the last week of May and first week of June of this year. On all of the flights I asked the Flight Attendant prior to departure and they said a GPS was fine to use at all times except takeoff and landing (just like any electronic device).

 

I flew via Air Canada from Calgary to Chicago. United from Chicago to Washington Dulles. Dulles to Montreal via United. Montreal to Toronto via Air Canada and Toronto to Calgary via Air Canada.

 

This was my first vacation with a GPS and loved playing with it. I could only get a signal if I put the unit right beside the window (touching). Even a foot in from the window lost the signal.

 

Thanks,

 

Pete

[+apersson850]

In a Swedish navigation/GPS forum, it was recently posted that SAS has changed their official policy. A month ago, it was clearly written in their in-flight magazine that GPS units weren't allowed on board. Now it says the opposite, that they are allowed when the "Fasten Seat Belts" sign is off, i.e. when other non-radio electronic items are allowed.

 

Anders

[+cachew nut]

I never ask for permission and use my GPSr on all airplane flights unless it is specifically announced that they are not allowed. I have been told to put it away once. Normally the flight crew sees it and a couple of times were interested to see our position on the map program running on my laptop. Because I use a Meridian Gold, most times it will work even if I don't have a window seat. My feeling is that if it's not allowed, they will let me know.

[+bartacus]

I recently flew round trip on United Airlines flights (actually United Express, in a Canadair Jet), from Greensboro NC(GSO) to Chicago IL(ORD).

 

I brought my Garmin eTrex Legend with me, screened it in my laptop bag beside my cell phone, and had no trouble with security in either airport.

 

On the plane, I had the unit out (turned off) before take-off, and was ready to ask the flight attendants for permission. However, I was pleased to hear the attendant mention "GPS devices" in the list of "approved" electronics during the pre-flight safety speech.

 

I waited to turn the unit on until the FSB light was off, and got an immediate lock (with WAAS!). I could only maintain signal with the receiver pressed against the glass.

 

I still wanted to see the speed/location/altitude stats, so I powered up the laptop, and used the 'Real Time Navigation' feature of Garmin's MapSource software to see the current stats, while keeping the receiver plastered to the window. (GpsDrive is an alternative.)

 

Everything worked well until the plane turned due north for our approach into O'Hare; I was on the left side of the plane, and was unable to get a reliable lock for the last half-hour of the trip.

 

I also managed to bag the ORD Layover cache while hanging out in O'Hare.

 

[+Mr. 0]

I flew Delta from Cleveland, to Atlanta, and then Atlanta to Ft. Lauderdale last week (exact opposite route on the way home) and they had no problems with it at all. On the way from Cleveland to Atlanta, I had a window seat...I have an "aftermarket" antenna for my GPS II+ and had the antenna sitting on the edge of my tray table, right next to my GPS, the flight attendants saw it, but never said a word. From Atlanta to Ft. Lauderdale I was in the center section (it was a 767), so I pretty much knew I wouldn't get lock, but I tried anyhow, and left it out, even when it was turned off, and again no word from anyone. On the way back when I sent my backpack through the X-ray, they wanted to search it, and the guy was a little hesitant, until one of his co-workers said "It's so when his wife sends him to the store he can't say he got lost.." and then he just put it back and said "We just weren't sure about the GPS and the toy car behind it"...I didn't have it out on either flight home since I didn't have a window seat.

[+T & G's Adventures]

Nice to hear that you can still use a GPS on an airplane. I took my old (and now dead and gone) Magellan 2000XL on a flight from Reno to Miami about 4 years ago and had no problems back then. It was fun to monitor the speed, elevation, and direction.

 

It's always puzzled me why or how an airliner can take a direct lightning hit and survive with no problems, and yet a radio in your lap jeopardizes the safety of the flight.

 

Um, honey, did you mark a waypoint for the car?

[+MaxEntropy]

I just flew Alaska Airlines from Oakland to Orange County.

I took my GPS and had no problem with it in security. They did look carefully at my compass, whistles, first aid kit, cache trinkets, flashlite, batteries gloves and the water bottle that I had left in the backpack accidently.

I had it on when we taxied and took off. They didn't mention GPSr in the safety spiel until we got over the coast and they gave us permission to take out computers and other electronics. Then they mentioned that GPS receivers and AM/FM radios are never allowed. My 10 Y.O. son, Mr. Safety panicked and told me to turn it off. I did however leave the cool 350 MPH max speed on the trip computer screen to show folks how fast my car can really go.

I noticed however that on the way back, while the GPSr was in my carry-on bag, they never mentioned GPSr receivers in any safety spiel.

[+briansnat]

I was using my GPS on flights to and from California. It was pretty neat when I'd fly over a town or a body of water and my GPS would tell me what it was. I had it out for about an hour on the return flight when the stewardess spotted it and ordered me to put it away, saying they are not allowed.

 

"You can't make a man by standing a sheep on its hind legs, but by standing a flock of sheep in that position, you can make a crowd of men" -Max Beerbohm

[Czar of Ridgeland]

I used mine on American twice, ready to turn it off if asked. No one said anything on the first flight and the FA asked if I knew where we were on the second flight.

[ahjones3]

I checked the American Airlines web site earlier, and among the items prohibited from use during flight were Global Positioning Satellites. That doesn't surprise me because I imagine those suckers put out some pretty strong signals. I just can't imagine how you could get one in your carry on!

[Ruprex]

Read the back of the airline book. They are on the list of devices that are not allowed to be used while in flight. I can't read, though. Some attendants let me use it, some don't. I usually do anyway. They also don't let me bring my knife on the plane anymore That doesn't mean I don't have nice Cross pen in my shirt at all times during a flight. Worst-case scenario, they tell you to turn it off.

 

American Airlines usually has no problem with it. I don't flaunt it, though. Also I've noticed that lately, American Air lets me keep my MP3 playing through my headphones the ENTIRE flight. The last few flights I've had an isle seat and the attendants have not directly asked me to turn it off. They've clearly seen me and pretended like they didn't. Thanks ladies!

 

-Let's play Global Thermonuclear War-