patentcad

Can you fly on an airplane with those little air inflate cartridges? They shouldn't pose any hazard to explode inside a pressurized airplane cabin - which I understand approximates an altitude of 10,000 feet or so. In fact I wonder if they'd detonate @ 30,000 feet either. Will the security people confiscate these? Can I check them through in my baggage? How about international flights?

Anyone have experience with this? When I went to Europe last summer I took a frame pump to avoid dealing with this. Is that really necessary? Certain aspects of this airline security protocol are truly silly. Taking away people's friggin nail clippers. Right. How come I get the feeling after 9/11 no passengers are ever going to let Ahmed hijack the whole airplane with a 2" blade?

I contacted Innovations about this. No response at all.

nnewton123

I've flown mine before in checked baggage. Didn't have any problems.

patentcad

Thanks newton. Anybody else?

Newton, did you fly internationally or domestically?

terrymorse 

I had my CO2s confiscated from my carry-on luggage, and that was before 9/11.

nnewton123

domestically. Chicago to Arizona and back.

As terry just mentioned... they probably wouldn't like you taking them on the plane so they would be best put in your checked bags.

Al1943

They're not allowed on airplanes, checked or carryon. I'm sure they don't catch all of them though.

patentcad

That's what I thought. I wonder if I could ship mine to Greece (my destination) months before I go. I'll bet they arrive without incident via regular parcel post. Anybody have input on that idea?

thewalrus

they don't have bike shops in greece? i'm sure you could buy some for 1 or 2 euros a piece...

and it's a good opportunity to see what the locally sold equipment selection is like

Warblade

Actually every airline (both domestic and internationally) I have flown on say that because of the difference in air pressure they very possibly might explode And they have said that they are NOT allowed in checked or carry on baggage. So in other words, purchase the cartriges at your destination or ship them before flying there.

Dalai

I have flown with these Internationally (Australia to New Zealand) and domestically (within Australia).

CO2 cartridges are deemed dangerous goods, so are not allowed in either checked in or hand luggage. I usually organise with a local bike shop at the destination to have some on order anyway, just in case the airline staff do confiscate them. This eliminates the stress of trying to find some prior to racing if they are confiscated, as at the destination often they are in such demand that you can miss out!

I usually pack them for the return in my bike case within the small box which stores the tools and pedals etc. This hides them well and therefore I have never had them removed.

As they are deemed dangerous goods, they are also not allowed to be posted either. I have never tried to mail them so don't know how effective the postal service is in scanning for these.

Jakey

I think they sell CO2 cartridges in other countries. Or...just take a pump.

patentcad

If they have bike shops they will be a major pain in the ass to locate in Athens before we go to our destination. Forget that. Rather bring a pump. Greece? It's like a cross between a Third World nation, Western Europe, the Moon and Bermuda. Not a great place to try to find specialty items upon your arrival from NY.

It's not finding CO2 cartridges that will be hard. It will be finding the particular brand. I'll ship 3-4 cartridges via parcel post in early June when my parents first go over there - and I'll know within a couple of weeks if they arrived without incident. And they probably will.

CO2 cartridges detonating in a pressurized air cargo hold? Ummm - I don't think so. That would mean they would also explode in rider's jerseys in the Rocky Mountains in summertime. Sure. Give me a break. I think the airlines don't want those things cooking off should the pressurization on the plane FAIL at high altitude - and if it happens that fast the airliner will have MUCH bigger problems than a couple of 2.5" long cartridges exploding inside a packed suitcase or carry on bag. i.e. the catastrophic loss of the entire friggin aircraft (which coincidentally did happen to a Cypriot plane in Greece a few months ago).

thewalrus

exactly! I'm sure the airlines are just being paranoid... If I remember right most passenger jets that travel at FL320-FL360 pressurize to the equivalent of 10,000 feet. I'm sure if you take a co2 cartridge to Everest base camp it doesn't explode.

webist

I think the thin closure membrane would give way before anything exploded.

ivan_yulaev

Why not just get a nice pump...

cyclebutt

As an airline pilot I can tell you co2 is prohibited. If you want to hide them in your baggage and take a chance that one won't explode well then you should first consult the other 200 or so peoples lifes that you might affect by doing so. Now I realize that many (ILL) people carry compressed oxygen onboard, but their o2 has to be in an approved canister. There is also halon fire extinguishers as well as water extinguishers on board all using compressed air as a means of deliverance. Once again they are all in approved containers. what are the chances that a CO2 cartridge will explode? I don't know but why take a chance when so many lives are involved. You may think it's trivial but as a pilot your safety is my priority.

Extort

the passenger compartments are pressurized to 10,000 feet, but cargo areas might not be. Would you want to be the first person to have these things malfunction while you are 36,000 feet above the atlantic ocean?
if they do destroy the plane, at least no one will be able to kick your butt, as they will all be dead, along with you.
Buy them there.

Singlespeedster

The Big Air cartridges are probably not allowed as tose are compressed propane. Flammable stuff, that.

Most airline abins seem to be pressurized to around 5000 feet, according to various reading from various altimeter watches.

thewalrus

the cargo area is pressurized the same as the rest of the aircraft - people fly with their dogs in plastic kennels in the cargo area all the time. the dogs don't suffocate...

in the 747 there's a hatch in the forward galley area floor leading down to an avionics bay, which is linked to the cargo area by a small passage. there's no pressure difference or air-sealed doors between them.

cyclebutt

Extort is correct some baggage compartments are not pressurized. although one cartridge probably couldn't destroy the aircraft on its own, it could when coupled with god only knows what other people sneak on the aircraft thats not supposed to be there. Remember the oxygen canisters in the cargo hold of valuejet as it went down in the everglades.

Nachoman

Security!!!! Calling Security!!!!

Dalai

Plane inflatable life vests are fitted with CO2 canisters for inflation!

khuon

You know. I'm really glad you said that. Although not a commerical pilot, I'm often disgusted at the behaviour of passengers who feel they know better. A PIC has the ultimate responsibility for safety of flight. If he/she chooses to err on the side of safety then I applaud their action. As the saying goes: there are old pilots and there are bold pilots but there are no old bold pilots.

patentcad

I'm not about to take a C02 cartridge on the airlines if it's prohibited. But it is rather silly IMHO. Comparing large oxygen tanks to 2.5" long CO2 cartridges is rather absurd. My guess is that 3 C02 carts cooking off in a carry on bag (as if that would actually occur) would inflict severe shrapnel damage - to the paperback books and sundries INSIDE THE BAG. And spare me the 'I'm your pilot' hooey already. I have a commercial pilot pal who completely agrees with me on this - that a C02 microtank that doesn't detonate in the high mtns. of Colorado won't do so in an Airbus cabin either.

Do you know what's truly silly about this? That if I MAIL these canisters to Greece in a parcel post package - they'll probably go in the same friggin cargo hold on a similar Airbus - and arrive there safely. Like people don't ship crap like this regularly via air mail. I'm sure they do. Does the US Post Office ask you 'what's in that package' every time you give them a small package to mail?

My research will continue however...

roadwarrior

Want to know who does the flying for the USPS overseas?

Fed Ex. And this stuff goes into a pressurized cabin. Not in the bottom of the plane.

A friend of mine (former racing buddy from Europe) traveled to do a master's race and going back forgot the 30 CO2 cannisters that were in with his bike transport container.

He was paged by TSA. They were not amused.