warpig

iTrader: (7)

Hello,

I thought I'd ask if anyone has any experience with flying in a plane with lithium polymer packs. I can imagine going to an airport and getting put in a room with 3 guys from the FBI asking me what I'm doing with a bomb on the plane.

Is there any regulations?

thanks,

Ben

Neu_Racer

iTrader: (211)

I flew from Seattle to Florida last April with a Rustler VXL in my carry on. They made me take everytihng out and ran a "bomb cloth" over every single piece of it and my batts/charger but let me on without a problem.

Hope that helps.

tom_chang79

iTrader: (13)

Strap it to your legs to make yourself less suspicious... j/k

I wonder how the pro drivers do it, they must be carrying these things very frequently...

What the heck is a "bomb cloth?" Is it a piece of fabric that reacts to C4 Plastique?

Neu_Racer

iTrader: (211)

It's perfectly legal apparently to fly with Lipos. I was traveling with a 2S for the Rustler and a Nimh pack for the RC18T. I had a charger and power supply with me also in my carry on. (was scared the airline would lose/destroy my cars)
The screeners acted like it was perfectly routine and took this little stick with a cloth on the end and supposedly it reacts to any explosive/chemical agents. Once I passed they told me to pack up and have a nice flight.

OG RC 10T

iTrader: (41)

Check and see what type of battery is in your lap top or cell phone It should answer your question.

nv529

iTrader: (53)

last time I checked, they had to be FAA approved hardcase. softcase are doomed illegal due to the chance of the cells being punctured during mid flight turbulence while in a carry-on gym bag. Wouldn't want a battery melt down at cruising altitude.

GSRswapandslow

iTrader: (22)

the best way to do it, BY FAR, is to ship it to your destination beforehand.
safest way, and no chance of your stuff being confiscated (yes, they can and will do it)

dbracn

iTrader: (28)

Took all my stuff from chicago to lax in june and had no problem checking everything in including batteries. I didn't carry anything on just put it all in those black contigo cases. Inside i wrote on a piece of paper what was in there kind of like an inventory list. I did carry a few lipos on in the laptop bag and no one said a thing. No problems i think it helped when i wrote out was in the box so they kind of new what it was and didn't see it as a threat. Known others that have carried it all on without any problems.

Hope this helps

STEALTH

iTrader: (21)

Never had a problem whether within the U.S. or Internationally. Though the one time I included it in my checked-in luggage they did open it after it had been checked-in. They left a note that the bag had been inspected. Since that time I just bring them with me in my carry-on. Was told its much safer that way because if anything were to happen to the LiPo packs, they could easily be reached and proper action could be taken. I only purchase hardcased packs but have traveled with a few softcased batts once... they were purchased for a friend and I didn't experience any problems transporting them for him.

warpig

iTrader: (7)

Some good info on here... I appreciate it guys..

RCHR

every laptop that someone carries on a plane has a lipo battery in it, so lipo are no big deal to them. Your stuff just looks interesting in the x-ray, so most of the time they pull it aside and physically check it. For the most part, most of the inspectors have come across r/c stuff before, so its a pretty painless process.

warpig

iTrader: (7)

Well, a soft case lipo looks something made at home half the time. A battery in a laptop looks like a battery for a laptop. That's where my concern lies.

don74

iTrader: (34)

Click on the link with regard to Lithium Batteries & U.S. Air Travel Regulations.-
http://safetravel.dot.gov/whats_new_batteries.html

jmcvicker

iTrader: (2)

Laptops and phones are not LiPo but rather LiOn or Lithium Ion. Far safer than LiPO. In fact, you could probably build something pretty nasty out of a big LiPo and a constant voltage charger that the TSA would let you take on - but they would take away your shampoo bottle.

infanterene

iTrader: (18)

Laptop lipos are hard cased. I would never put a soft pack in my luggage and risk taking down a plane full of people.

With the way the airlines treat luggage something could definatly happen.