Air Travel with LF Camera

I'll be flying next month to LA (from NYC). I have a Deardorff 8x10
which I carry in an F64 bag. I'm thinking of checking it through in a
suitcase. I'll also be taking my Pentax 6x7, hopefully in the same
suitacase. I have several questions about this:

1) is this a bad idea
2) if not, is there a special suitcase most suitable for the F64/
Deardorff? I've thought about wrapping the camera bag in bubblewrap. I
have an extra ground class, just in case.

I'll use FedEx for the film, even though I've never had a problem
going through security, but I know my number will come up one of these
days.

Thanks for any help.
RON

I wouldn't trust it. It's really a crapshoot. Some of those $9/hour Federal
Aviation Security people or whatever there title is, are psychopath,
sadistic & thieving little cocksuckers.
I know firsthand from a negative experience I had a couple of years ago.

I always put my cameras and lenses in a carry-on. Tripods I check in with
the luggage.

--
© Johnny Slothman
Slowest Contractor In The West
If you need it done 10 years from now, call Johnny

On Mar 22, 3:04 am, "Johnny Slothman" wrote:
I wouldn't trust it. It's really a crapshoot. Some of those $9/hour Federal
Aviation Security people or whatever there title is, are psychopath,
sadistic & thieving little cocksuckers.
I know firsthand from a negative experience I had a couple of years ago.

I always put my cameras and lenses in a carry-on. Tripods I check in with
the luggage.

--
© Johnny Slothman
Slowest Contractor In The West
If you need it done 10 years from now, call Johnny

Even an 8x10? Can that go as carry-on? It's in an F64 bag, which is
not small.

On Mar 22, 3:04 am, "Johnny Slothman" wrote:
I wouldn't trust it. It's really a crapshoot. Some of those $9/hour Federal
Aviation Security people or whatever there title is, are psychopath,
sadistic & thieving little cocksuckers.
I know firsthand from a negative experience I had a couple of years ago.

I always put my cameras and lenses in a carry-on. Tripods I check in with
the luggage.

--
© Johnny Slothman
Slowest Contractor In The West
If you need it done 10 years from now, call Johnny

Even an 8x10? Can that go as carry-on? It's in an F64 bag, which is
not small.

On Mar 20, 12:20 pm, "Ron Gans" wrote:
I'll be flying next month to LA (from NYC). I have a Deardorff 8x10
which I carry in an F64 bag. I'm thinking of checking it through in a
suitcase. I'll also be taking my Pentax 6x7, hopefully in the same
suitacase.

Check TSA's and the airlines rules, you're allowed to carry on one
camera equipment bag in addition to the standard carry on baggage.
With all the lost and stolen luggage, you're willing to trust the low
paid or contract workers the airline uses to process baggage? You
could be lucky, but is it worth the risk, or shipping it to someone
you know or your hotel (call ahead to expect it).

I found this: http://www.tsa.gov/travelers/airtrav...rial_1248.shtm

Good luck.

wsrphoto wrote:
On Mar 20, 12:20 pm, "Ron Gans" wrote:

I'll be flying next month to LA (from NYC). I have a Deardorff 8x10
which I carry in an F64 bag. I'm thinking of checking it through in a
suitcase. I'll also be taking my Pentax 6x7, hopefully in the same
suitacase.


Check TSA's and the airlines rules, you're allowed to carry on one
camera equipment bag in addition to the standard carry on baggage.
With all the lost and stolen luggage, you're willing to trust the low
paid or contract workers the airline uses to process baggage? You
could be lucky, but is it worth the risk, or shipping it to someone
you know or your hotel (call ahead to expect it).

I found this: http://www.tsa.gov/travelers/airtrav...rial_1248.shtm

Good luck.

Following quote from your link asks us to remove
undeveloped film from canisters and place in clear
plastic bags! Wow. What next? That will surely
expose the film.

"Film

The equipment used to screen checked baggage will
damage undeveloped film. Pack your undeveloped
film in your carry-on bag. High speed and
specialty film should be hand inspected at the
security checkpoint. To facilitate
hand-inspection, remove your undeveloped film from
the canister and pack in a clear plastic bag."

I don't think this is a viable suggestion.

"mike odonoghue" wrote

The equipment used to screen checked baggage will damage undeveloped film.
Pack your undeveloped film in your carry-on bag. High speed and specialty
film should be hand inspected at the security checkpoint. To facilitate
hand-inspection, remove your undeveloped film from the canister and pack
in a clear plastic bag."

I don't think this is a viable suggestion.

I, um, suspect they mean the plastic film container with the cap on it...
not the canister itself!

specialty film should be hand inspected at the
security checkpoint. To facilitate hand-inspection, remove your
undeveloped film from the canister and pack in a clear plastic bag."

But of course with sheet film, well, no.... it's not a good idea to remove
it from the box or the holder! ;-)

Howard Lester wrote:
"mike odonoghue" wrote

The equipment used to screen checked baggage will damage undeveloped film.
Pack your undeveloped film in your carry-on bag. High speed and specialty
film should be hand inspected at the security checkpoint. To facilitate
hand-inspection, remove your undeveloped film from the canister and pack
in a clear plastic bag."

I don't think this is a viable suggestion.

I, um, suspect they mean the plastic film container with the cap on it...
not the canister itself!


Well, were I a terrorist (a business I am not in), I would reload a
reloadable cassette with something objectionable instead of film. If I
wanted to "do it right" I would have a piece of film stick out.

Taking sheet film through inspection is a lot of trouble. I went through
O'Hare one time and they wanted to open a box of sheet film to inspect it. I
refused unless they did it in a photographic darkroom, which of course they
did not have. The solution would be to buy the film when you get there, and
process it, or have it processed before you take the next plane. Of course,
many places have no sheet film, or at least, not the film you want to use.

I am afraid if they want to do it right, the security types would make
everyone go through inspection naked, and x-ray them to make sure they did
not swallow a small bomb before boarding.

It is really hopeless. Perhaps we should spend more time making less enemies
instead of wasting so much time putting band-aids on things.

--
.~. Jean-David Beyer Registered Linux User 85642.
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/( )\ Shrewsbury, New Jersey http://counter.li.org
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"Jean-David Beyer" wrote

It is really hopeless. Perhaps we should spend more time making less
enemies
instead of wasting so much time putting band-aids on things.

I don't disagree with you at all. The only time I traveled by air with my LF
equipment was in 1999 (thus pre-9/11). Then, I only had to hand the
inspector the taped up box (for the customary hand-inspection as opposed to
x-ray). I have no plans to fly with LF ever again.

*sigh*