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Topic: Flying without an ATA flight case |
Dave Zirbel
From:
Sebastopol, CA USA
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Posted 13 Aug 2005 11:51 am |
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Has anyone ever done this without any problems? Are there other good options? I'm not doing any serious roadwork, just a few out of town shows and I'm trying to stay under 50lbs. I'll have to put the legs or pedal bar in my luggage in order to do this.
Thanks, Dave |
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Jon Jaffe
From:
Austin, Texas
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Posted 13 Aug 2005 4:29 pm
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Dave..I have flown with without a road case about 15 times. Knock on wood, I have never had a problem. My Kline weighs in at 52.5 lbs. I flew from Austin to Milwaukee and back in June. $10-$20 at curbside seems to make them very helpful. The TSA people will open it up, throw in a leaflet, and send it on its way.
If you think about it it is easier for the baggage handlers to move the steel, than a duffle or oversized luggage of the same weight. They are too busy to throw it like the gorilla in the old Samsonite ad.
Also, I have it insured. It is about $35, per year added to regular insurance for replacement cost. Even if it was destroyed at some lousy club on a bad night it, would be covered. This adds serious peace of mind when flying. |
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Mark van Allen
From:
Watkinsville, Ga. USA
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Posted 13 Aug 2005 9:50 pm
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Dave, it's been a few years, but I did several Department of Defense offshore tours without road cases. The D.O.D. tours give you very lean weight limits, (including carrying your own P.A.!) I made "flight cases" for most of our heavier gear using triple-ply cardboard, taped and varnished- some of those cases lasted several tours, including one for a Nashville 400 that lasted for years.
The first time out I just used a standard Mullen steel case- the only carrier that messed it up was Delta- stateside. I bought some stock angle aluminum and glued/screwed it to all the edges of the case, and it held up well through three more tours. I then used that same case to ship the steel to Japan, no problems.
You might try the angle-aluminum aproach, with the pedal bar and rods in your luggage.
I will say the overseas carriers sure seem to take more pride in their work than they do over here. In Turkey, the baggage handlers line up right beside the luggage they've worked with so you can comment directly to the worker involved. That kind of work ethic is long gone here, sad to say.
------------------
Stop by the Steel Store at: www.markvanallen.com
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Bob Hoffnar
From:
Austin, Tx
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Posted 13 Aug 2005 10:26 pm
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Dave,
One word:
Cardyboard !
more here
Roy has the right idea.
Bob |
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Chris Schlotzhauer
From:
Colleyville, Tx. USA
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Posted 14 Aug 2005 6:45 pm
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| Dave, I'm in Toranto writing this. I put my regular case in a heavy cardboard case I made that I can re-use over again. I've been doing this for several years now with (knock on wood) no problems. The original case has no scratches, no ripped off hardware. It's like new. IMHO, if someone at the airlines drops your steel, you will have damage, flight case or no. |
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John Farrell
From:
Lincolnton, NC USA
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Posted 15 Aug 2005 11:59 am
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Hey there,
I just took my ZUM to Prague and back in the original felt case. I put bubble wrap around the inside and it did pretty well. I had two small clips that broke, but I really believe that was something I did putting in the bubble wrap.
John |
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