Airlines and Batteries

[Howard Rush]

Here's an interesting article: http://www.aviationpros.com/news/11864405/airlines-stop-accepting-rechargeable-battery-shipments?utm_source=GSM+E-Newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=AVVDB150225002 .  It doesn't apply to us directly, but you can see the sort of discussion people are having.  It looks like regulators need to clamp down on irresponsible airlines, but when they do, I worry about small numbers of carry-on LiPos being included in the ban.

[FLOYD CARTER]

My newspaper (!) today had an article on this.  Seems that some airlines have voluntarily banned shipments of large quantities of lithium batteries.  No info on small quantities, as the 3 or 4 you might order from Taiwan.  Several fires aboard planes have been traced to lithium batteries, so they are stopping such shipments.

I doubt if this will affect our small usage.  It might affect Tesla Motor Cio., however.

Floyd

[Rudy Taube]

Thanks for the info. Howard

The new regulations, that came into effect in January and March of this year, make it very difficult for us in the USA to transport our LiPo batteries on any commercial passenger aircraft. The limit of 100W, "carry on" only, and NONE allowed in check in baggage, allows us to bring only one battery (maybe two?) with us on a commercial passenger aircraft.

The good news is that we can ship them via UPS anywhere in the USA by surface UPS transport with almost no limitations. We can ship them via UPS CARGO aircraft, but it will require some extra paperwork and in some cases additional $$ above the normal air shipping costs.

UPS has an excellent explanation of the new regulations, and their shipping rules, for our CL "Lithium Ion Polymer" batteries.

                http://www.ups.com/media/news/en/us_lithium_battery_regulations.pdf

Warm Regards,

[Randy Powell]

They really don't seem to want us to transport airplanes. First it was dogs sniffing nitro and now batteries. Not fun.

[Tim Wescott]

"Page not found".  I tried ordering some lithium coin cells from DigiKey only to be told that the post office refuses shipment of any sort of lithium cells.

It sounds like you'll need to ship your fuel ahead to the next World Championships, whether you're flying slime or 'lectric.

[Howard Rush]

I don't see any change to the rules in effect last summer for carry-on batteries:  http://phmsa.dot.gov/safetravel/batteries .

The limit of 100W, "carry on" only

I think you mean W-hour.  Stunt batteries are nowhere close to 100W-hour.  The above Web site says that you can only carry on two "large" lithium-ion batteries (8 to 25 gm of lithium).  It also says that 100W-hour batteries are not considered "large".  Looks like we can still carry plenty on board. 

[Randy Powell]

Howard's website seems to say that carrying "spare" batteries not in a device are mostly OK but only in a carry on, not in check baggage. Does that mean that if I put 6 batteries in my carry on, that will be OK, but if they are stored in packaging in my suitcase, that's a no-no?

[Howard Rush]

Yes.  Helicopter guys have gotten away with checking a monster battery inside a helicopter as "installed in a device."   Even if they'd let you check one in your airplane, you probably wouldn't want it there because its mass would increase the probability of the cargo handlers damaging your airplane.