Travelling with Lipo's to World Champs

[Christoph Holtermann]

Hello,

now that the World Champs are over, what have been your experiences with taking your Lipo-batteries with you in the plane?

From what I see, teams from CHN, JPN, USA, AUS, CAN, BRA, NZL, RSA and maybe some more that I oversaw travelled with their electric planes and maybe also took their batteries to France.

So did you have any discussions or even needed to dispose batteries?

From what it seems from the past, travels, having a stop-over in the Middle East hubs has caused problems but maybe the situation is better now.

Comments highly appreciated! The next Worlds is soon but also travels to other national oversea-competitions are easier to plan when we know that the battery question isn't such a big hurdle.

Thanks in advance!

Christoph

[jose modesto]

Hey Christoph. Traveling from NYC to Paris
I traveled with Six batteries four 5s for Orestes and two 6s for Sina
AMA provided us with a letter outlining TSA regulations
All batteries are to be transported in carryon luggage
The batteries were prepared by wrapping masking tape to battery pliugs and balancing conection
Then securing both to battery.
Inserting in plantic zip lock bag and again wrapping in masking tape
This created a completely incapsulated pachage
Each battery was prepared in this manner
Flawless travel
Jose modesto

[Christoph Holtermann]

Gracias José!

That supporting document from AMA (or in my case other national federations) is a good idea for next time.

I am happy that your travel was flawless and that you supported Orestes and Sina in that battery question. Always good to have a supporter one can rely on.

Christoph

[Igor Burger]

Well, I do not think any letter will help. My bad experience 2 years ago shows thay will even ignore THEIR official regulation. Pilot sent me thick rule book where was written that battery over 150Wh (if I remember well) is not allowed. I had paper that it is under that and it should be OK, I also clearly declared it at safety check and all was OK and accepted. But pilot did not agrre and after 2 hours long ping-pong communication via long tunnel to airplane we found that pilot had no clue what that article in HIS rule book means. And since he did already decission, he refused to change it, probably he wanted to "keep face".  Offer from one very seriously looking was to give it to personel, and give back after landing, but nothing worked, then one small official girl told me that she will send it after me ... in another plane ... well, I think traveling with LiPo is OK, until you come to some $$%^&*()) guy. And then nothing helps 

[Bob Hunt]

Hi Igor:

Yes, we've all had problems with those pesky airline pilots from time to time. Two that come to mind are David F. and Ted F. They had an annoying tendency to place ahead of me at major meets. Darn inconsiderate if you ask me... 

Bob Hunt

[Keith Renecle]

Hi Christoph,

Evert Scholtz and I both ordered lipo's to be delivered to Europe but then we knew that it could be a problem taking them back home with us. Evert had 10 x 5S 2700 batteries and I had 4 Zippy Compact 4S 3700 batteries and we both got through customs at Charles de Gaulle airport without problems. We both put them like they come into Lipo Safe bags. The customs inspector asked us what they were and we said "model airplane batteries" and he let us take them. We were lucky this time. Now we have enough batteries for a while here in Darkest Africa!

Keith R

[Brett Buck]

Yes, we've all had problems with those pesky airline pilots from time to time. Two that come to mind are David F. and Ted F. They had an annoying tendency to place ahead of me at major meets. Darn inconsiderate if you ask me... 

   I've noticed that, too - about every other weekend for the last 35 years!  I have also had repeated issues with a certain (usually-grouchy) LA Air-traffic controller, too, as I recall. 

        Brett

[Randy Cuberly]

   I've noticed that, too - about every other weekend for the last 35 years!  I have also had repeated issues with a certain (usually-grouchy) LA Air-traffic controller, too, as I recall. 

        Brett

What?  C'mon I see that guy 2 or three times a week and he's very helpful to everyone!  Peach of a guy!...He is still grouchy however!  He still flies pretty good too!
 

By the way...right now He's finishing a new "World Beater"...Look out!

Randy Cuberly

[Brett Buck]

What?  C'mon I see that guy 2 or three times a week and he's very helpful to everyone!  Peach of a guy!...He is still grouchy however!  He still flies pretty good too!

  I love that guy, even with the generally stellar group we have (where we argue over trivial issues at the drop of a hat like most families...), he is still one of my favorites. Still, he told me one time that he *hates everybody* - for 8 minutes at a time!

    Brett