Airline Baggage & drivers question

[max2tall]

Hi all,

Wondering if anyone knows what airline requirements are for carrying drivers in baggage on a plane.

A friend has offered to bring some for me, but 6 kg of drivers became 30kg with magnetic shielding that the seller said was needed.

Is this for real ?

Thanks

[Jonasz]

I've brought tweeters in the carry on several times and it's never been a problem apart from one time at O'hare when they thought the Seas Chrescendos were a bomb or something... :B

I've also brought midwoofers in the regular luggage a couple of times 5" Revs and 6.5" Excel, both with decent sized magnets and that's never been a problem either. They only problem is the anxiety for having them smashed or stolen...

[technodanvan]

Wait...he wants them to be 'magnetically shielded' just because they're being transported by air?

Sounds not only unnecessary but pointless as well.

[Paul W]

I've had Neo magnets air shipped from China multiple times and they were always in shielded containers, even though I didn't request it and the supplier didn't mention it.

[Dennis H]

Man, with all the heightened security after the 'underwear bomber', I sure wouldn't want to try carrying anything weird in my luggage right now.

[Face]

You mean, it wouldn't be a good idea to stuff this all in my carry on?

[maynardg]

Careful

I packed drivers in original boxes, then hard cases, checked them, and had one mid somehow damaged by TSA (watched him drop the case off the x-ray belt) or by handlers in transit. My speakers at Iowa DIY 2006 did not sound so good!

[Face]

TSA hires convicted felons, nuff said.

[JonMarsh]

You mean, it wouldn't be a good idea to stuff this all in my carry on?

Better in your carry on than stuff them down your pants like that guy from Nigeria...

[Dennis H]

Better in your carry on than stuff them down your pants like that guy from Nigeria...

We can only hope he burned off some vital parts and will get to think about that for the rest of his life. Do eunuchs still get 72 virgins in paradise?

[max2tall]

Thanks for all the replies guys

Maybe international requirements are different from domestic, or maybe couriers like to make more money

The supplier is a well known manufacturer in China, I was looking to have them sent to me in Singapore.

here's an extract from their email to me:

Many thanks to your prompt reply.

After checking, please be advised the UPS freight per our own A/C would be approx USD 200.12 for your reference.
Total Weight : approx 30 kgs (including anti-manget packing)

Looking forward to your further confirmation.


But I have a friend doing a business trip to Beijing & has offered to carry back the drivers in Baggage. 6kg is ok, 30 is not

I think I'll try for the ex Beijing option with my friend + a cheap hardcase, lots of newspaper & crossed fingers

Cheers

[Dennis H]

About the shielded packaging, airplanes don't use magnetic compasses as much as they used to but they still don't want magnets messing up their navigation. The compass is an important backup to the fancy electronics and it's required to be operational by law. How would you feel if your friend's airplane crashed because he managed to sneak your unshielded magnets through customs? This isn't a joke and smileys don't make it funny.....

[Face]

Since when do they store baggage in the cockpit, or are we talking prop planes?

[fwrigley]

Here is what the Federal Regulation says (49.173.21):

Unless otherwise provided in this subchapter, the offering for transportation or transportation of the following is forbidden:
[snip]
(d) For carriage by aircraft, any package which has a magnetic field of more than 0.00525 gauss measured at 4.5 m (15 feet) from any surface of the package.

Reference

[fwrigley]

Here is what the Federal Regulation says (49.173.21):

Unless otherwise provided in this subchapter, the offering for transportation or transportation of the following is forbidden:
[snip]
(d) For carriage by aircraft, any package which has a magnetic field of more than 0.00525 gauss measured at 4.5 m (15 feet) from any surface of the package.

Reference

I did some more looking around and assuming typical speaker magnet material a sane driver would be well under 0.00525 gauss at 15 feet. Since the person would be carrying it in their baggage I assume we aren't talking about a 21" Maelstrom.

You might want to call ahead to the airline to make sure though. Nothing stops and airline from enforcing more stringent criteria as to what may or may not be hazardous material.

[max2tall]

Thanks for the input people, below is the latest from the manufacturer after I inquired further about the shielding requirement:

" OK for us to despatch directly to your friend in Beijin, but not suggesting ...
As, in fact the anti-magnetism requirement is for all the cargo, even personal luggage as well ...

If goes by International Express :
We are able to adjust even re-pack in our factory if the anti-magnetism test was not approved for the very first time ...

And, if goes with your friend on the plane :
We are not able to do anything for you once the anti-magnetism test is not approved ...
Then the drivers must be left at the airport and would be throw away directly ...

Please kindly reconsider the despatching issue, and also check the freight with your nominated courier service for comparison ...
Looking forward to your further comments."

I appreciate the comments here about safety, and the quoted regulation, that is what I was looking for.
I doubt that most airports actually measure the field strength, but rather determine whether there is one or not; & require shielding if detected.

Fwrigley: the smileys are not about making anything 'funny' - if that was my intent I would have chosen one that signifies laughter, yes?
Tough for you if you don't like people being happy, but thank you for the quoted regulation and other comments :W

International magnetic field regulations may be stricter.

With all the problems around nowadays I guess I'll just ante-up the extra for their metal boxes, & probably save my friend a load of grief as well

[Dennis H]

Fwrigley: the smileys are not about making anything 'funny' - if that was my intent I would have chosen one that signifies laughter, yes?
Tough for you if you don't like people being happy, but thank you for the quoted regulation and other comments :W

I think the funny comment should have been directed to me, not Fwrigley. All he did is post the regs. I'm a private pilot and my cousin is an airline pilot. Sorry if I don't have a sense of humor about someone risking flight safety to save a couple of bucks.

Face, airliners typically have a lot of electronics down near the baggage compartment. I don't know if that includes the magnetic sensors for their navigation displays but it could.

[max2tall]

OOps, Sincere apologies FW ! ops:

DH: Nobody is thinking of jeopardizing flight safety for a couple of bucks, as for the smiles you don't like: a smile shows happiness, not humor.

BTW, I think it's been shown repeatedly that the unsafest thing on planes is the pilots, right ? (looking for a 'tongue in cheek' smiley)

My question was about requirements, and the the big difference between 6kg & 30 kg with shielded box.


But it does raise the point about all the headphones and portable speaker systems in baggage and hand carry on every flight.

My wife and I take our logitech ipod boombox docky thing every time we fly, it's got 4 real speakers in it and no shielding.

FW's point on 15' field strength from a pair of domestic drivers is valid; nevertheless, in this world gone crazy, I will be paying for unnecessary shielding

[Biff]

We can only hope he burned off some vital parts and will get to think about that for the rest of his life. Do eunuchs still get 72 virgins in paradise?

No, the eunuchs get 72 virgins in hell.