You CAN carry your Leatherman into a Security Restricted Area

[ITCZ]

This post relocated here from the thread on security screening.

We were talking about the big kitchen knives the Maccas employees had inside the departure lounges.....


They are normally "Prohibited Items" as defined by Regulation 1.07 (pages 21 to 28 of the Aviation Transport Security Regulations 2005, download .pdf here (http://www.dotars.gov.au/transsec/docs/ATSA_REGS.aspx)

Section 4 of the ATSR's allows certain persons to carry weapons and prohibited items through screening to within the security restricted area and on board aircraft

The Maccas employees may be (1) deemed employees of an aviation industry participant and therefore allowed to have tools of trade or more likely (2) their kitchen is not 'in' the security restricted area.

Which brings us to an interesting point.

You CAN take your leatherman through.

Although ATSR 1.07 might say that your leatherman or small tool is a Prohibited Item,

ATSR 4.62 (page 146) and ATSR 4.65 allow you as an employee of an aviation industry participant, to carry within a secure area an onto your aircraft, a Tool Of Trade

If you are the pilot of a "Class B" aircraft, Civil Aviation Regulation 42ZC allows you as the pilot to carry out some maintenance tasks. Your leatherman, of course, is to assist you with such tasks. You are therefore carrying your leatherman as a tool of trade for a lawful purpose.

If you are the pilot of a "Class A" aircraft (you probably have system of maintenance that includes MEL), CAR 42ZC permits you the pilot to carry out such maintenance as you are approved by the aircraft's MEL or delegated maintenance authorities, such as pre-flight inspections.

You are therefore carrying your leatherman into the secure area and onto your aeroplane as a tool of trade for a lawful purpose.

If they stop you, quote the CARs and their ATSR's back at them, then ask them if they are prepared to cop the responsibility of a delay while they look it up :ok:

[SsaKcaj]

I understand your point of course as I have a couple of these little gems, but I wonder if Leatherman would consider producing a tool with all the gagets but with no knife?

[Capt Claret]

SsaKcaj

It's not just the blades that cause grief with the leatherman, it's those pesky but useful screwdrivers too.

I've had jewlers screw drivers, carried to ensure glasses frames stay connected, confiscated in the past because of their resemblance to a weapon! :mad: :mad:

[ITCZ]

SsakCaj, I have a little convertible pliers/phillips/standard driver pocket tool that has no blade. Folded, it is 3cm long. Unfolded it is 5.5 cm long.

Security screening didn't like it and wanted me to surrender it. Prior to March 10th it was okay as it had no blade. Screwdrivers, blades, sharp points, pliers, all tools are now listed as Prohibited Items in Table 1.07, item 1.

But you can carry them as a tool of trade for a lawful purpose in the possession of an employee of an aviation industry participant. Sections 4.62 and 4.65 of the ATSR's.

[Lake Evil]

As we are told up in the far North West at the moment, aircrew only have to pass through security on the last instance before flight. We are deemed "ground crew" before this and can do anything with the aircraft on the SRA without taking off, so I leave my leatherman, 9mm Beretta, Bowie knife and knuckle dusters in the cockpit so they are all nice and cosy there.... Thank god we have the most sercure airport eating establishments in the world!

[captain69]

Q What is the definition of Airport security.
A The ability to convince 450 people on a jumbo that an 18 yo can hijack them with a pair of nail clippers.

oops gotta have that cap on ya aerosols.

['AEROWASP' HELICOPTERS]

Late last year, I was a passenger on a BA flight from J'Burgh to Nairobi and a chap going through screening had to surrender a nail file......he argued until they threatened to remove him from the flight and eventually he boarded but very disgruntled and pi**ed off.....30 minutes later a meal was served WITH METAL KNIVES AND FOLKS!????:ugh:

[scrambler]

METAL KNIVES AND FOLKS!

And i always thought that the Knives metal but the FOLKS were plastic on BA

[Sunfish]

And regulation 4.53 gives the same rights to ordinary "persons" such as mere PPL holders like moi.

Now for all you bush lawyers out there, are golf clubs (classified as weapons) "tools of trade" within the meaning of the regulations? I've seen more than one bag of clubs getting loaded into a light aircraft.:O