What interesting cargo have YOU turned away?
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Join Date: Jun 2001
Location: Enroute from Dagobah to Tatooine...!
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What interesting cargo have YOU turned away?
Weighing up a load of passengers (locals) and cargo away from base today, my suspicions were aroused when one very small backpack weighed 15kg... Thinking maybe the bloke was trying to take bullets out to an area that has been known to have gun problems, I asked what was in his bag. Fortunately he came out with a straight, honest answer MERCURY! What the?!! No way hosea - not on my aeroplane you won't! I was assured it was sealed well and subsequently I was shown that the thermos sized cylinder had been covered in newspaper taped with electrical tape but somehow that didn't quite change my mind... 
Of course he was obviously wanting to start his own gold mine or something. After discovering he couldn't take his prize cargo he decided not to travel.
Anyone else care to add their interesting stories of offloaded contraband?!
Of course he was obviously wanting to start his own gold mine or something. After discovering he couldn't take his prize cargo he decided not to travel.Anyone else care to add their interesting stories of offloaded contraband?!
At one time when I was doing customer service for a US airline I had to remove a passenger who's bag was found to be full of explosives. Seems he was a salesman of such stuff and was on his way to a trade display somewhere and frequently travelled with the stuff.
A suitcase full of the finest "herb" that Northland has to offer!
Should have turned it away - but I didn't. Flew its somewhat dubious looking owner from Palmerston North to Kaitia to collect it. It never occurred to me what might have been in it until the owner paid for the charter from a roll of 20's.
Dr
Should have turned it away - but I didn't. Flew its somewhat dubious looking owner from Palmerston North to Kaitia to collect it. It never occurred to me what might have been in it until the owner paid for the charter from a roll of 20's.
Dr
Last edited by ForkTailedDrKiller; 15th Nov 2007 at 07:22.
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pumpkins - loose. couldn't store them anywhere so had to say no. Because.....heard of an aircraft at Daru, PNG that once took off with a pile of loose coconuts down the back. Interesting CofG problem after rotate when they all rolled towards the rear!
Evertonian
25,000kg piece of machinery that had been flown in from Europe. MDL couldn't get it off the aircraft at Tulla & had to divert flight to SYD from memory. Only alternative was AKL & ship it back. Some boffin at HQ didn't look up what our equipment could handle...I think it was CR2.
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I would have been more worried (for your personal safety) if it was a roll of 100's.
Abalone springs to mind and no doubt many of you will have also been asked.
On the flip side, I was asked to leave the aircraft (before it took off) because I had live ammunition and 40 cal pistol in my bag. They somehow to my absolute amazement made it through screening when I inadvertantly took the wrong bag on board. They didn't make the same mistake again the next day when I checked in again. (It was totally unrelated that they found out they were in my bag once I had actually boarded)
Abalone springs to mind and no doubt many of you will have also been asked.
On the flip side, I was asked to leave the aircraft (before it took off) because I had live ammunition and 40 cal pistol in my bag. They somehow to my absolute amazement made it through screening when I inadvertantly took the wrong bag on board. They didn't make the same mistake again the next day when I checked in again. (It was totally unrelated that they found out they were in my bag once I had actually boarded)
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I've carted a few Live turtles around from (of course) the communities. Had a toolbox one day that was so big it had to be loaded into the plane with a forklift...of course upon reaching the mine noone had told the guys how heavy it was and they thought they were going to lift it out!! yeah right!! After they heaved and strained for about 10 mins with the toolbox going nowhere I suggested perhaps they might want to take some of the contents out then try moving it...which seemed to work a lot better!!
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funny radio calls
I once took some outback station people to an interstate wedding and had to come back empty to bring a second load. When these people charterd an aeroplane they did not let it fly empty so I ended up with a load which included a cage of galahs. On of them was very vocal, and there were some strange radio calls from that aircraft.
Silly Old Git
Once in THE LAND OF THE UNEXPECTED a passengers suitcase containing a chopped up body of his departed mate
He had got a quote to freight him home the day before but thought this was much cheaper idea.
The tomato sauce leaking out the case was a give away tho.
He had got a quote to freight him home the day before but thought this was much cheaper idea.
The tomato sauce leaking out the case was a give away tho.
Thought when I saw this thread, that I had a good answer. But I've been trumped by Tinpis and (to a lesser extent) Clown Act. And probably others that haven't posted here yet.
I was taking some locals from Mornington Island back to another nearby community, and was surprised at the weight of some of the bags they had. Then I noticed them leaking fluid which, errr, STANK!
The contents - Dugong meat.
CR.
I was taking some locals from Mornington Island back to another nearby community, and was surprised at the weight of some of the bags they had. Then I noticed them leaking fluid which, errr, STANK!
The contents - Dugong meat.
CR.
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Was taking a load of metre long crocs from Kikora to Nadzab one day when I saw one which hadnt been sedated properly, trying to escape. Watched him crawl up and down under the cargo net for 30 min, just hopeing it wouldnt come up front even though it had its jaws bound up.
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It's NOT Rocket Science... !
During early aviation days, charter to FINKE from ALICE in a PA32-300 Cherokee Six, VH-ICC.
Passenger was testing (willing) his ballistic theory by trying to load a 4ft (3/4 full) Oxygen Cylinder...
Vne ONLY 192 Kts...not 300+
Some just never cease to amaze me......
Passenger was testing (willing) his ballistic theory by trying to load a 4ft (3/4 full) Oxygen Cylinder...
Vne ONLY 192 Kts...not 300+
Some just never cease to amaze me......
