Go Back  PPRuNe Forums > Flight Deck Forums > Rumours & News
Reload this Page >

Add This to Things You Can’t Take on a Plane: Missile Launcher

Wikiposts
Search
Rumours & News Reporting Points that may affect our jobs or lives as professional pilots. Also, items that may be of interest to professional pilots.

Add This to Things You Can’t Take on a Plane: Missile Launcher

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old 30th Jul 2019, 14:25
  #1 (permalink)  
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Canada
Age: 73
Posts: 457
Received 6 Likes on 3 Posts
Add This to Things You Can’t Take on a Plane: Missile Launcher

Good Morning All:

Just another day for the T.S.A. from the New York Times!

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/07/29/u...gtype=Homepage

The weapon was found in a man’s checked luggage in Baltimore. He said he was a military service member and wanted to take it home as a souvenir from Kuwait.[img]file:///C:/Users/Bill/AppData/Local/Temp/msohtmlclip1/01/clip_image001.png[/img]By Mihir Zaveri· July 29, 2019·

To the ever-growing list of deadly weapons, creatively concealed narcotics and poisonous creatures routinely found in people’s luggage and publicized by the Transportation Security Administration online, add something new:A missile launcher.The T.S.A. said it found the weapon in a man’s checked luggage at Baltimore-Washington International Airport around 5:45 a.m. Monday.

[img]file:///C:/Users/Bill/AppData/Local/Temp/msohtmlclip1/01/clip_image003.jpg[/img]The man, whom the T.S.A. did not name, told the authorities that he was an active member of the military and wanted take the missile launcher home with him to Jacksonville, Tex., as a souvenir from Kuwait.How he even got it to B.W.I. is not clear (as is how he acquired such unusual taste in memorabilia). =centerYet the T.S.A. said the weapon, which was “inert,” was quickly confiscated and turned over to the Maryland fire marshal for “safe disposal.”

The man was then allowed to catch his flight.
“Perhaps he should have picked up a keychain instead!” Lisa Farbstein, a T.S.A. spokeswoman,
, sharing a photo of the gray, cylindrical object lying on top of a pile of clothes, including what appear to be military fatigues.
The T.S.A. did not answer whether this was the first missile launcher it had ever confiscated.But it is not out of the ordinary for the agency to publicize unusual items that it finds.

The T.S.A.’s Instagram account has close to one million followers. Some of the discoveries the agency has shared there include snakes concealed in computer hard drives, bricks of marijuana hidden in Christmas wrapping and replicas of Freddy Krueger’s bladed gloves. Some confiscated items seem, on their face, benign. In 2012, the T.S.A. barred a woman from taking a cupcake onto a plane, explaining that the cupcake was packed in a jar filled with icing and that the icing exceeded the amount of gel allowed in carry-on luggage.Other items are more obviously dangerous. Every year, the T.S.A. finds and confiscates thousands of guns — sometimes loaded — at airport security or in checked luggage.

Not everything is caught. In January, a Delta Air Lines passenger carried, by accident, a loaded gun through airport security at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport in Atlanta. The passenger later discovered the firearm and alerted the authorities.Not everything that is found needs to be confiscated. In June 2017, the T.S.A. shared on its Twitter page a photo of a live, 20-pound Atlantic lobster a passenger took through security at Boston Logan International Airport.It was unclear what became of the missile launcher. The Maryland state fire marshal did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Monday evening asking about its fate.The episode, however, allowed the T.S.A. to offer a reminder, for those who needed one: Don’t try to take a military weapon onto an airplane.





a330pilotcanada is offline  
Old 30th Jul 2019, 14:32
  #2 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: USA
Age: 60
Posts: 406
Received 31 Likes on 22 Posts
It’s a launch tube. Single use, about as dangerous as a piece of pvc pipe.
421dog is offline  
Old 30th Jul 2019, 14:41
  #3 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: sussex
Posts: 112
Likes: 0
Received 2 Likes on 1 Post
Good morning to you too

" Things You Can’t Take on a Plane: Missile Launcher "

Actually you can if it is checked baggage.
42go is offline  
Old 30th Jul 2019, 15:49
  #4 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Mar 2019
Location: Vantaa, Finland
Posts: 0
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
I would fight that with 50mm PP sewer pipe and win. Have teared a few like ones apart to find how easily it could be manufactured. Not difficult. Most walking sticks and some umbrellas are actually much more dangerous if used as weapons.
Aihkio is offline  
Old 30th Jul 2019, 15:52
  #5 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Jun 1999
Location: world
Posts: 3,424
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Actually you can if it is checked baggage.
According to the article it was in checked baggage.
Hotel Tango is offline  
Old 30th Jul 2019, 16:54
  #6 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: on the ground
Posts: 444
Received 32 Likes on 11 Posts
Originally Posted by 421dog
It’s a launch tube. Single use, about as dangerous as a piece of pvc pipe.
A friend of mine was refused boarding in Saigon because of a packet of electric arc welding rods in his checked baggage. Apparently they're "explosive"...
He flew a couple of days later carrying the same welding rods without any problems.
nonsense is offline  
Old 30th Jul 2019, 17:24
  #7 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Canadian Shield
Posts: 538
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Most walking sticks and some umbrellas are actually much more dangerous if used as weapons.
You're not kidding!!! There's a reason all those OAP / seniors manage to board the plane / bus first!!!
er340790 is offline  
Old 30th Jul 2019, 17:38
  #8 (permalink)  

"Mildly" Eccentric Stardriver
 
Join Date: Jan 2000
Location: England
Age: 77
Posts: 4,141
Received 223 Likes on 65 Posts
Most walking sticks and some umbrellas are actually much more dangerous if used as weapons.
You're not kidding!!! There's a reason all those OAP / seniors manage to board the plane / bus first!!!
Yep. "You feeling lucky, punk? Make my day".

Herod (72 years and counting)
Herod is offline  
Old 30th Jul 2019, 19:04
  #9 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Mar 2019
Location: Vantaa, Finland
Posts: 0
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Crafty Hungarians took this walking stick thing to the extreme, look "kis fokos". Though known in the neighbourhood by different names also.
Aihkio is offline  
Old 30th Jul 2019, 22:08
  #10 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Jan 2018
Location: Scotland
Posts: 12
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Originally Posted by nonsense
A friend of mine was refused boarding in Saigon because of a packet of electric arc welding rods in his checked baggage. Apparently they're "explosive"...
He flew a couple of days later carrying the same welding rods without any problems.
Perhaps they mistaken them for TIG welding rods, some of them are mildly radioactive, harmless normally bur not good if they are abraded and you ingest the dust.
Smdts is offline  
Old 31st Jul 2019, 00:02
  #11 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: May 2019
Location: Southern California
Age: 64
Posts: 30
Received 6 Likes on 3 Posts
Originally Posted by nonsense
A friend of mine was refused boarding in Saigon because of a packet of electric arc welding rods in his checked baggage. Apparently they're "explosive"...
He flew a couple of days later carrying the same welding rods without any problems.
I'm convinced most TSA are making it up as they go along.

More than once I've made a multi stop hop around the country, only to be told something I've been carrying on the entire trip is not allowed.

The last time was coming out of YUL.
A small end wrench on my key ring was no longer acceptable. 4mm/6mm ends, maybe 2.5mm thick and ~40mm long.
Maybe they thought I would disassemble the plane in flight.

My French was not good enough to debate it, so I took it off the ring and gave it to her.

Originally Posted by Smdts
Perhaps they mistaken them for TIG welding rods, some of them are mildly radioactive, harmless normally bur not good if they are abraded and you ingest the dust.
I think you're referring to the tungsten electrode, which conducts the arc that melt the materials being joined.
Grinding a point on it for DC welding ferrous metals does emit some radiation.
As you've said, tungsten dust isn't good for one to breathe.
Clay_T is offline  
Old 31st Jul 2019, 07:23
  #12 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Aug 2017
Location: London
Posts: 94
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Originally Posted by Clay_T
Maybe they thought I would disassemble the plane in flight.
During training I had a fuel tester confiscated from my flight bag. One of those clear plastic ones you push up into a C172 wing fuel drain. They have a philips screwdriver head on them. I asked why she was confiscating it and she said because it could be used to disassemble parts of the plane during flight.

I pointed out that I was a trainee pilot and highly unlikely to do anything like that, and she said "you aren't helping your case Sir, you're telling me you know how to disassemble it as well"
PerPurumTonantes is offline  
Old 31st Jul 2019, 13:15
  #13 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: May 2008
Location: London
Posts: 30
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
Originally Posted by PerPurumTonantes

I pointed out that I was a trainee pilot and highly unlikely to do anything like that, and she said "you aren't helping your case Sir, you're telling me you know how to disassemble it as well"
haha

i'd say she had you bang to rights mate
AndoniP is offline  
Old 31st Jul 2019, 13:35
  #14 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: 60 north
Age: 59
Posts: 17
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Per Trum.....

Sooooooo, being a private pilot and entering with tools,,, Hmmm, were did I hear that before.
Ah!
9/11 that is when.

Seriously Dude!

Last edited by BluSdUp; 31st Jul 2019 at 13:36. Reason: ,!
BluSdUp is offline  
Old 31st Jul 2019, 14:42
  #15 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Dec 2017
Location: Yakima
Posts: 591
Received 209 Likes on 82 Posts
Brains certainly do seem to be lacking with some of the TSA decisions re 'dangerous' goods. I used to work for BP Chemicals Advanced Materials in Kent, WA. One of the products we produced were the launch tubes for the TOW missile. It was, simply, a machined fiberglass tube. There was certainly nothing 'dangerous' about it, except that you might be able to hit someone over the head with it. It was just a fancy plastic pipe. And this type of thing was confiscated from checked baggage.....?

Last edited by Winemaker; 31st Jul 2019 at 15:08.
Winemaker is offline  
Old 31st Jul 2019, 14:50
  #16 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Jul 2019
Location: STR
Posts: 5
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Has anyone been able to identify what system this was from? SMAW maybe?
Flight Alloy is offline  
Old 31st Jul 2019, 15:51
  #17 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Aug 2017
Location: London
Posts: 94
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Originally Posted by BluSdUp
Sooooooo, being a private pilot and entering with tools,,, Hmmm, were did I hear that before.
Ah!
9/11 that is when.
Seriously Dude!
Good job they took the plastic fuel tester off me then! Unfortunately the cabin crew then gave me metal cutlery with the inflight meal.

​​​​​
PerPurumTonantes is offline  
Old 31st Jul 2019, 16:25
  #18 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Apr 2018
Location: Sudbury, Suffolk
Posts: 256
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
I don't suppose TSA staff are given comprehensive training on all things that are actually safe. I expect the training to focus, rightly, on things that could be unsafe.

They will also have extensive training on how it is their responsibility to use their judgement in preventing The Bad Guys finding new ways (shoes, fluids, who knows what) of getting harmful things into aircraft.

Before you insult a man walk a mile in his shoes. (That way when you DO insult him you'll be a mile AND you'll have his shoes)
Maninthebar is offline  
Old 2nd Aug 2019, 13:23
  #19 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: Pittsburgh, PA
Posts: 112
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Another one found at BWI! Second one this week:
https://wjla.com/news/local/a-second...y-tsa-security
MichaelKPIT is offline  
Old 2nd Aug 2019, 20:37
  #20 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Auckland, New Zealand
Posts: 80
Received 17 Likes on 11 Posts
Originally Posted by MichaelKPIT
Another one found at BWI! Second one this week:
https://wjla.com/news/local/a-second...y-tsa-security
Please stop finding them!

They may be destined to take out Russia's spokesman in the White House!
Chris2303 is offline  

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off



Contact Us - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service

Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.