Does anyone here carry a Leatherman in their flight case?
I’ve owned one for years but I’ve always been reluctant to throw it in my flight bag as I fear it I may need to leave it behind at some security post one day. I would be so much happier if I were able to carry it around though as it’s a really nice little pocket-sized toolbox.
3P
I do – but I always leave it on the aircraft. I learnt my lesson the hard way
Us too. However, apart from unscrewing the cowling from time to time we never had to use it yet.
Stays on the plane during trips, but is very useful for the odd job.
Which will naturally occur on the day after you left it at home for lack of use
:-)
I have my Leatherman on my belt since 1996 … and occasionally I got almost in trouble, because I tend to forget to leave it in the plane. Once (in Nice, F) I had to get back out into the terminal and send it to my home address in a box … but most other airports accepted that I take it to my own airplane.
I think I’ll put it in my parking checklist. “Leatherman … store in center console” :-)
I have a normal swiss army knife and have been told everytime “as a pilot you’re entitled to carry these devices”. Is the Leatherman notably different from a normal pocket knife?
Yes, you should be allowed to carry the Leatherman too, … but have you tried arguing with Greek or Italian security personel? I have. Want to know about the result? ;-) T
Once I was denied taking a small bottle or mineral water to my airplane, in the middle of summer. No chance. When I asked how they wanted to prevent me crashing the airplane into the city I got a serious warning … NNow I have the drinks in the airplane already, and the Leatherman too. But I take coffee drinks with me, those taste better when hot than water.
I don’t carry any such thing, because I would expect to have problems (well, lose the 50+ quid) if forced to share the security queue with airline passengers – as has happened at many places.
However, at most airline security scenarios where one is not sharing with airline passengers, and where they x-ray the stuff, they have allowed everything in there.
One notable exception was Norwich UK where the chimps confiscated my toothpaste and really enjoyed it… nowadays one would go via Saxonair for a much more civilised treatment.
There is always a difference between owners and renters in this stuff. If you have your plane, you keep all that kind of junk in there permanently.
Mmmh so far, I have consistently and without pushback used the crew entrance.
No issues then…
ch.ess wrote:
…used the crew entrance.
Recently I tried to take my oscilloscope (a modern digtial one without any moving parts or vacuum CRT tube which could implode) through the crew entrance of my home base because I wanted to borrow it to a colleague. They refused to let me through because my airport pass (“class 10”) is not good enough to carry tools which require a “class 12” pass, the same one required to carry weapons by the way… I wouldn’t even try to carry a leatherman tool, not worth the hassle and I am not allowed to fix anything myself on the plane anyway. And for tightening a loose knob on a radio, the Leatherman isn’t of any use.
