Yes, stuff like that happened to me too … once I was not allowed to board my plane with my leatherman, another time they confiscated a small bottle of mineral water and would not understand that you need a drink of water on a 3 hour flight …
Beech baby
That won’t happen any more as an airline captain I get more problems with the yogurt police than the passengers and am now not allowed to carry any tools when working.
The flight safety issues of GA pilots needing to remain hydrated are not a concern of the eyes of so called airport security for them the fight aganst international terrorism is to be won by removing bottles of water from GA pilots and small pots of yogurt from cabin crew who are very calorie sensitive.
A_and_C wrote:
That won’t happen any more as an airline captain I get more problems with the yogurt police than the passengers and am now not allowed to carry any tools when working.
Not an airline pilot myself, but we have the same problem. However, a long time ago somebody smuggled a screwdriver on board that can be useful for resetting engine cowling fasteners and similar stuff without shouting for help. I also have a tube of glue hidden in a catering cabinet that I have successfully used on several occasions to repair interior furnishings torn apart by the passengers. A roll of high speed tape would also be very useful, but if a SAFA inspector discovers any of that on our plane we will be done for good – so we leave it at home. We also carry a kit of parts and tools for blocking a thrust reverser in the stowed position in case we get an “Unlock” warning light. Since we received special training for that we are actually allowed to perform this operation ourselves in the field… but trivial things like changing a burnt out light bulb are strictly forbidden.
As I have an EASA maintenance licence I should be able to carry tools into airports but doing so is simply not worth the hassle.
My father told me that there was no future in arguing with drunks and idiots, I will leave the readers of this forum to decide which category the yogurt police fall into.
Would you mind give more detail ?
I will when I get back from holiday and have a proper keyboard 
It is all needed to do a service.
Re tools getting confiscated, surely you don’t take them off the plane? They live in a toolbox which never leaves the plane.
I have all kinds of sharp tools in mine.
Peter wrote:
Re tools getting confiscated, surely you don’t take them off the plane?
But you have to get them on board your plane in the first place. And if your home base is an airport with security checks, this can be quite difficult…
Get them on board during maintenance.
Beech Baby, if you ever need tools again within striking distance of the Stewartry of Kirkcudbrightshire please call. The number is on my airfield website. The IoM is only 25 minutes away and I’ve never yet needed that much of an excuse to fly there…
1 set of allen keys
1 set of 1/4 drive sockets 8/32 to 9/16 1 × 1/4 extension 1 × 1/4 ratchet 1x 3/8 and 7/16 "wobble drive sockets
1 set of combination spanners 8/32 to 3/4
3/8 drive socket 9/16 to 7/8 also sparkplug socket 1x 3/8 ratchet 1x 3/8 extension
1 log nose plier 1 side cutter 1 " waterpump" pliers 1 normal plier 1 lockwire plieres 1 electrical treminal pliers
1 6pcs set of screw drivers (- and +) 1 set of small “electrical” screwdrivers
Stanley knife, 1 sicsior, 6" ruler
1 small 1 large adjustable spanner
1 small hand drill (hand drill i mean complete with no electrical power, just manual like this no need for e power) small selection of small drill bits up tp 1/4" here i recommend very highly to buy the very best quality – i use a approx 5 euro/pcs type that even using the “hand drill” i can drill screws off if the heads are gone round etc.
1 roll of 50mm wide “tank tape” but the better quality stuff from “tesa”, 1 roll of electrical tape
1 small voltmeter, 1 pack of 2 part epoxy glue, 1 tube of high temp silicone sealer, 1 small syringe with copperslip, 1 small can wd40, 1 tiny tin of grease (in a small NIVEA tin), 1 LED tourch
small selection of screws, bolts, nuts, rivnuts, pins etc
all this in a small plastic toolbox from the DIY store I guess all under 10kg for sure
NIL: A spool of safety wire & dykes. If some’thn falls off, just wire it back on !
