Airport Security

[njc]

I am flying to Germany this summer and intend to use my Street Pilot 3 in a hired car when I get there. I will take the GPS on the aircraft as hand luggage and therefore will have to put it through airport security. By passing the GPS through the x ray machine is there any danger that information stored on it ie maps routes waypoints etc may be lost. I realise that mobile phones are not effected but do not know if the same technology is used for data storage.

I would appreciate any advice.

Regards
Niall

 

[irishpan]

Hi,

I've taken my SP 111 throuh airports in my hand luggage several times without any apparent effect whatsoever. Not a problem.

 

[John Armstrong]

Never had a problem either. Just a thought, as you're going to use a hire car, having a remote aerial might be helpfull if the car has a heated screen / gold plated one.

 

[irishpan]

Hi Niall,

On reflection, though, I did have one problem! On arriving in Carcassonne airport, I hired a Fiat Punto which did not have a cigarette lighter socket. Since I did not take any batteries with me, the SP could not be used until said batteries were purchased. A fiat Punto would not pull your cap off - absolutely c**p.
Sorry about that. I just had to get that episode out of my system. Good luck with the trip.

 

[Fanum]

If you attempt to use it on the plane itself, might be an idea to let them know up front what you're doing.........wouldn't want to get shot by some trigger happy sky marshall

 

[luke scott]

I have taken one several times as hand luggage and from a security they never even looked at it in Dublin airport ! Batteries ...wires etc etc not even a glance

 

[DodgyGeeSer]

If you attempt to use it on the plane itself, might be an idea to let them know up front what you're doing.........wouldn't want to get shot by some trigger happy sky marshall

It's listed as a device you can use during the flight, on Aer Lingus flights (so I'd assume other airlines too). Just not during take-off/landing. Handy if you want to figure out exactly where you are.. Of course, you'd trust the pilot would know your current location... Unless of course you're travelling RyanAir, in which case, it's probably a good idea to have the GPSR ready to hand.

Oh, and I've carried (and used) mine on many flights without problems..

 

[Peter Pan]

It's listed as a device you can use during the flight, on Aer Lingus flights (so I'd assume other airlines too). Just not during take-off/landing. Handy if you want to figure out exactly where you are.. Of course, you'd trust the pilot would know your current location... Unless of course you're travelling RyanAir, in which case, it's probably a good idea to have the GPSR ready to hand.

Oh, and I've carried (and used) mine on many flights without problems..

British Airways cabin crew got the strop when I was using mine during the flight and told me to switch it off - despite my telling her that it was only receiving information and not transmitting.

We then spent the rest of the flight playing cat & mouse with her trying to catch me out and my using it when she wasn't looking .....!

 

[ebbo]

How good can you expect a Garmin GPS to be at capturing satellites and getting a lock when you’re travelling at 500 mph?

Just wondered, because I was thinking of trying the 276c on a Jet2 flight to Palma

 

[Jimb]

ebbo

Both Sherpa & Swooper have done it and they say it works a treat, shows altitude & speed.
The 276C should have no trouble.

 

[ebbo]

Cheers Jimb, all I have to do now is sweet talk a Stewardess,

 

[snoopy]

Talking of airport security has anyone been to Amsterdam airport recently? When you check in and go through the detectors any sharp objects such as knifes, scissors etc may not be carried as personal belongings and will be removed.

Then go straight for something to eat, and pick up some metal cutlery!

 

[chasr]

Then go straight for something to eat, and pick up some metal cutlery!

Metal cutlery is 'ok' now. Even on flights to/from the States.

 

[John Armstrong]

How good can you expect a Garmin GPS to be at capturing satellites and getting a lock when you’re travelling at 500 mph?

Just wondered, because I was thinking of trying the 276c on a Jet2 flight to Palma

Hopefully quite good as most airlines use them, and with probably older technology, as well as the puddle jumpers. I'd expect most airline to be ok with them as long as you leave it switched off during the departure / landing phases.

Most airlines seem to be paranoid about things that transmit and will mess up thier GPS's, understandable, when you want to cross the atlantic and the other option is a laser ring gyro, or for the older ones three gyro's spinning around.

 

[Boxed-in]

Same as above, I took it through security no problem,

The problem I did have was at the other end when the hire car did not have a power socket to run it


Check the car before you take off, they were quite happy to change the type of car, once they understood why I wanted one with a power socket..

 

[njc]

Many thanks for the replies.

Regards
Niall

 

[PanEuropean]

How good can you expect a Garmin GPS to be at capturing satellites and getting a lock when you’re travelling at 500 mph?

For goodness sake, Garmin is the world's largest manufacturer of panel mount aviation navigation equipment! Quite a few new business aircraft now come from the factory with Garmin equipment installed.

You will find that your handheld works just fine in an aircraft, provided that you can get the antenna close to a window. You'll only have a view of half the sky, but normally that's enough for a positional fix. If you can sit on the south side of the aircraft, so much the better, because then you can get the augmentation (EGNOS) signals as well.

Be aware that no civilian GPSR will operate at speeds greater than 600 knots, so, if you happen to have an amazing tailwind that day, you might find that you get some blank spots in your track coverage.

Michael

 

[Padge]

If my $30 Ebay GPS thingy can work at 445mph, I'm sure the Garmin will too.
Although, it can cause the Aer Lingus crew to ask me what the hell I have stuck to their window...

How good can you expect a Garmin GPS to be at capturing satellites and getting a lock when you’re travelling at 500 mph?

Just wondered, because I was thinking of trying the 276c on a Jet2 flight to Palma