[wetrail]

I went the Gulfport/Biloxi aiport this afternoon and met with Mr. Dion and a couple of his supervisors ( this going back to a thread of a couple of days ago )along with two locomotives - one meths and one butane fired. It was an eye opener ! I was taken into the sanctum sanctorum of security - the scanning facility than runs through the front of the building, There are numerous scanning machines , each similar to a huge MRI in your local hospital. The locomotives were sent through and then I was shown the images , each one looking like a very high definition X ray. Every part of the mechanism is clearly shown and the general opinion , after the wiping by some mystical swab , seems that all looks OK. BUT - the FAA is the consumate approval authority and they will need a briefing. I volunteered to do this and I should know in a week or so where we are . Each airline has the ultimate responsibility for items on their aircraft and TSA is a second tier player. I left a copy of this year's program , and the latest Steam in the Garden for them to use as a reference. The people were very professional and even payed my parking fee !
More as I proceed through the maze.

Jerry

 

[Captain Dan]

Jerry,
You are doing a "yeoman's" job on tackling the TSA and FAA head on. Having a job that has been overseen by the FAA for 30+ years, I cannot even guess where you will get with the steam engines. I have seen items that for years would get you in trouble with them, and suddenly everything is great and you should do it. Lets hope you get to talk to someone who is still modeling trains or remembers his model trains of his youth! With the TSA, well, I glad that you (and not me!) are trying to work with them. Having to deal with them for almost 7 years of them from nail clippers to living with a quart bag full of 3 ounce containers is too much for my patience. Good luck Jerry.

Just a humerous story about the English airport security. Last Fall, a captain was going thru the security line for flight crewmembers, when something was seen on the x-ray for his bag. Security wanted to search his bag. The captain ask what they were looking for. (I'm sorry, I cannot remember what the item was), but security wanted to look at it because they thought that the captain "might be able to use it to get into the cockpit and take control of the aircraft." To which the captain replied, "I certantly intend to get into the cockpit and take control." The security worker immediatedly called his supervisor because of the "supposed security breach" by the captains statement. True story! Within a week, there was a meeting between the airline and Gatwick security and amazingly, things got better.........
Dan Fuller