When it comes to travel, there are more than a few skydivers that we know that hold Diamond status with an airline(we’re looking at you, Tom Noonan, Regan Tetlow, and Annette O’Neil). If you’re unfamiliar with Annette, she’s a digital nomad that can be found anywhere between Europe, Africa, the US or (insert the country name here) in any given month. In the interest of helping us all out, we asked Annette to share some tips on how to travel most efficiently as a skydiver. Below is what she had to share:
9 Travel Hacks Every Skydiver Should Know
by Annette O’Neil
Taking your skydiving show on the road? Awesome! Traveling as a skydiver is one of the most singularly rewarding aspects of the sport. Going further afield than a road trip can present some sticky challenges, sure — but we’re here to help you meet them with savvy and panache.
✔ Get in-date.
Many a skydiving vacation has started with a sigh of despair at the check-in desk when the ol’ repack card comes out. Make sure yours doesn’t.
✔ Reduce paper to a minimum.
Especially with the new Merit-Burble integration, your mobile device has become all you need to present your bona fides to a new dropzone. Your Merits now stand in for that oh-so-easy-to-lose USPA membership card — and they vet your ratings, too, if you have them. Add a digital logbook (I keep mine on Google Drive), and you have what you need right there in the cloud. If you haven’t already, claim your profile at Merits.com.
✔ Don’t put a note on your reserve handle that says “do not pull.”
If you do, you’re begging airport security to yank it as hard as they can. They will likely oblige you.
✔ Decide to check or not to check.
I’ve been checking my rig since I started jumping in 2009, on a couple dozen flights per year (many of which are long-haul internationals) and I’ve never had a problem. Regan Tetlow’s travel schedule is even more hectic, and he reports the same. Insure, yes — but don’t think your choice has already been made for you unless you check with your airline and determine that they have firm rules governing parachuting equipment.
✔ Sort the rest of your equipment by checked/non-checked status long before you arrive at the airport.
As much as possible, stash valuable electronic gadgets in your hand luggage. If you’re carrying on your gear back, don’t forget to remove tools like your Swiss Army knife, hook knife, Leatherman or multi-tool from its inner reaches and stash them in your checked luggage. Hot tip: Take your helmet as a carry-on. If you check it in your soft-sided duffel, it may be crushed in transit.
✔ Make your gear bag as waterproof as possible.
Checking your rig? It’s not your own wayward shampoo you need to worry about. More than a few skydiving vacations in France, Spain and Italy have ended in nylon tragedy when a red wine bottle in someone else’s bag broke, soaking through the stack of luggage and right into an innocent rig. I usually wrap my rig and my suits in a contractor-grade trash bag or two.
✔ Double-bag your gearbag.
Throw your beloved gear bag in a cheap duffel bag. The outer shell of inexpensive fabric will prevent the fancy bag’s straps from being ripped off by a conveyor belt or luggage truck.
✔ Think about international customs taxes before they sneak up and surprise you.
International skydiving trips should begin at the airport customs office before check-in. Have the office register your gear, accessories and electronics. If you aren’t provided with a matching registration card, ask for a printout of the file copy. That paperwork will bear your equipment’s serial numbers. It’s unlikely, but that might just save you from paying tax — again — on all your gear when you arrive at your destination, and it’ll provide handy backup for any insurance claim you may need to make down the line. (See help.cbp.gov for more detail.)
✔ Don’t forget your sense of humor.
If this is your first nylon adventure, you’re in for a treat. Remember, however, to stay flexible. Expect unfamiliar logistics, alien dropzone etiquette and new conditions to throw you for a loop. And even though you’ll have burned lots of money and effort to reach your destination, know that one thing is as true there as it is at home: no day of jumping is a guarantee, so don’t white-knuckle the experience! You’ll enjoy it so much more.
