[Macworld]

Post your comments for New FAA rules for LiOn batteries could impact DV pros here

[TheBum]

I just started getting into radio controlled helicopters and the electric models (airplanes and helicopters) all use Lithium Polymer batteries. It's common for pilots to carry 5-10 battery packs to minimize down time, so the ban will impact the RC aircraft events around the country.

[flybynight]

So, what are you supposed to do, ship all your batteries to your hotel via FedEx or UPS? As the article states, they would likely end up on the same flight!

[IEBA1]

Hey Rick, thanks for the compliments. I appreciate it.

My supposition is that if it's "carry-on" and catches fire, at least they can throw it down on the floor of the cabin (in the middle of the fuselage) and point fire eztinguishers at it. If it's in the cargo hold, it might be against the outer wall of the plane with no fire extinguishers (or people to notice.)

Personally, the whole "unchecked cargo on passenger planes" has me freaked out a bit.
Isn't that why cargo carriers have their own damm planes?

[Zwilnik]

Sounds like a business opportunity for a local battery hire company. That or some sort of special battery shipping service.

This new rule is going to hurt all those Nokia mediaphone users though. If you're limited to a max of 2 batteries a trip, that only gives you about 30 minutes talk time doesn't it?

[fstop808]

You are NOT limited to two batteries--as long as they are < 100 Wh in capacity.

[BirdmanHD]

HOW about ALL Pros!

I am sick of this ...... AS a 20 year veteran of filming world wide. I am sick of being accused as a terrorist. All of this crap is aimed at routing out potential terrorist threats which barely exist. I'm sorry but that is how I see it. I spent 9 months of 2007 overseas shooting for an international PBS television series. As a LEGITIMATE Small business owner, but not a subsidized one, this regulation ignores needs of companies like mine. I am sorry that I am not CBS or ESPN. I am sorry that they have ways and means to get around things like this while small companies have to go through normal routes.

TSA personnel are often very good people that have NO idea what the $250,000 television equipment is that is passing through the x ray and other machines. I can not tell you how many times I am pulled over for a virtually full pat down because of it.
I can't tell you how many times I've heard from a TSA guy (or Gal) that says " this case is FULL of electronics"....

WELL DUH...

Many Airlines will not take responsibility for damage if you ship your cases as excess baggage, if you ship cases via, freight.... you have major theft problems in many parts of the world. Pretty much you are picking your best possible means of getting expensive gear to your WORK location. Many professionals who own their equipment carry it on the plane. I have to have at LEAST 4 Anton Bauer Dionic 90's and I am moving to add several 160's. Now think of the other hurdles we face. We are going to REMOTE parts of the world.... we have to CHARGE the batteries.... so we need GENERATORS... fermenting the caca of that mule over there will not get the electronics to function in this life time. So we need to find a generator in virtually EVERY country -- because every generator is tested prior to packaging and guess what the tiny amount of GASOLINE... well you can see where this all goes....

So the next one of you that says to the Wildlife Film producer or cameraman... "OH YOU HAVE THE GREATEST JOB!!" needs a ..... reality check (and a life).

Because we are assumed to be guilty instead of the basic American constitutional guarantee of innocence, I have written my Senators regarding this matter. I intend to protest this until the reg is changed or modified.

I urge all readers to immediately begin to protest this by writing Senators and Congressmen, Urging another look at this entire issue.

Sincerely,

Birdman

[ffistometer]

Just as a side thought, exactly how many books of matches, disposable butane lighters and petrol filled Zippo's are allowed on at the same time? Last time I checked it was 3 books of matches, 5 butane and 1 petrol lighter considered as "for personal use" Surely a much more likely source of fire.

[IEBA1]

Fstop808, I strongly encourage you to read the new rules again. Specifically, scroll to the bottom of the FAA page I link to in my blog post at TechThoughts.org, and read the last row of data several times:<p>

"Up to 2 Lithium-Ion Batteries, Spare or Installed<br>
(between 8 and 25 grams aggregate lithium equivalent content)"<p>

You ARE limied to two professional production batteries not attached to a camcorder.<br>
This does not count those much smaller batteries with less than 8 grams of Lithium. i.e. cell phone batteries. <p>

Anthony

[IEBA1]

ffistometer, the key difference is that butane lighters and a book of matches do not burn with the continued heat and force as a laptop's lithium-ion battery. Go to my blog and watch the video clip. Tel me if you've ever seen a book of matches shoot 3 foot flames or burn white hot (>1000 degrees) for over three minutes, and ignite an unconnected battery several inches away.

Anthony

[Photog924]

Good post Birdman! I feel your frustration. The good news is that personal lubricants are still allowed and gel filled bras will pass with no problem! (I wonder if they even check what the gel is composed of!) Go figure. Every time I pass through security, my camera bag is torn apart and gets the glove and swab treatment because of spare batteries.

[ffistometer]

Yes I agree totally Antony, LiOn batteries can go off like a small bomb.

So lets just be totally silly about what we ban from and what we allow on any aircraft until some one sues someone over something, or some greaving relatives demand action, then rub our hands and express our appologies over 'this regrettably preventable accident' and 'take steps to make sure it never happens again.'

Don't forget as it says in the piece that generated this comments forum, you can send these batteries by courier and probably be safe in the knowledge that they'll be tucked away in the hold of the same aircraft as yourself, totally un-observed and burning away quite nicely. No one will know until the aircraft drops out of the sky.

Wasn't it oxygen generators being shipped on an aircraft that caused a fire, killed people and then got them banned.

Oh, of course, silly me. People have to DIE before someone does something sensible.

[d9c9]

Seems like a good opportunity for someone to invent a fireproof case for these batteries that could be approved by the FAA.

[tatilsever]

Yes, it was a large number of oxygen canisters that brought that plane down in Florida, but they were already banned at the time. Somebody put down inaccurate info so that the cargo could be loaded on to the plane.