How are you dealing with the new TSA liquid Ban?

[Midnight Flyer]

I've been on vacation since this new ban has taken effect. I start my trip in a couple of days and am going to deadhead out before my trip.

I've read thru several threads on here regarding the TSA liquid ban, but just mainly people complaining over the inconvenience it causes, etc. Besides, every other person you talk to say the ban dosent affect pilots or whatever, I'm not wanting to start another thread arguing over that; I just want to be prepared for the worst, so I'm assuming that pilots must comply with the ban just like everyone else.

I understand not being able to take mouthwash..no big deal to me, I didn't pack it to begin with. Shampoo and soap is no big deal either, as every hotel I've ever stayed at provides those items for free in the rooms.

My question is, toothpaste and gel based deodorant/anti-perspirant. I'm not a scientist or anything, but how is toothpaste considered a liquid? Just because something has liquid contained in it, is the TSA considering it liquid for security purposes? I personally use the gel based deoderants/anti-perspirant. Has anyone had trouble getting any type of deodorant thru security?
I figure I could use dry baking soda to brush my teeth with, if need be. I also carry those sani-wipes for cleaning my sunglasses with..they have water in them, do you think they'll take those?

Also some other things I've always carried:
Thermos of coffee
Hand sanitizing gel
nasal spray


Just wanting to hear some of your experiences and how some of you are making it thru security and what they are/aren't allowing regarding essential toiletry items.

 

[kingairyahoo]

...no TSA on the GA ramp, my toothpaste stays in the bag

 

[rjacobs]

Just commute in uniform and you can bring everything through you normally would. Not sure about the coffee, but everything else should be good to go.

 

[ReportCanoa]

Stick the coffee in your underwear, and when the TSA wants to know what the brown stains are, you can tell them you sharted.

 

[Midnight Flyer]

At least that wouldn't be a lie!!:laugh:

 

[NW_Pilot]

...no TSA on the GA ramp

Well, Not as of right Now!!! Give it a few months!!

 

[tomcat]

Relax, as long as you are in uniform you can take any liquids you want. I recommend that you keep them in your bag, so as not to have a civilian uproar. When your bags go through the machine, the TSA guy/gal might ask if it is your bag or not. I did hear one example of a co-worker who had to down a 32-ounce Nalgene of water before he went through, but that was immediately after the initial announcement. All of the TSA personnel are by now well aware that crewmembers working, deadheading, or commuting can take what they want.

 

[tomcat]

By the way, been through checkpoints probably 10 times in the last 3 days with-hand sanitizer, lens wipes, suntan lotion, water, toothpaste, hair gel... no problems at all. When commuting home today (in uniform for once), the TSA agents at the gate didn't even give a second look.

 

[Midnight Flyer]

Thx Tomcat

 

[jknight8907]

Well, Not as of right Now!!! Give it a few months!!

I can see it now: "Sorry sir, you'll have to check that." "Uhh...I'm flying a 172."

 

[mar2003]

The only thing you are allowed to bring is a jar of Vasaline... ...oh wait nevermind... ... your going to have to take it dry. I shouldn't post this and give the TSA any ideas.

 

[Crizz]

Has anyone tried commuting in street clothes? You'd think if they trusted a crew badge enough to let you through security they'd let you carry toothpaste.

 

[Alamanach]

I'm not a scientist or anything, but how is toothpaste considered a liquid?

Since you asked-- a liquid is a substance in a phase state characterized by constant volume but indefinite shape-- it is fluid, like air, but it doesn't expand to fill its container. Toothpaste is a liquid of very high viscosity, as are peanut butter and honey. Viscosity is the ratio of tangential friction force per unit area to the velocity gradient perpendicular to the direction of flow. (And all that is just a fancy way of saying it flows really slowly.)

 

[JediNein]

Well, Not as of right Now!!! Give it a few months!!

Don't know what ramp you're on, but we just had our flight school TSA Inspection.

I asked 'em why they didn't pay attention when we did have a problem, "It's not our job."

So we're filling out reams of paperwork for every flight student, but if one doesn't have the right paperwork, we're supposed to do nothing, except point out which paperwork the person needs to provide (forge).

And, if I'm missing a single piece of paperwork from anybody I've trained in the last 5 years, I can immediately lose all FAA certificates held and face a prison term along with a stiff fine.

But don't worry, if the paperwork is not complete, and I don't train the person, we're fine. That person will just move on to the next school, ala. Hani Hanjour.

Good job TSA! [/sarcasm]

 

[WGP guy]

Viscosity is the ratio of tangential friction force per unit area to the velocity gradient perpendicular to the direction of flow. (And all that is just a fancy way of saying it flows really slowly.)

The scary part is I actually understood that.

 

[Midnight Flyer]

The scary part is I actually understood that.

The only part I understand is "it flows real slow"

 

[WMUchickenhawk]

I wouldn't worry about liquids. Samuel L Jackson can take care of them.

http://craphound.com/images/liquids-on-a-plane.jpg

 

[ReportCanoa]

Since you asked-- a liquid is a substance in a phase state characterized by constant volume but indefinite shape-- it is fluid, like air, but it doesn't expand to fill its container. Toothpaste is a liquid of very high viscosity, as are peanut butter and honey. Viscosity is the ratio of tangential friction force per unit area to the velocity gradient perpendicular to the direction of flow. (And all that is just a fancy way of saying it flows really slowly.)

Um, sorry but toothpaste is a suspension and not a liquid.

 

[WGP guy]

Um, sorry but toothpaste is a suspension and not a liquid.

Um, sorry but suspension isn't a state of matter.

 

[WMUchickenhawk]

Um, sorry but suspension isn't a state of matter.

IIRC its a combination of liquid and solid. Sort of like how whipped cream is a combination of liquid and gas.

How specific is the liquid ban? Does it state certain products, or is it generic about liquids?

 

[Midnight Flyer]

How specific is the liquid ban? Does it state certain products, or is it generic about liquids?

Chickenhawk,

I personally havent heard anything on specific products yet.

I guess the only way around it for the time being is just to wear the uniform anytime traveling (jumpseating or whatever). The only other alternative is just to check the bag containing all your liquid items..."gasp":erm:
Personally, I come from the school of "don't check anything your not willing to part with."

 

[ackattacker]

Um, sorry but suspension isn't a state of matter.

neither is "gel" and that's banned.

A suspension is fine solid particles in a liquid matrix suspended by bouyancy.
A gel is a dense network of fine particles dispersed by water.

Both contain liquid and solid phases... suspension is a more accurate and precise description of toothpaste than "liquid" because liquid is by definition amorphous while toothpaste almost certainly will exhibit short range order (crystalline structure). Simply saying it's "liquid" because it flows is not enough... sand flows but is not liquid.

But what do I know?

 

[Alamanach]

A suspension is fine solid particles in a liquid matrix suspended by bouyancy.
A gel is a dense network of fine particles dispersed by water.

Both contain liquid and solid phases... suspension is a more accurate and precise description of toothpaste than "liquid" because liquid is by definition amorphous while toothpaste almost certainly will exhibit short range order (crystalline structure). Simply saying it's "liquid" because it flows is not enough... sand flows but is not liquid.

How short range is short range? I ask because vicinal water comes to mind, and I can't imagine anybody identifying that as anything other than a liquid.

I'm not familiar enough with the composition of toothpaste to say anything about its being a suspension. Though given that it is so, I can see how "suspension" would be more precise. I cannot see how it would also be more accurate, so perhaps you could explain that to me.

Could toothpaste be a colloid?

 

[ackattacker]

How short range is short range? I ask because vicinal water comes to mind, and I can't imagine anybody identifying that as anything other than a liquid.

I'm not familiar enough with the composition of toothpaste to say anything about its being a suspension. Though given that it is so, I can see how "suspension" would be more precise. I cannot see how it would also be more accurate, so perhaps you could explain that to me.

Could toothpaste be a colloid?

I was talking a little tounge in cheek... it's a bit of a silly discussion outside of scientific circles. But you do raise a valid point, how much order is required to be a crystalline vs. amorphous? Some materials blur the line, particularly when you are talking about thins films such as vapor deposited silicon. "Liquid crystal" displays are another. But generally speaking a crystalline material will generate sharp diffraction peaks on a x-ray diffractometer while an amorphous material will not. Toothpaste is not one of the examples that "blur the line", it is a suspension that contains distinct phases of clearly crystalline materials such as baking soda (calcium carbonate) and abrasives.

In chemistry the terms "suspension" and "colloid" or "colloidal dispersion" are generally interchangeable. So yes, toothpaste is a colloid.

I said suspension was more "precise" than liquid because it's the more narrow definition. It's also more "accurate" because describing toothpaste as a liquid is not actually accurate at all. It contains liquid, to be sure, but then so do you and I.

 

[Alamanach]

Cool.

 

[great cornholio]

Has anyone tried commuting in street clothes? You'd think if they trusted a crew badge enough to let you through security they'd let you carry toothpaste.

If you are in street clothes you have to throw your stuff away or check your bag. They are pretty strict about only having uniformed crew memembers exempt from the rule. So basically in uniform your toothpaste is not dangerous if you change into street clothes your toothpaste just became a "weapon of mass destruction"

 

[WGP guy]

neither is "gel" and that's banned.

A suspension is fine solid particles in a liquid matrix suspended by bouyancy.
A gel is a dense network of fine particles dispersed by water.

Both contain liquid and solid phases... suspension is a more accurate and precise description of toothpaste than "liquid" because liquid is by definition amorphous while toothpaste almost certainly will exhibit short range order (crystalline structure). Simply saying it's "liquid" because it flows is not enough... sand flows but is not liquid.

But what do I know?

But sand has a definate shape, meaning a solid. The compound (maybe mixture, I can't remember) toothpaste as a whole conforms to the shape of its container, no matter how slowly this happens, it still does. That means it is a liquid, not a gas, not a solid, not plasma.