Power Kite Forum

help! need advice about flying with a kite buggy asap

teklife - 24-8-2009 at 03:14 PM

i am flying out of nyc with a libre full race buggy. i have it "saran wrapped" the front wheel and fork and downtube and foot pegs and seat are all wrapped around the rear axle, the rear wheels are still on the axle.

i was considering sending it from ny to seattle via greyhound bus cargo, but wondering how much extra would it be to just have it come along with me. i am also checking in a golf bag with kitesurfing gear; it is quite large and heavy already. how do you guys get your stuff to buggy events like nabx? especially a buggy so large and heavy as a libre full race (vmax i think?)?

Bladerunner - 24-8-2009 at 03:23 PM

Packing it in a "deceiver" golf bag is the most popular way to go. I have put mine in a ski bag and gotten it through.
It depends a lot on the airline.

Be careful With many airlines going over on weight can be very pricey!

action jackson - 24-8-2009 at 05:30 PM

Know your airlines baggage policy is the key! Southwest has a liberal policy of 2 - 50lbs bags and extra 50 lbs is only $25! Buy a large fish scale and always make sure you are under the limit! Carry axle bolts and others in your carry on. Always wrap board in sheet or a towel and don't mention the word "board".If it does come up its a snowboard which fly free on many airlines. Check in through skycab at dropoff and always have tip money showing!
International is abit more tricky, especially in the southern Hemispere.(They even weight your carry on) American policy is much more liberal!........aj

USA_Eli_A - 24-8-2009 at 05:32 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Bladerunner
Packing it in a "deceiver" golf bag is the most popular way to go. I have put mine in a ski bag and gotten it through.
It depends a lot on the airline.

Be careful With many airlines going over on weight can be very pricey!


B.I.n.g.ooo

teklife - 24-8-2009 at 10:55 PM

ok, i have flown a libre special (much smaller) on an airline inside a golf bag myself, but the full race is quite a big bigger, yet i'm not sure of the dimensions as it's not at my apartment, but at my parents house (i have a tiny nyc flat).

anyone here know the length of a libre full race axle with the wheels still attached? and other specs, such as weight. i need this info to get prices from different shipping co's.

cheers,
ss

csa_deadon - 24-8-2009 at 11:35 PM

Fire off a note to jellis at kitebuggyspeedshop. Should be able to hook you up with the specs.

markite - 25-8-2009 at 12:02 AM

Just beware about taking your bolts on as a carry on. In the last few years myself and friends have had bolts rejected as as a carry on as a possible weapon. They don't seem to like any metal in carry ons anymore and even told Norm "they are a tool and therefore could be used as a weapon"
Screw that nonsense.
The worst part is that they will tell you that you will need to check them as baggage or ship them to your destination - great, nothing like showing up without bolts.
May not always be the case but be warned they could stop you on those.

ragden - 25-8-2009 at 05:11 AM

I know folks who mail their buggies ahead of time. Coordinate with someone at the distant end and just mail your stuff. Just make sure you send it more than a week in advance as getting it there faster is much more expensive. I did some price comparisons, and if I had mailed it out a week in advance, it would have been a lot cheaper to mail my stuff ahead of time... :)

bigkid - 25-8-2009 at 06:21 AM

I am in Seattle if that would help at all. You can ship it here or I can pick it up for you.

Bladerunner - 25-8-2009 at 06:29 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by action jackson
Carry axle bolts and others in your carry on. (They even weight your carry on) American policy is much more liberal!........aj



I tried this and got busted for it ? :ticking:

I ended up just having to give them my wrenches. It took some talking to get to keep my bolts and bearings.

ragden - 25-8-2009 at 06:37 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by Bladerunner
....
I tried this and got busted for it ? :ticking:

I ended up just having to give them my wrenches. It took some talking to get to keep my bolts and bearings.


Now that would suck. I'm guessing you couldnt get your wrenches back?

action jackson - 25-8-2009 at 07:26 AM

Must be a Canadian thing!................aj

teklife - 25-8-2009 at 08:16 AM

thanks bigkid, but i think i got that bit sorted. where do you ride your buggy around there?

bigkid - 25-8-2009 at 02:35 PM

Best and closest is Marymoor Park in Redmond, along with a few others depending on the wind. Look me up when in town and we'll see what we can do. I'm always up to play hooky.:D

Bladerunner - 25-8-2009 at 05:33 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by action jackson
Must be a Canadian thing!................aj


No doubt EH !

;)

I was just glad to get to keep my bolts and bearings. I didn't even ask about getting the wrenches back. It was just a set of vise grips and a crescenrt wrench. :rolleyes:

Funny thing is. I found out the Coyotes work at NABX and never even rode the buggy. Didn't even take it last year.