Everyone ‘knows,’ that you can’t take a weapon, like a slingshot on a plane. It’s true that, unless you’re an air martial, you’re not supposed to be armed. However, sticking to the common knowledge isn’t the best path to facts. You’ll miss out on a whole lot of useful info if you believe what you hear. Instead of trusting what your friends, family, or co-workers tell you, get to the bottom of the issue and find out the truth. I’ll explain how to get a slingshot, or other weapons on a plane legally, with little extra effort and no consequences. You can travel safely, with your slingshots, if you’re savvy, and don’t try to stick them in your pocket. Sometimes you need to forget what you heard and ask the people in charge to get the right information, so that’s what I did.
Can you bring a slingshot on a plane? You can carry a slingshot in checked baggage on a plane. Although you cannot bring weapons, even children’s toys like a slingshot in an airplane carryon bag, you can have them safely stowed. You may need to fill out a form to check a weapon, and you should always verify that it’s legal to carry when you arrive.
What TSA Says About Slingshots on Planes
Although too few passengers think to check first, the TSA (Transportation Security Administration) that is in charge of airport safety has an exhaustive list of things you can take on a plane, and slingshots are on the list.
The straightforward list has a yes or no column for carryon luggage and checked luggage. In the case of slingshots, they show very clearly that you can check them. Every page also notes that the final decision about all items rests with the individual officer who discovers them, and TSA supports those decisions wholeheartedly.
If you’re going to check a slingshot, make sure it’s a stunning, high-quality SimpleShot Scout Hunting Slingshot from Amazon. Slingshot enthusiasts make these elegant, streamlined slingshots. The flat bands and owners manual are included with a SimpleShot. Plus, you’ll love the versatility for any shooter regardless of style or size. Get a SimpleShot Scout by clicking here.
Although they’re not as common as people trying to smuggle their tasers onboard, officers see slingshots often enough. They make a point of sharing what they take from the public to help people understand what you can’t have and why.
TSA Week in Review
If you’re looking for a little light reading that’s amusing, a little scary, and a good reminder of why you should never try to smuggle something banned into a plane cabin, the TSA Week in Review is a great place to start.
Every week since January of twenty-fourteen, the good folks at Transportation Security have scrupulously taken pictures of whatever they confiscated. They post them every week, and some of the stuff is a whole lot weirder than a slingshot. From plunger and potato guns to illegal cheese from France, people never seem to learn that asking is a lot less expensive than trying to get away with it.
Step-by-Step Checking a Weapon
Slingshots are not currently classed as firearms when they travel on planes. Still, it’s easy to envision a future where one bad person creates a situation where you need to check that slingshot like a gun. Hence, I’ve provided this quick and easy guide to carrying firearms on a plane in case things change next week. You may need to know this in a hurry, so bookmark this article for reference.
Checking Firearms
Checking firearms on American planes is reasonably simple. First, if a permit is required, make sure you have it with you. Second, check that your weapon is legal at your point of departure and arrival to avoid legal problems.
Currently, firearms must be within a locked, hard-sided container in checked baggage. Make sure you have the key on your person in case TSA requires a visual inspection. A gun must be unloaded when traveling. If this is translated to slingshots, then assume you need to remove the band.
Finally, you must declare your firearms when you check your baggage. Assume that the same rule would apply to a slingshot if the rules change. That means you must tell the agent at the counter that you have an unloaded gun in your luggage.
Ammunition
You may also carry ammunition with you in checked luggage. All the same, rules apply. It cannot be inside a weapon, and you must declare that you have it and how much. Keep in mind this should also go in the locked, hard-sided container.
If you have any questions about what containers are permitted or other concerns, TSA Customer Service is easy to reach by clicking here. You can call, email, or even Tweet them a question. Or, if you prefer, the FAQ section of their site has answers to the most common questions. In my experience, they are friendly and swift to reply, and would always rather you ask than take a guess.
Why You Can’t Carry a Slingshot on a Plane
What if the slingshot you want to take on a plane is just a toy for your child? Does it matter if you’re a professional competition shooter? Can police or military service members have a slingshot on a plane? There are a million questions that attempt to justify taking a weapon aboard an aircraft with you.
The very simple answer is that you still have to put that slingshot and its ammo in your checked baggage. Unfortunately, there is no such thing as special permission. Even a sky martial would have trouble justifying why they needed a slingshot on a plane and would likely be told no.
Primarily it comes down to this; You can use a slingshot to hurt or threaten someone. Furthermore, you could kill another passenger or a pilot. Hence, you cannot carry the slingshot on the plane.
I recommend checking the Easimgo Professional Slingshot Set for wherever you’re traveling. The arm stabilizer comes with magnetic ammo holders so you can rapid-fire without messing around with an ammo pouch. You’ll appreciate the included clay practice balls as much as the steel ball bearings for hunting or self-defense. Learn more on Amazon by clicking here.
Who Can Have Weapons on a Plane
There are only two types of people who are permitted to carry any weapon on an airplane. The first is Air Martials, who are responsible for in-flight security. Though not every flight has an Air Martial, when they are present, they typically carry guns.
To become an Air Martial, you must be a licensed federal agent. Still, you’d need to be on duty to carry a gun on a plane. A slingshot would likely be prohibited even if the Air Martial had a good reason for wanting to take it.
The second group is Police Officers. Yet, just like the Air Martial, they have to meet specific requirements to carry on a plane. They must be on duty, and then only during prisoner transport. Likewise, these officers do not also have permission to carry slingshots. In fact, officers doing authorized prisoner transport have to follow a strict set of prescribed rules.
Can TSA Employees Have Slingshots on Planes
You cannot, under any circumstances, carry a slingshot onto a commercial flight. This includes pilots, co-pilots, and other employees. Not even a janitor cleaning out the plane is permitted to bring a weapon aboard.
Illegally Carrying a Slingshot on a Plane
“Carrying prohibited items may cause delays for you and other travelers, but they may also lead to fines and sometimes even arrest.” –TSA
Sometimes carrying a slingshot on a plane illegally might only mean you end up losing a nice slingshot. Throwing away money and vital equipment is lame enough. However, that’s far from the only possible consequence. You could get banned from getting on your flight, or from flying at all.
Instead of risking your freedom, make sure you check your slingshot. Once you touch down, a superb model like the Axiom Ocularis Hunting Slingshot from Amazon will keep you safe, get rid of pests, or catch your dinner with ease. The pocket-sized portable design makes it simple to grab and go no matter where you land. Plus, the Axiom Occularis is made in the USA, so you can feel good about buying a product that provides jobs to American workers. Have your Axiom Delivered when you order here.
Fines & Arrest
As if losing a nice slingshot, or the price of a ticket wasn’t bad enough, you could get slapped with a hefty fine. When you break the rules, it’s up to TSA to decide how bad the infraction was. Resultantly, you could end up paying as much as up to $13,669 per violation. Yes, that is cumulative, so in an extreme case, you could owe for the slingshot, plus an equal amount for ammo or a second slingshot.
Additionally, if you’re suspected of ill intent with that slingshot, then you could be arrested and charged. Furthermore, if you do any damage or resist arrest, it can make things even worse. Avoid all that drama, and please, just check your slingshot.
Final Points on Having a Slingshot on a Plane
There’s a considerable difference legally between sticking a slingshot in your pocket while trying to board a plane and checking it. Unfortunately, unless you own a private aircraft, you have to follow the rules. Even then, there are correct procedures to follow.
Luckily, you don’t have to leave your slingshot behind, even if you can’t bring it inside an airplane. Make sure you know the local laws at your point of departure and landing. Otherwise, you might end up in trouble when you land.
Sometimes staying safe is as easy as asking the right questions instead of accepting what ‘everyone’ knows. Next time you travel, stow that slingshot so you’ll have it on the ground.