[Yak] tires and baggage compartments

[Tony Raven]

There are two answers to this question, the practical one and the legal 
one. 

The practical one is that there is no need and tires do not explode in 
baggage compartments,  Even if they were in a zero pressure cargo hold 
the effective inflation pressure would only rise 15psi which is nothing 
on most tires.  In practice its more like 5psi which is within the error 
margin of most bicycle tire pressure gauges.  Even if they did explode 
there is not enough energy there to do any harm.

 The legal answer is they classify as pressurised gas containers under 
Division 2.2 of FAA DOT49CFR173.115 if they are inflated to more than 
40.6psi at 20 centrigrade.

Many airlines are now waiving the need to depressurise - British Airway 
do not require it anymore for example - but others are sticking to old 
habits and the letter of the rules.

As to your question, only depressurise if the checkin staff insist, if 
they do just do enough for them to hear escaping air and stop and only 
let all the air out if they are being particularly fussy that day.  
Pumping them back up is always a pain so the less pumping you need to do 
the better.

Tony


>  ------------------------------
>
>  Message: 2 Date: Mon, 02 May 2005 13:51:29 -0400 From: "Nancy Ota"
>  <Nota at mail.als.edu> Subject: [Yak] tires and baggage compartments To:
>  <yak at bikefriday.com> Message-ID: <s2763077.041 at mail.als.edu>
>  Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII
>
>  I noticed that on a couple of the European airlines websites, they
>  recommend deflating tires so they don't explode in the baggage
>  compartment. My BF has been on 8 flights here in the US and I've
>  never deflated my tires or had any problems. This will be my first
>  trip overseas, do I need to deflate or not and have I just been lucky
>  on my domestic flights? Anybody ever open their case to blown out
>  tubes? thanks, nancy (NWT)
>
>