Great news for boaters who wish to take their inflatable PFDs aboard when flying to their destination: After months of revising regulations for security and carry-on items for commercial airlines, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) decided, as of August 4th, 2007, to allow passengers to board planes with personal inflatable life jackets, plus two spare CO2 cylinders. After September 11, 2001, TSA originally allowed passengers to carry inflatable PFDs and cartridges aboard planes; but after a plot was uncovered in London in August 2006 to use gel explosives to blow up airplanes, TSA included inflatables and cartridges in their liquid/gel ban. One caveat: although now permitted by TSA, individual airlines may still prohibit CO2 cylinders for inflatable PFDs on board their flights. Check with your carrier to verify its policy. Boating safety advocates have been promoting the wider use of light, comfortable inflatable devices for years. Many boat racers and anglers travel long distances to compete in regattas and tournaments, and want to bring their own PFDs with them when they fly. To ship lifejackets ahead of time or buy them at a destination can be expensive and inconvenient. Ironically, inflatable marine PFDs are generally identical to the flotation devices the airlines stow under the seats for emergency use. You can view the chart showing the new policy on the TSA website: www.tsa.gov/travelers/airtravel/prohibited/permitted -prohibited-items.shtm#9 Scroll to the section labeled “Disabling Chemicals & Other Dangerous Items” and look for “small compressed gas cartridges”.