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AIRLINE OPERATOR POLICY ON CARRIAGE OF INFLATABLE PFDs
AND CO
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CYLINDERS
Regulations may apply to the air transport of inflatable PFDs. Only
with the approval of the aircraft operator may carbon dioxide
cylinder(s) be transported in checked or carry-on baggage. Please
consult airline operator policy. If your airline does not allow transport,
you may consider shipping your PFD and its CO
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cylinder separately
to your destination or purchasing a re-arm kit once you arrive (check
availability before you go).
NOTE TO UNINSPECTED COMMERCIAL VESSEL OPERATORS
The operator of the vessel is required to provide the following user
information to each person on board.
Inflatable PFDs will not provide any buoyancy without being inflated.
Follow these instructions to be sure your PFD is armed and donned
correctly, and that you understand how to inflate the device.
•
Basic visual inspection, see Readiness Checklist, p. 5
•
Inflation system check, see Inspecting Components, p. 4
•
Putting on (Donning) Your PFD, see p. 5
•
Inflating Your PFD, see p. 6
MANDATORY CARRIAGE REQUIREMENTS
Federal regulations in 33 CFR 175-1993 require you to carry Coast
Guard approved personal flotation devices (PFDs) legibly marked with
the Coast Guard approval number which are in good and serviceable
condition and are the correct size for each person on board. To be
considered serviceable, this PFD shall not exhibit deterioration that
could diminish its performance such as broken or deformed hardware,
detached webbing, rotted structural components, air leaks, or non-
functional oral inflation tube. Unless worn inflated, this PFD must also
be properly armed with a full CO
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cylinder, inflation system status
indicator, and an accessible manual inflation lanyard. A PFD which is
“approved only when worn” or ”required to be worn” must be worn
under the specified conditions.