# Air travel with a fountain pen



## azamiryou (Jan 31, 2012)

Well, I'm finally traveling somewhere I can't drive to... and I'd like to take my daily carry fountain pen.

Are any precautions necessary to keep the pen from making a huge mess?


----------



## butchf18a (Jan 31, 2012)

Take the ink out of it while flying. The normal air pressure inside the aicraft cabin in the mid 30,000's is the equivilent of being at approxsimately 7,500 feet above sea level. A partially filled cartridge or resevoir should not be a problem, but do you really want to chance it?

jmoicbw-bidi


----------



## OKLAHOMAN (Jan 31, 2012)

Take the cartridge,pump out! The cabin pressure could,...... make that *will* make your shirt pocket an ink blob.


----------



## Robertsmeets (Jan 31, 2012)

I agree, I would empty it as well, there is most definitely a difference in the pressure as indicated by the bag of potato chips that "poofs" out when cruising at 35,000 ft


----------



## paintspill (Jan 31, 2012)

i think you should take a full one. i'm really curious. take one for the team and let us know the results for sure. i would but i'm not flying anywhere


----------



## azamiryou (Jan 31, 2012)

That's pretty much what I figured, but wanted to check. I usually use bottled ink, but maybe I'll switch to cartridges while I'm gone so I don't have to carry bottled ink with me.



> A partially filled cartridge or resevoir should not be a problem



The scientist in me suspects the opposite would be the case. Pressure has little effect on the volume of a liquid (ink), but a big effect on the volume of a gas (air). So an absolutely full reservoir with no air bubble or pocket should be fine...

Even so, I'm not going to try it (sorry, *paintspill*).


----------



## jjudge (Feb 1, 2012)

I've not flown with a sac filled pen. But, I travel a lot -- with my FPs.
I've had cartridges in, and piston/pump too. Never had a problem.

Like Matthew said -- unless there is an air bubble, its unlikely there'll be a problem.
Cartridges and pumps are rigid plastic. I can't see a huge effect with the air pressure.

That said ... I don't advocate doing this and, when I remember to, I remove/trash the ink cartridge or wind down the piston/pump before boarding.  (I rarely remember, though).


----------



## monophoto (Feb 1, 2012)

Seriously - - - I've been using a fountain pen exclusively for more than 30 years.  Prior to my retirement, my job involved traveling all over the world - nearly two million air miles.  I always had at least one fountain pen on every trip, and on some I took along a pen wallet with 6-8.  No problems

There are a lot of myths about flying with fountain pens.  You don't have to take the ink out of the pen.  It's a good idea to always fill your pen before starting on a trip simply because its not always convenient to carry spare ink.  In theory, a full pen is less likely to leak due to pressure differentials than a nearly empty pen.  Remember - it is the air inside the cartridge or converter that expands and pushes ink out if there is a pressure differential.  If you keep that volume of air small, you will minimize the tendency any tendency to leak.

And while it is true that the air pressure is much lower at altitude, most planes are pressurized for the comfort of passengers.  The only time that there could be a significant pressure differential is if that pressurization fails - and if that happens, there is more to worry about that a little leak in your pen.


----------



## dow (Feb 7, 2012)

I've flown with my daily writer (I use a converter), and like jjudge and Louie, I've had no problems at all. If you want more info, look here:

More than you ever wanted to know about flying with a FP from the people who have ink in their veins. :biggrin::biggrin:

Post #17 is especially informative.


----------



## monophoto (Feb 7, 2012)

And if your pen isn't full of ink, how are you going to do the crossword puzzle in the airline magazine?


----------



## dow (Feb 8, 2012)

Now, that's a good question. :biggrin:


----------



## Phillyjer (Feb 8, 2012)

The cabins of commercial jets are pressurized.  If the pressure fails, you may get an ink stain but that concern will be secondary in the event of a cabin pressure failure.


----------



## Donovan's Corner (Feb 8, 2012)

Think to take one for the team would mean you need to take 3 or 4 FP's.  The first should be your daily user full, the next should be a pump partly full, and the third should have a bulb filler 3/4 full.  There can be a 4th or 5th somewhere in there.  Each will need it's own color ink.

The biggest problem I foresee for you is what the TSA gate attendants might get the wrong idea about a man carrying a half dozen FP's onto a plane in the name of "science".


----------



## PenMan1 (Feb 8, 2012)

I've flown many commercial flights with a FP/international cartridge loaded in the pocket of a starched, white dress shirt. I never had a single problem. In fact, I always keep a dozen or so cartridges loaded in my brief case. Never had a problem there either.

If you fly prop planes that travel under 10,000 feet without pressurized cabins, this could present more of a problem, but I've never had issues here either.

Now, if you leave your brief case containing unused international cartridges in your automobile at the Airport's park and fly lot, I'll promise THIS WILL BE A MAJOR PROBLEM in Georgia's summer climates!


----------



## leehljp (Feb 8, 2012)

I agree with all of those who have flown internationally quite a bit. Same here. I have carried FPs with me across the Pacific on several occasions without a problem. I used to have one of those watches with air pressure altimeters (albeit not totally accurate) and the cabin pressure showed 6000 ft. ). We flew usually at 37,000 - 38,000 ft. No problem with the FPs that I had with me. I did not have them (1 to 3) in my pocket but in my brief case and no problem there.


----------



## PenMan1 (Feb 8, 2012)

Lee:
Your watch altimeter sounds pretty accurate. Commercial airliners try to pressurize at between 7,000 and 8,000 feet above sea level. NOT because this is most comfortable for passengers, but because this is the ideal for reducing metal fatigue of the aluminum, and giving the planes more years of service.


----------



## azamiryou (Feb 9, 2012)

Donovan's Corner said:


> Think to take one for the team would mean you need to take 3 or 4 FP's.  The first should be your daily user full, the next should be a pump partly full, and the third should have a bulb filler 3/4 full.  There can be a 4th or 5th somewhere in there.  Each will need it's own color ink.



I'm gonna need y'all to send me some of your fancy pens, then.


----------



## azamiryou (Feb 18, 2012)

paintspill said:


> i think you should take a full one. i'm really curious. take one for the team and let us know the results for sure. i would but i'm not flying anywhere



Well, in the end I did decide to "take one for the team". Unfortunately no one supplied additional pens for comprehensive testing  so I just took the one. 

PROCEDURE:
I had intended to top it up before leaving, but got too busy with other stuff, so it was about 80% full. It spent some of the flight time in my bag under the seat in front of me, in a mostly nib-up position, and also some time in my shirt pocket (again, nib-up). Mid-flight, I used it to do the sudoku puzzles in the in-flight magazine .

RESULTS:
There was no leaking and no noticeable difference between pen performance in the air and on the ground. Rumors of terrible fountain pen disasters in the skies appear to be unfounded.


----------

