I have three FP, a Pelikan P560 with cartridge, an TWSBI Diamond and a Pilot Metropolitan with squeeze cartridge. They all fail miserably when I fly and are a mess when i arrive at the hotel. None leak out side the cap, but they are all leaking from somewhere around the nib or barrel. Does a plane friendly pressure resistant FP exist? I've been relegated to mundane pens as of late.
Help! I need a airplane proof FP
- Thread starter Neffarious
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What are you doing? How are you carrying the pen? How are you trying to use the pen? I've been carrying and using fountain pens on planes since the late 1960s back when the cabin pressure issue was so bad the stewardess always handed out chewing gum as you boarded and never had an issue that was not caused by my stupidity.
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- #3
They are full or partially full, and stored however my carry on lands. I know you are supposed to transport them full or empty and top up. I figured the TWSBI would have been ok, but I guess not. I don't want to have to brink ink with me TBH, so the idea of filling it before is ok, but then I use it and don't fill it up on the way back and it leaks.
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- #4
I also need an "N" in AN 
Okay, well first issue is to not put them in the carry on, keep them in your shirt or jacket pocket. Don't try to use them during ascent or decent. All should be okay.
tankerjohn
A little poofier than I prefer
I always read that the Pilot Custom 823 is the champ of air travel. But those are kinda pricey. If I were you, I’d probably just bring extra cartridges for your Pelikan and Pilot, fly with the pens empty, and pop in a new cart at your destination. Leave the TWISBI home.
That is exactly what I do having done two short haul flight many years ago and then opened my pens at a meeting to find the pens were empty and the caps were full. Carrying an empty pen with a cartrdidge in my pocket gives me peace of mind. I actually would take a roller ball or something instead.
Conid are supposed to be bullet proof in this respect, Framncis gave me a personal guarantee that Conids cannot leak due to air presure but they are huge money, amazing pens though.
Both my Sheaffer Imperials, Pelikan Pelikano eyedroppered, and my full TWSBI 530 mini fly well.
P51 burped often and easily so it stayed home. My SJ weeps enough with inside to out temperature changes in the summer here that I haven’t tried to fly it, and stopped pocket carrying it.
P51 burped often and easily so it stayed home. My SJ weeps enough with inside to out temperature changes in the summer here that I haven’t tried to fly it, and stopped pocket carrying it.
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- #9
So, in the OP I said cartridge, I meant converter. Either way it sounds like disconnecting the ink is the best plan. Now i just need to find a cap for the converter.
tankerjohn
A little poofier than I prefer
It would be easier just to buy cartridges. They are relatively cheap. The Pelikan takes international standard. Pilot has their own.
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- #11
So cartridges don't "leak" as bad?
The twsbi vac 700 or the vac mini should be lower cost vac fillers that can be sealed up
tankerjohn
A little poofier than I prefer
Um, well of course they don’t leak at all until you put them in the pen. But if you mean when the pens are inked up, it seems about the same as converters to me. I treat the cartridges as disposable when traveling, so they go in after arrival and come out before the return flight. I know that’s potentially somewhat wasteful of ink, but I chalk it up to the breaks of bringing a fountain pen and cheap insurance against an inky mishap. I don’t fly enough that it’s any great expense. If I flew more often, I’d probably have a more elegant solution or just worry less about carrying an inked up pen nib up.
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- #14
I fly pretty often. I went with the Vac 700R yesterday. If it writes like the Diamond, I may have a new Forever Pen.
tankerjohn
A little poofier than I prefer
Sweet!
Let us know how it works for you.Congrats on your new purchase
The Vac style should work well, so long as you just open the knob a bit on the back just a turn or so before taking off. That should allow enough air in with the ink chamber to not have enough pressure effect to cause the leaking/burping. That is the method most pen reviewers I watch have said works for them, and I know at least one of them flies often with fountain pens.
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- #18
Thanks everyone. It should be here next week. It was delayed due to weather.
I fly very frequently and always carry a fountain pen on me, in my shirt pocket. Never had any problems, I mainly have Pelikans that I travel with and also have traveled with Pilot and Sailor pens, as well as with my own made ones with ink cartridges. None of them ever had any issue with leaking, burping or else.
Someone who is considerably smarter than me will shed some light on why some people have problems and others have issues.
Some years ago I used to do a 1 hour flight, cannot remember the plane, possibly a Bombardier Dash 8, I had a Parker cartridge pen and it was carried in my jacket pocket, all the ink went from the cartridge to the cap, I felt I was very lucky that the cap didnt leak. For the next flight I had a Lamy cartridge pen and the same thing happened. For future flights I switched to a Fisher space pen or carry an empty pen and fill up when I arrive.
I have discussed this with other travellers and perhaps 7/10 have no issues, but when there is a problem it is severe, you don't want to turn up to a business meeting with an ink soaked shirt or you open your pen and make a mess.
I am basically a risk averse sort of chap anyway, I measure the benefit against the risk and, in this situation think to myself that the benefit of carrying a full pen in flight as compared to the minute it takes to load a cartridge in the arrivals hall just isnt there for me.
Some years ago I used to do a 1 hour flight, cannot remember the plane, possibly a Bombardier Dash 8, I had a Parker cartridge pen and it was carried in my jacket pocket, all the ink went from the cartridge to the cap, I felt I was very lucky that the cap didnt leak. For the next flight I had a Lamy cartridge pen and the same thing happened. For future flights I switched to a Fisher space pen or carry an empty pen and fill up when I arrive.
I have discussed this with other travellers and perhaps 7/10 have no issues, but when there is a problem it is severe, you don't want to turn up to a business meeting with an ink soaked shirt or you open your pen and make a mess.
I am basically a risk averse sort of chap anyway, I measure the benefit against the risk and, in this situation think to myself that the benefit of carrying a full pen in flight as compared to the minute it takes to load a cartridge in the arrivals hall just isnt there for me.
