What is a flight case?
A flight case is a robust protective case designed to transport equipment safely between locations. Unlike a conventional storage case, a flight case is built with transportation and repeated handling in mind, making it particularly useful for touring, live events, production, AV, audio and specialist equipment.
Flight cases are commonly used to protect valuable equipment while it is being loaded into vehicles, moved between venues, transported to events or stored between jobs.
The biggest advantage of a flight case is that it can provide a strong external layer of protection while allowing equipment to be securely positioned inside. For equipment that regularly travels, the right case can be just as important as the equipment itself.
Why Are Flight Cases Used?
Professional equipment often has to deal with challenging transportation conditions.
Cases may be moved through loading bays, placed into transport vehicles, wheeled between venues and handled repeatedly by different members of a production team. Equipment can also be subjected to knocks, vibration and general movement during transportation.
A properly designed flight case helps provide protection throughout this process. For touring professionals, a well-designed case can also make equipment easier to organise, transport and access.
What Is a Custom Flight Case?
A custom flight case is manufactured specifically around the equipment it needs to carry.
Rather than purchasing a standard case and trying to make the equipment fit, the case is designed according to the equipment’s dimensions, weight, shape and intended application. This can allow features such as custom internal compartments, foam inserts, removable lids, wheels, handles and dedicated storage areas to be incorporated into the design.
At Cased Up, we specialise in custom flight cases designed around the equipment and the way it will be used. This is particularly useful when standard cases don’t provide the level of protection, organisation or practicality required.
What Makes a Flight Case Tour Grade?
A tour grade flight case is designed for the demands of professional touring and repeated transportation. Touring equipment can be moved dozens or even hundreds of times during its working life. Cases need to be practical for crews to handle while providing dependable protection for the equipment inside.
Tour grade cases can incorporate robust construction, durable hardware, heavy-duty handles, castors and custom protective interiors.
The objective isn’t simply to build something that looks tough. The case needs to work in the real world.
What Can You Put in a Flight Case?
One of the advantages of custom manufacturing is the range of equipment that can be accommodated. Flight cases can be designed for audio and sound equipment, mixing desks and control equipment, musical instruments, amplifiers and backline, lighting equipment, AV and video equipment, production technology and electronics plus much more.
If an item doesn’t have a suitable off-the-shelf case, a bespoke solution can often provide a much more practical alternative.
Why Does the Internal Layout Matter?
The outside of a flight case is only part of the protection. Equipment needs to be held securely inside the case so that it doesn’t move unnecessarily during transportation. Internal foam, dividers and dedicated compartments can all help create a more secure and organised layout.
For particularly valuable or delicate equipment, CNC-cut foam inserts can be designed around the exact shape of the items being transported. This creates individual cavities and compartments that help keep equipment securely positioned.
Choosing the Right Flight Case
When choosing a flight case, consider more than simply the size. Think about how often the case will be transported, how it will be moved, the environment it will be used in and how quickly equipment needs to be accessed.
You may also need to consider equipment dimensions and weight, internal protection along with wheels or castor, handles and storage compartments. For demanding applications, a custom solution can often provide a better long-term result than adapting a generic case.
Built for the Journey
A flight case is ultimately about more than transporting equipment from one place to another. It’s about protecting valuable equipment, keeping it organised and making transportation easier for the people responsible for it.
Cased Up designs and manufactures custom, tour grade flight cases for professional equipment, touring, production and specialist applications. If your equipment needs to travel, we can help create a case designed around it.