Flight cases, carrying cases or equipment cases are sturdy, rigid trunks or enclosures designed for protecting personal goods in transit and storage. They’re typically made from plastic or metal. Many models feature a range of additional options, like heavy-duty foam inserts or additional protective padding.
High-end transit equipment cases are widely used in a range of demanding industries and roles. This includes the avionics, transport, electronic, entertainment, photography and video, test and measurement, medical, security and military sectors, to name just a few.
Flight cases are primarily designed to shield and protect fragile or high-value items during transit. Some are specifically designed to house particular pieces of equipment or instruments. Others are more adaptable and can be used to protect almost any important goods that may otherwise be at risk of damage.
Because they’re chiefly used as a handy solution for long-distance travel, long-term storage or frequent location changes, rack flight case are also commonly known as shipping cases or transportation cases. You will sometimes see them referred to as roadie cases, as they make a popular solution for conveying musical instruments and technical equipment between different locations.Flight cases can be used to store, protect and transport a wide variety of equipment types and tools, depending on which sort of case you choose. As mentioned above, musical instruments are one of the common types of flight case hardware, but you will find all sorts of items being shipped in these robust, heavy-duty enclosures.
Flight Cases for Guitars
Flight cases for guitars are a popular choice among musicians. Many such equipment or roadie cases are specially designed to provide added protection for guitars in transit. Both acoustic and electric guitars require careful handling during shipping or air travel. Their weight, size, and relative fragility mean that they are prone to damage, and this is why protection with a quality flight case during a trip is essential.
Guitar flight cases tend to be built in such a way as to provide additional support and padding around the most vulnerable parts of the instrument. These normally include both the headstock and neck of the guitar, particularly at key joints and where cutaways on the body taper sharply.
You’ll often see flight cases intended specifically for travel with guitars that include a good deal of strong secondary bracing, packing or foam padding at these vital points. They’re usually designed to provide reliable cushioning and support around the bridge and headstock of the instrument. Additional reinforcement is sometimes focused on areas where the main sections of the head, neck and body join together.
Guitar flight cases are often made from fairly lightweight but sturdy materials, such as rigid plastic or aluminium. This generally provides a good level of overall protection, while also being more convenient to carry between locations. Cases designed for shipping multiple guitars together often include built-in racking systems. These typically come with wheels for easier manoeuvring on the ground.
Flight Cases for Guitar Amps
Just as with guitars themselves, flight cases for guitar amps are another important piece of kit for many travelling musicians and road crews.
A guitar amp flight case can come in many sizes and configurations, depending on the type and size of amp or speaker you need to pack up safely ready for shipping. Again, they tend to focus on delivering robust knock and fall protection, with heavy padding on the interior.
Like many such equipment cases, they’re often made from high-grade plastic or metals like cast aluminium. Their bodies may be ribbed for further strength and rigidity, offering an ideal combination of strength and a lighter carry weight for travel.
Additional features can include:
Sturdy comfort grip handles with increased lift capacities
Retaining straps
Toggle catches with wire seals and padlock facilities
