R44 from US to UK

[Baldegret]

Much as I would love the adventure of flying my R44 back from Las Vegas to the UK, prudence has overcome valour and I plan to get it shipped over the pond. If anyone knows of any good shipping firms who could arrange this for me I would be grateful for details. I expect my local maintenance shop could prepare the aircraft for transportation. Also any advice on whether I should leave it on the N Register or transfer it to the UK Register would be gratefully received. What else do I need to know????

[vivadavinci]

I use a company and now they've done it a few times for me I can recommend them. Do send a pm for details.

Your maintenance organisation should be able to get hold of the proper robinson crates (at a cost) and most insurers, certainly mine, insist that it is shipped in a robinson crate.

Make sure that it doesn't get to the uk on a friday afternoon as it probably won't clear customs that day and then the shippers sting you for exporbitant bonded storage costs until the monday.

Have the VAT which may be payable in ready funds to tranfer across to your shipper. Not sure if you would have to pay vat or not, is is a temporary import.

Not sure about leaving it on the N. Think you have to set a Delaware trust to own it but I don't really know what I'm talking about here.

Allow up to 40 hours labour for reassembly.

Then get fed up with weather and send it back to sunny Vegas!

[HillerBee]

Leaving it on the N-Reg, requires not much. You register it through a trust, there are a couple of firms doing this in the UK. It will cost you between £400 and £800 a year.

The maintenance cost will be a lot cheaper and you don't have to renew your CofA. On an N-Reg the Airworthiness Certificate is valid as long as the aircraft has an annual. So all you have to do is an annual. Of course you'll have to do the manufacturers inspections as well (100hrs) But you don't have to keep a maintenance log and flight log as with a G-Reg.

There are plenty of FAA certified mechanics and inspectors around in the UK who will gladly take your business. (I use one costing me £35 an hour)

[Efirmovich]

Try D.O.T Ltd, at Heathrow, Tel +44 20 8890 5511 They ship Heli's and parts world wide.

E.

[Flying Lawyer]

Baldegret
Much as I would love the adventure of flying my R44 back from Las Vegas to the UK .....

Why not do it?
Maybe with an experienced pilot for company and to share the workload? I'm sure there'd be no shortage of volunteers.

A friend and I ferried a single-engine fixed-wing from the UK to America some years ago and it was an experience of a lifetime. Our route across the Atlantic was Iceland - Greenland - Goose Bay, then Quebec and across America to Dallas.

Or, if you're not comfortable about crossing the pond single-engined, fly as far as the East Coast and crate it from there ? It would be a great opportunity to see a lot of North America from the air.


It seems such a shame to crate it all the way and miss out on a wonderful experience.


FL

[thecontroller]

by the way. in order for any N-reg machine to be legally airworty, it has to comply with any Airworthiness Directives (one offs, and recurring) and your insurance company will probably insist any Service Bulletins are also complied with.

and... if the machine is going to be operated for hire/instruction, it needs a 50 hour service too

i am quoting from memory - this is all in the FARs. you best check.

[Torquetalk]

Believe the requirement is only for a 100 hour, not 50. Some US schools opt to service at 50 anyway, although this is self (and perhaps insurance?) -imposed inspection. If the aircraft is N reg and for private use (not rented out; not used to instruct), there is no requirement for the 100 hour, just the annual as far as I am aware (part life limits excepted). Prudence may dictate a more regular regime though...

TT

[rotorboater]

Fly it back!

I will do it for you, just buy the fuel and me and a friend will bring it back.

[SASless]

FL,

Can one get enough fuel endurance to make it across the wet bits? With the right weather and winds....no reason a 44 should not make it across mechanically. The drawback is the North Atlantic can be a very cold, lonely place should you give up flying across and have to do it by rubber boat.

What is the longest leg....bit over 600nm is it?

An old pprune thread about the topic of ferrying small aircraft across the pond...

http://www.geocities.com/profemery/aviation/ferry.html

[HillerBee]

There is no legal requirement for a 100 hour (Unless it's operated commercialy or for hire). However the Robinson maintenance manual requires a 100 hour so you will do one. The CAA maintenance regime is much, much more strict and you will run to much higher cost there.

[Flying Lawyer]

SASless

Yes, a bit over 600 nm.
From memory, Reykjavik-Narsarsuaq and Narsarsuaq-Goose are both about 670 nm.

I don't know the specs of the various R44 models but I assume ferry tanks could be fitted if necessary. (We needed ferry tanks.)

The only tricky part (VFR in a small fixed-wing anyway) of the Narsarsuaq route is that it doesn't have any diversion airfields within range so you have to be 110% sure the weather is OK before passing your point of no return.
It's worth it - Greenland is breathtakingly beautiful. The ice-cap is amazing and flying over icebergs on the approach is quite something.

I agree things could get interesting if the donkey stops but the chances of that happening are minute balanced against the enormous pleasure and great excitement of such a special flight. (Special from a PPL perspective obviously. I look in awe at some of the pictures in the Rotorheads Around the World and Views from the Cockpit threads when I see the places professional pilots fly as part of their everyday working lives. )


As I suggested earlier, flying to somewhere on the East Coast and crating from there is an alternative. For a Brit, seeing so much of America from the air at low level is an opportunity not to be missed IMHO.


FL

[rattle]

Fly it back!
I will do it for you, just buy the fuel and me and a friend will bring it back.

Can I be your new friend?

[Cron]

Can I be another new friend?

[Baldegret]

Damn!!! I had resigned myself to not thinking any further about flying it back and now you have all got me salivating over the prospect. I seem to recall there is a fairly limited window of opportunity before the weather is likely to become too inclement. I will go and have a look at the archived link you kindly posted and I am grateful for all your encouragement. A couple of further thoughts where your input and experience would be very welcome. I'm a 450 hr PPL. Do you think that is sufficient experience for a trip like this? I've flown pretty extensively in the States and the UK. I'm also a single father of two teenage children and that's really what my risk aversion comes down to. So how much risk is involved, assuming a good amount of detailed planning and preparation? I suspect this would have to be a solo trip once I have an auxilliary tank installed simply because of weight constraints, but am much gratified to find I have such an eclectic mix of new best friends......

[Twiddle]

2 up with ferry tanks shouldn't be an issue (why not take one or both of your kids, mine love flying) and it'll stop you from going stir crazy!

[Darren999]

Just flown a AS350 from the Gulf of Mexico to Anchorage AK. Took 3.5 days and it was fantastic!! that's the 2nd time I've done the trip. Don't lose out on an oppotunity to see some wonderful sites! Flying in the US is so easy, and so much fun, don't miss out. If anything fly it to Baltimore and ship it out of there. If you want a map reader call me! Never done the pond though! Come on lets go!!

Good luck with your venture :ok:

[MBJ]

Baldegret
Why not do it?
It seems such a shame to crate it all the way and miss out on a wonderful experience.
FL

Done this trip a couple of times in a Longranger and Squirrel. It would be a fantastic experience but if you do change your mind, check carefully the availability of Avgas. A good route takes you via Toronto, Val d'or, Grand Riviere, Kujuack, Iqaluit (Frobisher Bay) Greenlandair helipad near the mouth of Sondrestromfjord, Nuuk, Narsasuak and and Kulusuk. BUT there's a 410nm leg from there to Reyjavik. Thereafter its all downhill - Vagar (Faroes) - Scotland etc.

I think you're better off carrying extra fuel and a lot of survival kit than another pilot.

However, its probably getting a bit late to set up for this year.