Contacttower
No. It's just opinion, not experience. I thought about it some time back and came to the conclusion that it really wasn't going to be a sensible idea, for the reasons mentioned in the thread mentioned above. Of course, what I fly now (and many others similar) came into the UK at some stage, so there has to be a cost-effective level of decision-making that works somewhere. Sharing a container appears to be the best option, but the costs just
start there. For the import of small aeroplanes, there's no saving to be had that I can see.
I've looked a little at the new versions of the classics that are back in production in the US and the base prices might seem tempting at present to those thinking of a new aeroplane that isn't a plastic fantastic...$79,000 (upwards) for a new Taylorcraft/Cub/Champ etc..... It's not an issue for me because I haven't got anything like that sort of money but if I had, I iterate that the cost of import would wipe out any savings and then some.
Unless someone decided to investigate economies of scale? I don't dispute it can be done, but just can't see how it would actually
save any money by the time the aircraft is through the various hoops and on the line. IIRC, there was an article on the subject in one of the glossy comics a few months back that included some case histories and not one of those interviewed could make a financial argument for doing so. I'd be genuinely delighted to hear you could. It's time we relieved the US of some more of its aeroplanes.
None of the above is pertinent if it's what you want to do. And/or you are Ms Howell:
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/1/3d097a7c-6...0779fd2ac.html