Some of the contributors on this thread might have forgotten that in all the areas between Texas and Peru civil helo ops are taking place (safely) on a daily basis! The risk is negligible so long as you know what you are doing!
I've ferried a 500D and two S76s to Latin America - each trip has been hasstle free (a one day weather delay was the only non-scheduled event on all three trips).
Darkhorse: If you ain't up for the ferry then yeah, stick it in a box and ship it down. With relevant insurance shipping can work, not much fun though.
But, what gets me is this:
The reason for the trip is for a high altitude engine test ..
Would you care to explain further?
About the only new thing you could do in a 206 would be to develop an engine breathing kit, dismantle it, stack it aboard the Space Shuttle and go perform a moon hover. Everything else (on this planet) has been done. She's flown from the heights of the Himalayas to the oil-freezing arctic circles, from the searing heat of the Sahara to the moisture-laden jungles of Borneo and every place in between!
Just what sort of "high altitude test" would this be?
Confused.
HM