View Full Version : freighting a light aircraft?
Barcli
30th May 2004, 13:57
has anybody any contact nos or info regarding the costs of freighting a small Biplane from - in this case florida to the UK ?
a contact company name or previous experience would be greatly appreciated
You'll no doubt have to go to a freight agent. Even to fit a B747F, you'll have to dismantle it. At a guess you'll have to take the wings/empennage off. They'll need the dimensions of the dismantled/packed pieces & weight.
You will probably be paying for the volume your aircraft occupies in the freighter ("chargeable weight") so beware. Don't think you will be paying lets say 1000KG x $1.... (2 positions in a 74F count as 6.4T "chargeable" as a rough guide).
This will be an expensive exercise, would suggest you compare prices with sea-freight assuming cost IS an issue and time ISN'T an issue.
rgds
wrenchbender
2nd Jun 2004, 04:12
Why don't you have an adventure, and ferry it over?
GotTheTshirt
29th Jun 2004, 21:16
As CR says the only way is seafreight in either a 20ft or 40 ft container. Not a big jump in price between 20 and 40.
A 40 about $4,000 USA to UK but you can get 3 light aircraft C150 / PA28 in a 40 foot. ( So get a couple of mates !!;)
Take the wings and tail off. With Cessna no problemo as you still have the wheels ! On Piper you will have to make a small dolly .
If its a US reg be careful going onto UK ! You will need an Export C.ofA. if is a private cat.:cool:
Genghis the Engineer
29th Jun 2004, 21:30
The legalities of subsequently getting the aircraft onto the G register will depend upon what paperwork it's got (i.e. version of CofA or experimental category, whether the UK has an approval for the type)
Whilst de-rigging most light aircraft, even a biplane, is a less painful process than you might think (a LAME and a couple of able-bodied assistants in 1 working day tops), personally, I've always found that transporting light aircraft by road or sea is fraught, and almost invariably some significant damage is done en-route. Frankly, I'd take a couple of weeks off work and fly it. In the long run, it's probably cheaper, and I'd have thought a whole lot more fun. If you haven't the right licence, you'll not struggle to find somebody who'd do it for expenses (me for a start!).
Out of interest, what is it?
G
Paul Wilson
7th Jul 2004, 11:39
There is a useful article in this months Pilot about getting GA planes from the US to here. It mentions a company at, IIRC, Panshanger that also has access to a semi-retired CAA inspector who now lives in Florida, as inspection standards can be very different apparantly, this would lessen the chance of any nasty surprises once the aircraft was in the UK.