A freight of a problem!

[Flying Rasta]

Dear all in the know-how,


I’m asking for your advice as to how best to tackle the following problem, preferably via chartered air service. The problem is as follows:

We as a supply chain logistics company have been tasked to provide next day “combine harvester” parts in the UK that are made in France.

We are currently looking to put these parts on our UK transport network so that overnight trunks between depots can move parts from our most Southern depot at Rochester to our most Northern depot at Motherwell.

We currently have a express van running between Le Plessis to Rochester in the afternoon. This van leaves Le Plessis at 1400 GMT and arrives Rochester 1800 GMT. This gives it enough time to unload the parts and load them onto the respective night trunk lorries to our respective network depots. Inter depot runs (Trunks) leave at 1830 GMT.

Now the problem is that on some occasions we have to move parts from Le Plessis after 1600 GMT, this then does not give us enough time to get them to Rochester and then on the night network Trunk.

However, if we managed to fly these parcels into the Midlands, where we have numerous Network depots, we would be able to get the parts to the customers the next morning.:confused:

I was wondering whether there is one man company, flying light aircraft for ad hoc parcel services.

If any one has a better solution to the problem then I would be delighted to view your comments.:p :ok:

Thank You and God bless :}

[Daede1]

PM me - couple of solutions for your problem (Small plane, big plane, little lorry) that we run already.
Need to know the frequency and rough weight per consol that you are sending.

[Daede1]

Annnnd there are 3 Le Plessis in France - which one are you based near?

[Flying Rasta]

Thank you; Please check your PMs

for everybody's benefit:


Le Plessis , NE of Paris.

Heaviest weight per box: 450kgs, looking to do at least 1 tonne per day. The freight has to arrive before 2000hrs GMT in Northampton UK.

[Daysleeper]

Ok thinking out loud.

NE Paris.

You could truck to Liege (TNT) or Brussels (DHL) as GFS type cargo (so you drop off and collect) to go to EMA (East Midlands) Then put back into your own network. Only problem might be the timing of the flights into the UK, easy to check though.

Or

Air Atlantique at Coventry have a few Cessna 406 (twin turboprop, reliable, carries about 1500kgs if memory serves) Coventry is a stones throw from your depot in Northampton and you could set up the flight times to suit yourself. Its a proper airline operation so has the back up rather than a one man and his dog where it goes tech for days at a time. The cost per flying hour would probably be fairly high but the benefit of using a Coventry based aircraft would be no positioning costs . You could also put customer returns on the UK - France leg. Again, easy to get a quote for.

Are we going along the right lines?

[Say again s l o w l y]

Emerald do/did do a run from CDG to Coventry every night leaving at around 9ish if memory serves.

This used to have tractor parts on it, maybe you could try and piggy back if they still fly the route. (Not sure if they do anymore however.)

[Flying Rasta]

Thanks mate,

Yep, We are considering AA out of Cov, prices seem to bleedin' steep though.

We are a Logistics company with a large presence in France, Iberia. Surface transport will be no problem.

Its just the time sensitive nature of the goods that is an issue for this supply chain.

Your words much appreciated.




Ok thinking out loud.
NE Paris.
You could truck to Liege (TNT) or Brussels (DHL) as GFS type cargo (so you drop off and collect) to go to EMA (East Midlands) Then put back into your own network. Only problem might be the timing of the flights into the UK, easy to check though.
Or
Air Atlantique at Coventry have a few Cessna 406 (twin turboprop, reliable, carries about 1500kgs if memory serves) Coventry is a stones throw from your depot in Northampton and you could set up the flight times to suit yourself. Its a proper airline operation so has the back up rather than a one man and his dog where it goes tech for days at a time. The cost per flying hour would probably be fairly high but the benefit of using a Coventry based aircraft would be no positioning costs . You could also put customer returns on the UK - France leg. Again, easy to get a quote for.
Are we going along the right lines?

[AlphaWhiskyRomeo]

Lots of operators of ad-hoc a/c won't be so happy committing an aircraft and crew on a nightly contract for such a short sector, as it severely affects there chances to do longer ad-hoc flights. And regular take off and landings with only a short flight in between takes its toll on an aircraft.

An idea of dimensions, weight and frequency may assist.

[GlueBall]

...And when you get to the end of the rainbow without a solution, then there's UPS, :p FedEx, DHL...

[Mr Angry from Purley]

DHL run from CDG to East Midlands arriving around 0130 and upwards to Edinburgh if it helps:\

[dusk2dawn]

Yes, DHL is just 10 minutes behind UPS from CDG to EMA :)
and I'm outa here