Strong dollar, anyone looking to import?

[12-47]

With the ozzy approaching parity with the USD, there's no better time to look at importing an aircraft. I notice the market over there is a little soft for used GA aircraft, so there's double the upside. Anyone considering it and any suggestions on who to use. The late Ron Jackson was brilliant when it came to managing the end to end process. Is there anyone else around with the same service?

[captwawa]

you looking at ferrying or container?
Im looking at an import. need more info too, ie the process?

[Mr. Hat]

One would think anyone looking to buy an aircraft would be sharpening the pencil right about now..

[rioncentu]

Ron as in "Honest Ron"? They guy who used to import all the time? Is he no more?

Yeah great time to buy.

[UnderneathTheRadar]

A friend in the industry has done $2.7mil worth of purchases out of the states in the last 3 weeks. He's currently shopping for 3 B200s ranging from $3mil down.

UTR

[gobbledock]

Boston Bruce is apparently looking at the improving dollar value and hoping to import some JQ pilots into Australia.

[Jack Ranga]

I'm buying an IO540 when it hits $1:20 (120 US cents to the oz dollar) :ok:

[gcpilot]

saw a beaver amphib being pulled out of a container straight off the ship from the states today at cooly.

[Howard Hughes]

I've found a beast that I am interested in!:ok:

Sadly I don't have the cash.:{

Although if it makes it to $1-20 Jack Ranga, I might be right...;)

[KRviator]

Off to the bank tomorrow to organise a loan for an RV-9A QB kit.

Lead time is reportedly 3 months or so, if that's any help in forcasting any shipping plans.

[pilotbc69]

Hmmm...if anyone needs a king air ferry pilot let me know.

[birddog254]

anyone needs a ferry pilot full stop let me know :ok:

[PLovett]

Not only is the A$ strong but the used GA market in the US is tanking.

A chap I know has just purchased a 2003 (or thereabouts) C182 with less than a 1,000 hrs on the clock for a ridiculously low sum.

On the other hand it is terrible news for anyone trying to sell an aircraft in Australia.

[Nadsy]

Yes, there's definitely a buzz around the US A/C purchase arena. I know someone looking for one more person (for a 3 person syndicate) in a share for a 2005 or later C182 G1000. They've got a couple of craft in mind ... don't know about shipping/ferrying, but can ask if anyone's interested.

Nads.

[j3pipercub]

So what is the approximate cost of shipping an aircraft over in a container? Single Engine piston size?

j3

[The Green Goblin]

Might be time to get my sticky fingers on a new toy......

[dat581]

1 Super Hornet $42.72 Million and dropping....... :ok:

[Jabawocky]

Shipping will be roughly $7-10K

Plus GST on your purchase at the date of dispatch exchange rate and the shipping etc.

Do your sums.....need any help PM me but just be careful.

ALSO........ YOU MUST......NOT EVEN WORTH THINKING OTHERWISE...... go over and inspect it for yourself or send you local trusted LAME.

I know folk who have done otherwise and its always bitten them. I know of folk who have sent someone over.....and thankfully they did for teh same reason.

Do not get carried away in the hype!

[j3pipercub]

You don't need 42mil, just try one of these....

1967 MIKOYAN MIG 21 UM Turbine Military Aircraft For Sale At Controller.com (http://www.controller.com/listingsdetail/detail.aspx?OHID=1163877&guid=E59AEBD370E34D90A972F431A06401B6)

1958 NORTH AMERICAN F86 Turbine Military Aircraft For Sale At Controller.com (http://www.controller.com/listingsdetail/detail.aspx?OHID=1174276&guid=E59AEBD370E34D90A972F431A06401B6)

Or down low in one of these

1983 SIAI MARCHETTI SF260TP Turbine Military Aircraft For Sale At Controller.com (http://www.controller.com/listingsdetail/detail.aspx?OHID=1168087&guid=E59AEBD370E34D90A972F431A06401B6)

But these are more up my alley

1942 BOEING/STEARMAN E75 Antique/Classic Aircraft For Sale At Controller.com (http://www.controller.com/listingsdetail/aircraft-for-sale/BOEING-STEARMAN-E75/1942-BOEING-STEARMAN-E75/1169990.htm)

BARNSTORMERS.COM (http://www.barnstormers.com/classified_338330_1941+J3+Cub.html)

And all the last bloke wants is a trade with a tractor...

j3

[KRviator]

To ship my RV kit over in boxes, sans engine and prop, will cost ~ $3,500 AUD - they package it with other kits to bring the individual cost down.

Have a look at Aussie Car Imports, they're most likely going to do mine and have done a few shipments of already-built airplanes lately too, I believe.

And according to the KRviatrix, aircraft <2000kg MTOW and aircraft parts for these planes are duty-free, under section 88 of the Customs act. Gotta love having a beancounter as a missus.

[Jack Ranga]

HH,

Believe it or not $1:20 is what some economists are forecasting (although they are the new snakeoil salesmen these days)

As far as the US market is going, until they learn the lessons they should have learnt years ago their economy will continue to be a basket case. If you thought their last slowdown was savage just wait for this one, it hasn't started yet and will be far worse, plenty of bargains to come yet, happy days :cool:

[Niceguysa45]

Any advice on a aerobatic aircraft for about the. 100k mark, something that is capable of most aerobatic moves

[Niceguysa45]

The RV-4 did sound appealing, two seats is the only requirement

[aussiefan]

All Aeroplanes and parts are duty free. If you buy second hand you will more than likely need a Quarantine inspection done. If you have Aircon then the gas needs to be the right type or more expense with Dpt of envionment.

20' container around 2-3000 and 40' around 4000. Add more for fees etc, about another $2-4000 depending on where in the country you are and who you use.

[Rich-Fine-Green]

With the falling USD$ the shipping rates (quoted in USD$) are rising.......
Was just quoted USD$9700 for 40' from Florida to Sydney door-to-door.

[Jabawocky]

RFG

And the door to door quote will not include a few extra costs you will get hit with.

I just looked up my costs for a 20' container in 2008 and they totalled around $10.5k so as pointed out, the rates are rising no doubt in line with the currency, so again.... be careful!:ok:

[-438]

How does paying for a ferry as opposed with shipping one over (cessna single) compare, and what are the costs to put on Aussie register??

[Jabawocky]

Box it...........and get another in a 40'er if you can.

[tail wheel]

All Aeroplanes and parts are duty free.

But not exempt from 10% GST!

[Frank Arouet]

And that is why the Australian dollar must hit $1.10 minimum before we are anywhere near a level playing field. My last import, in a 20' container ex Seattle, cost me apx $10,000 inclusive of ALL costs. The contents cost me $20,000. (all AUD). Used aircraft attract a mandatory quarantine inspection which can get expensive and time consuming.

[trolleydriver]

Whats involved in importing a homebuilt from the states? I'm one of those that would love a small aerobatic homebuilt but prefer to fly rather than build.

How hard are they to get on the VH register?

[PA39]

HINT: Don't overlook Europe/GB/SA.....A$ v Euro is pretty good.

[captwawa]

Aircraft for Sale - Used Aircraft Sales at GlobalPlaneSearch.com (http://www.globalplanesearch.com)
is a handy site for looking for a/c it links all the sellers into one site.

[thunderbird five]

Trolley - no problem to VH, many have done it.:ok:

Fumigated and Packed 20ft container close to US$5000 from near New Orleans recently, would be a lot less from L.A. - possibly $3000+ and just 21 days sailing. Ground transport in US to LA can be high.
GST and customs on arrival. No duty.
A$1800 odd for port fees, local freight, brokerage, AQIS. etc
Insurance about 1% plus broker fee $50.
Free to pick it all up, pay to have it all delivered.
Biggest drama is getting container packed properly, not by nitwits.

No more "Honest Ron" sadly - he punched out a while back.

[VH-XXX]

Whats involved in importing a homebuilt from the states? I'm one of those that would love a small aerobatic homebuilt but prefer to fly rather than build.

How hard are they to get on the VH register?


You'll need to have it inspected and put into GA experimental and you'll be up for a LAME to maintain it from there-on. If it's well built and you know a good reliable LAME you're in luck.

I know of someone though who recently brought in a Pitts from the US based on emailed photos and no personal inspection. He has spent more than the purchase price again on repairs. He couldn't have got it registered otherwise as nobody would have signed it off.


Duty is the least of your worries as Tail Wheel says, it's the GST that kills plus the other crap.

I almost purchased a boat from the BVI's recently and I imagine purchsing an aircraft also has similar hidden costs. Purchase price + GST 10% + Duty 5%, customs broker $900, refrigerant import licence $500, registration $800'ish, termite inspection up to $900. I would have also had to pay GST and duty on the cost of getting it here from the last port, so fuel & provisions from Noumea - 10% of that. Not a huge cost but more of a money grab.

[Arnold E]

Whats involved in importing a homebuilt from the states? I'm one of those that would love a small aerobatic homebuilt but prefer to fly rather than build.
Why not look for one here in Oz??

[trolleydriver]

Thanks for the info.


Why not look for one here in Oz??

Greater choice, and with the dollar up over 1.03 and rising!
Now would seem like a good time to look into it.

[Jack Ranga]

Trolley, you would have to be mad to buy a built home built out of the states. I've heard first hand from a bloke that has done some inspections for people who've done so and it's cost megabucks to rectify.

If you did want to, send someone over that knows to inspect first.

[Clearedtoreenter]

If you thought their last slowdown was savage just wait for this one, it hasn't started yet and will be far worse, plenty of bargains to come yet, happy days :cool:

Might or might not be true but the manufacturers are cutting back production big time and some of the good, later stuff, post G1000 etc, is getting hard to find and firming in price, if only because operators are not turning it over as they were. Shipping costs are definitely on the up. Most door to door quotes are only estimates because they really don't know what a container will cost to process and cart until it gets here. They can even change the port on you and leave you with the cartage bill and come up with all sorts of other surprises. The fun you can end up having with AQIS can end up costing an arm and a couple of legs, depending who you get on the day. Its still quite difficult to end up with a plane you can sell here for more than it cost. The market here as a result of all of this importing is almost non-existent and very depressed of course and so quite a bit of downward price pressure here, although you might not know it to see some of the silly prices being asked. Its well worth having a good look around here and seeing what you can negotiate.

[frangatang]

If anyone wants a machine crated up in a container, l used just the man based in
lakeland , florida. Did a superb job on an rv6 and is well versed in doing it. Cost $2200 when l did it.

[xxgoldxx]

I once paid "honest ron" a $1K no questions asked to "indicate I was serious about having a look"... never got that back when it didn't work out... dont trust anyone when dealing in or out of country....

[flippersview]

For some time I have been looking for an aircraft. Finally I found what I was interested in on the West Coast and used the services of Jeff and Sheila Sharman at Jarlin Aviation who inspected, bought, packed and shipped the aircraft (with an Export C of A) to me. They were absolutely upfront and professional to deal with. He is a South African and she an English Rose living near Sacramento. You would do well to find a better team to help you find a GA aircraft in the States. I went there several times to see the aircraft with Jeff who is a qualified mechanic, in summary great hosts and decent people running a good business. Good luck with your searching for those looking. Controller and Barnstorm are both excellent sites as well. :ok:

[Flying Binghi]

105.5 or so now..:cool:








.

[Howard Hughes]

HH,

Believe it or not $1:20 is what some economists are forecasting (although they are the new snakeoil salesmen these days)
It would appear that we are well on the way!:eek:

[keenav8tor]

105.7 now .

[Skystar320]

remember in those days when the USD par was 0.45! and was only being proped up by the Australian Reserve?

[poteroo]

Yes, but on the other hand, I remember buying cheap Buds in the US in 1978 when we had something like 1.23. It's just great that we finally get back to screwing them - rather than the other way round!

Make the most of it folks ! Happy days,

[M14_P]

niceguysa45,

Depends exactly what type of aerobatic flying you are intending to do...
A mate and I are rebuilding a Pitts S1, it was airworthy when we got it but it hadn't flown for 15 years - it is in outstanding condition underneath, the wing fabric was shagged though.
When the US dollar sat at a smidge under 80c we bought quite a few parts that we needed for our machine out of the states, HP pistons, Raven Aileron kit and bearings plus some other bits and bobs. Definately a great time to take advantage of it!

Regarding the aeros machine, PM me if you like, but depending on your background you could buy a very nice Single seat Pitts and have a machine capable of advanced level for well under US$40K. However, a Super Decathlon has 2 seats, symmetrical aerofoils and inverted fuel and oil, I have only flown a Citabria, but those Super D's go amazingly well, great, great machine for training, and anything up to and including Intermediate aeros.
I am entertaining the idea of getting a two place machine in the next 12 months or so, for a bit of fun and to do ratings. Possibly a certified 2 seat Pitts, or a Christen Eagle II, we'll see. Whatever it is, it will be a biplane. :)

[rnuts]

If anyone's thinking of buying an aircraft from the states I may be able to assist.... I am thinking of bringing a machine in myself and may need to fill some space in a container. I am a LAME and have a U.S A&P as well as an aussie and U.S ATP so what that means is I can do most of the leg work, relocating aircraft in the states to where they will be packed for shipping, and upon arrival reassembly as well as put the aircraft on the aussie register...

[Howard Hughes]

At a $1-70 (http://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/rampaging-dollar-could-hit-us170-as-budget-and-industries-threatened/story-e6frg8zx-1226052152303) I may even be able to afford something... Should be a great time for upgrading engines/avionics too!:ok:

[Stationair8]

Nice P-51 on controller.com, just need the right numbers in lotto!

[Hasselhof]

Buying an aircraft is a bit out of my price range, however courtesy of a nice tax cheque I've got coming, there are a couple of big-ish ticket items like GPS and headset I wouldn't mind updating.

What sort of experiences have people had with using US based pilot supply retailers? I know there are issues with warranty / replacement from Garmin which have to be considered, however most Australian retailers are still pretending the dollar is worth about 0.80USD so things might still end up worthwhile if the price and postage are right.

[MadMadMike]

Following this thread with much interest...


I am finally approaching a position where I can seriously consider ownership but would like some opinions of those who have done it before.


I would like to think that purchasing an S1S or similar from the states is a realistic and sensible option but weary of the prospect of most airframes having been 'thrashed' already, has anyone had experience with paying an local US lame to conduct pre purchase inspections on something they have only seen on the Internet? How does this look as a cost breakdown for the first 2 years of ownership. Initial purchase 30-45k, pre purchase inspections 2-3k, shipping 10k, Initial registration and required repairs 10k, hangarage 2k, 100 hourly x 3 10k, obviously this is assuming nothing to major go wrong :eek::\


This is without wet running costs but does that look about right? Fingers crossed it's on the high side...

[Jabawocky]

Mad Mike

Paying a local US LAME can sometimes be a waste of time, countless stories of folks who have done that to find these guys too lotsa $$$ and wrote up what the seller wanted. You have to go and with your own loyal LAME from here. End of story.

As for S1S.....do you want a really good machine at not unrealistic money? If so i know of one that is available. PM me and we can get you in touch with the owner, save all the trouble for no more $$.

J:ok:

[tinpis]

Houses is cheap in Kiwi with the dollar rate around $1.36
Maybe they got some cheap hairyplanes?

[Clearedtoreenter]

Jaba is right, there are some serious crooks out there. An aquaintance bought in a 182 recently, apparently with only about 700 hours on it. He even went over to look at it. The seller had supposedly replaced the crank on account of the dreaded A/D and did a 'full' engine overhaul at the same time. The guy also got a bunch of what he now knows to be cowboys, to put in some extra avionics because it did not have an ADF amongst other things. They made a real pigs ear of the job, putting a big plate over the panel to cover up a stuff-up they made cutting holes for new instruments, telling him they had to 'strengthen the panel'. It later transpired the instruments did not work properly were not overhauled as he had been informed - and worse still, apparently had forged paperwork. The American prebuy inspector missed all of that. On arrival in Aus, the buyers LAME found the packing and shipping company had done a 'quick and dirty' and had cut wiring, hoses and even control cables during dissassembly, costing a fortune in extra reassembly costs. Then worst of all, his Australian LAME found that during the 'engine overhaul' they had put the crankcase nuts on upside down... really worried now about what they may have done inside the engine and thinking of a bulk strip to check it all out. He has reported all of this to the FAA and has investigated getting some retribution through the American legal system. The legal stuff is a waste of time and not worth pursing because he cannot get costs, which would be enormous. It seems he is wasting his time with the FAA too. The 'avionics' facility does not now exist (actually it does, its changed its owner and trading name).

Soooo, its buyer beware! Having said that I have done it several times and have only found honest, decent folk, although its always has minor 'complications' and takes longer and costs more than it should. There are a few no- no's.. Firstly, I would never entertain a field overhauled engine - just too risky. Nothing less than a factory engine or maybe one of the major FAA approved engine overhaul shops is sensible. Do your homework... check out everyone you deal with. There are lots of databases to check stuff on, like the FAA and NTSB accident databases. Keep delving until you feel absolutely confident you are getting what you think you are dealing with who you think you are. Do your title checks etc etc.

Its good advice to see what you can get here though - although many Aussie advertised prices are in Cookoo land, the market is very flat and depressed due to the high AUD and it might be surprising what can be negotiated. its certainly a lot less aggro to buy something already here.

[rnuts]

That is all correct, you DO have to be extremely careful when buying over there, but that is true for any purchase of the like wherever it may be. You can order a title search and full aircraft information held by the FAA online, use reputable sellers and avionics shops if you can, factory overhauls etc, BEWARE the cheap buy, it's usually cheap for a reason. Send your LAME over probably cheaper in the long run for both doing the deal and inspecting the aircraft also when the time comes to put the machine in a container, use someone that shipping aircraft is their bread and butter..:ok:

[djpil]

I agree with Jabawocky too. There is a very small number of mechanics in the US who can be trusted to do a pre-purchase inspection of a Pitts or 1D. I know of several people who have bought aeroplanes only to end up with an expensive project.

MadMadMike - you didn't mention GST & insurance on your S-1S?