Texas to Peru in a 206B

[Darkhorse30]

Looking for advice since I have not done anything like this before. I'm being asked to fly a Bell 206B to Peru, which appears to me to be a monumental task in terms of cost, customs, weather, fuel, and maintenance. This is likely to take place in the Fall of 2011.
Has anyone out there done this before? What are the pitfalls?

[Hell Man]

Cost - If you can't afford it, don't do it.

Customs/weather/fuel/flight planning - You can get any of the major FBOs or someone like Universal to do this for you within 48hrs.

Maintenance - Get Austin Jet to bring the bird up on its latest 100hr check. The 206 is about as reliable as they get and there are plenty of Bell stations along the way should anything crop up!

Monumental - Not really. I'd stick in a King 2 axis a/p to ease the burden of holding the pole all day, take a digital camera, a gorgeous looking girl, select a few great places to overnight and enjoy the ride!

HM

[rick1128]

First of all do not go cheap. Get a handler. While there are several good handling companies out there, I would strongly suggest you deal with Universal. They are not the cheapest out there, but they are just about the only one out there that will make phone calls in necessary. And with a less than normal trip like this one, you will be better off.

Next. Make sure the insurance is set up for this trip. Mexico requires Mexico insurance.

Do not plan on making quick turns. Things take a whole lot longer than they do in the states, even with a handler. Also bring some company pens or hats with you. Plus even with a handler, you will need some cash so bring some with you.

Do not plan on trying to get maximum range out of the aircraft. Plus I would bring a hand held GPS with you as a backup, if you have panel mounted unit. Also I would give some consideration to wearing a uniform shirt and stripes. I realize that this is not the norm, however, everyone that works on the airport south of the Rio Grande wears a uniform with stripes, even the people cleaning the toilets. Without having a uniform, this will take much longer.

Have fun and take a camera with you. Wish I was going along.

[heliboy999]

Is it not cheaper to stick it in a container and send it?

[krypton_john]

Yes, much cheaper, not to mention far less risk.

[rick1128]

It might be less expensive to ship it, but it will take much longer and the risks are about equal.

[ATPMBA]

Take a survival kit with you.

With all the violence in Mexico it might be better just to ship it.

[krypton_john]

Risks are really equal Rick?

Flying would involve about 5000 miles over some pretty rugged and isolated terrain, a large number of border crossings, landings and hopefully take-offs through some dangerous, strife-torn and highly corrupt countries, and transits through known heavy drug traffic areas with growers who probably shoot at helicopters. I would have thought (in my ignorance, never been there) that every moment would be a risk.

Compare that to a container on a ship from port to port?

[hihover]

It would be a great trip. I just planned a similar trip in a 412 to Panama, so I can't vouch for the South America sectors, but I plan to overnight at the Mexican border (on the US side), and cross Mexico next day to Belize. I don't want to overnight in Mexico if I can help it. As much as I love Mexico, I'd rather reach Belize that day.

Several guys have offered good advice on this thread, do be very cautious and get a handler. No-one is going to shoot at you just because you're there.

If you have a say in it, fly the trip for goodness sake, what an adventure. But if you don't feel confident about it, take someone with you who is, or use the container.

Best of luck, think it through carefully, these opportunities do not come along often.

Tam

[Darkhorse30]

All, Thank you for the great advice. We are still in the planning stage. The reason for the trip is for a high altitude engine test and would require a trip back to Texas. I am leaning towards a shipping container since we will have to ship test equipment as well as parts, etc. Again, Thank you!:ok:

[rick1128]

KJ, I have flown through out Latin and South America without any problems. As long as you don't circle any place, the chances are quite good no one will shoot at you. The druggee's know that if you shoot at an aircraft, all that will happen is that much bigger ARMED aircraft will come and shorten their life spans. Corruption is a problem in some areas. That is why you have a handler. He is a local who knows which palms have to be lubricated.

As for risks shipping by container. Ships sink. No matter how tight you seal the container, moisture will enter so there will be corrosion. Ships are late. Containers get off loaded at the wrong port. And then when your container arrives you have to deal with customs to get it released.

About the only two countries I would have any concern about down that way are Mexico and Columbia. But with proper planning you can fly through each of them in a day.

[bb in ca]

Aux fuel tank - must have item!

Lots of US$$...assume that your credit cards will not be accepted at 75% or more of the airports, restaurants, hotels that you stop at. When someone needs to be bribed it's best with $$ then plastic.

Spanish speaker....english may be the international language of aviation but once you're off the beaten path of major international airports it's not the language of atc, customs people, re-fuelers, cab drivers, hotels etc...

Flight follow with someone you can trust. Do not rely on your ICAO flight plans.

Once you get off the beaten path you might find you have to request start clearance.

Do the ferry trip and don't ship it. It might be one of the best times of your life! :)

[krypton_john]

Thanks Rick - always enlightening to hear from a pro who's really been there!

[Hell Man]

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

[[email protected]]

A strong word of caution before you consider shipping - Customs and import duties.

Many countries charge import duties on goods (and they don't differentiate on what it is - helicopter or otherwise). Even a 5% import duty charged on a USD $500k Bell 206 is very significant and many customs and clearance procedures for shipped goods can be as bad as the duties levied. Even trying to process the goods as a temporary importation can lead to customs bond requirements which will be onerous. If you must ship it, be very diligent on obtaining a clear written directive on any goods to be shipped, from the country to which it would be imported, and don't accept a brokers word or letter because they will always tell you it's not a problem until it's there (you would want it from the customs and excise authority itself and this may prove difficult if not impossible to obtain). Once the goods are consigned and shipped, the importing country won't care how long it takes to clear customs or if it clears at all - so be prepared. Of course if you are working for a larger international company, they may have established channels through which this can all be processed.

I have imported/exported a few helicopters and have experienced the complications and expense of shipment. As a result, and where possible, I just ferried them (mostly Caribbean). US/UK customs are always more straight forward. When importing to the foreign country, if the aircraft was coming from say Europe, I would ship it to the US, uncrate it, and prepare it for flight where we had lots of support or service centers and then ferry it from there. Sending it back was always more straight forward because most countries don't care about export taxes or what's going out (they raise money from imports), so it is just a matter of packing it up on the flat rack or container and shipping it back home.

Consider your options carefully, but a well planned ferry with support from a ground handler will usually be much more straight forward for you.

My hard won two cents worth.

[Darkhorse30]

We are getting a new RR500 engine that has more power. In the Fall Leadville, CO will be unsuitable in due to cold temps and snow. Going South to Peru makes good test sense, though the logistics are pretty hefty. Testing has to include engine cooling, installed performance, etc. The alternative is a several month delay until Leadville warms up.
As an afterthought I have asked the project folks to think about the transport of test equipment, computers, spare parts, etc. I'm leaning towards a shipping container for the aircraft because of all the extra support material and equipment.
We still have a lot of research to do before we commit to this trip.