international cargo question
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Join Date: Jan 2018
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international cargo question
This is a mixed inquiry about international travel/customs procedures and flight ops, so, can someone enlighten as to the procedure for taking small cargo to small countries with a single/twin engine plane from Australia? Specifically in the pacific area close to Cairns, say Solomon/ Cook Islands, PNG Etc.
Q1- does one have to land in a destination port with a customs facility ?
Q2- What paperwork is required from both countries ?
Q3 how long does it take to process said paperwork? Flight plans, manifests, customs decs etc.
Hypothetically: Can one who wants to take a box of say, refurbished laptop PCs, to give to kids in remote pacific schools, can a company hire a plane with range and capacity, do the necessary paperwork and fly out of say Cairns direct to the closest air strip in the remote country ?
It might seem more economical to use established shipping routes etc but this is a personal delivery type of operation like a charity and direct delivery is preferred.
thanks in advance.
Q1- does one have to land in a destination port with a customs facility ?
Q2- What paperwork is required from both countries ?
Q3 how long does it take to process said paperwork? Flight plans, manifests, customs decs etc.
Hypothetically: Can one who wants to take a box of say, refurbished laptop PCs, to give to kids in remote pacific schools, can a company hire a plane with range and capacity, do the necessary paperwork and fly out of say Cairns direct to the closest air strip in the remote country ?
It might seem more economical to use established shipping routes etc but this is a personal delivery type of operation like a charity and direct delivery is preferred.
thanks in advance.
Q1 - yes the flight must depart from, and arrive at, a designated customs airport.
Q2 - General Declarations (effectively a list of everyone on board on a small aircraft, plus nationality and passport details, and a declaration that no-one on board is ill), a cargo manifest, plus all the standard aircraft documentation like Certificate of Airworthiness, Certificate of Registration, Certificate of Insurance etc.
Q3 - flight plans are relatively straightforward, as Australia has adopted the ICAO format. Manifests and customs declarations are best prepared by someone who is familiar with the process.
The larger issues are obtaining overflight and landing permissions (varies from country to country) and the issue of import duty. I have an acquaintance who is associated with one of the main service clubs (Rotary) and they no longer send stuff to PNG because it is inevitably hit with duty (even for used items) and someone (usually several people) in the chain have their hand out for a bribe.
If you do manage to overcome all that, the next problem you will encounter is that there is no Avgas in these countries.
A noble ambition, but unfortunately the practical limitations make this un-do-able.
Q2 - General Declarations (effectively a list of everyone on board on a small aircraft, plus nationality and passport details, and a declaration that no-one on board is ill), a cargo manifest, plus all the standard aircraft documentation like Certificate of Airworthiness, Certificate of Registration, Certificate of Insurance etc.
Q3 - flight plans are relatively straightforward, as Australia has adopted the ICAO format. Manifests and customs declarations are best prepared by someone who is familiar with the process.
The larger issues are obtaining overflight and landing permissions (varies from country to country) and the issue of import duty. I have an acquaintance who is associated with one of the main service clubs (Rotary) and they no longer send stuff to PNG because it is inevitably hit with duty (even for used items) and someone (usually several people) in the chain have their hand out for a bribe.
If you do manage to overcome all that, the next problem you will encounter is that there is no Avgas in these countries.
A noble ambition, but unfortunately the practical limitations make this un-do-able.
Chimbu Warrior has the bases covered.
Like he said my Rotary club outfitted a complete hospital in PNG several years ago with everything possible radiography machines, a complete surgical operation suite etc. when we tried to do it again the container sat on the Port Morbiud wharf for 6 weeks with various people all offering to FIX the problem for a fee.
Eventually had to get the Australian Government in to really fix the issues.
Other South Pacific countries are easier,
My suggestion is to talk to your local Rotary Club who will get the local Rotary Club to receive the items. Usually the people that run the country are Rotarians.
Like he said my Rotary club outfitted a complete hospital in PNG several years ago with everything possible radiography machines, a complete surgical operation suite etc. when we tried to do it again the container sat on the Port Morbiud wharf for 6 weeks with various people all offering to FIX the problem for a fee.
Eventually had to get the Australian Government in to really fix the issues.
Other South Pacific countries are easier,
My suggestion is to talk to your local Rotary Club who will get the local Rotary Club to receive the items. Usually the people that run the country are Rotarians.
