Sharing a container US-EU
Thread Starter
Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 160
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From: London
Sharing a container US-EU
Dear Forumites,
How do I go about finding someone also willing to transport a poorly dismantled aircraft from the States, to share a shipping container with? Ideally my new pride and joy needs to get to the continental Europe but if the other party needs UK, I could take it from there. Please help!
/h88
How do I go about finding someone also willing to transport a poorly dismantled aircraft from the States, to share a shipping container with? Ideally my new pride and joy needs to get to the continental Europe but if the other party needs UK, I could take it from there. Please help!
/h88
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 1,876
Likes: 1
From: Here
Unless both aircraft are very small you'll struggle to safely/correctly get two in one container.
I think also that the 'savings' will be quickly decreased/removed by the additional logistics of different collection and delivery locations.
Hope not too unhelpful. Sorry! Sam.
I think also that the 'savings' will be quickly decreased/removed by the additional logistics of different collection and delivery locations.
Hope not too unhelpful. Sorry! Sam.
Thread Starter
Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 160
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From: London
Hi Sam,
I knew you'd reply sooner or later
Any comments coming from experience are helpful, even if they're bad news. I can hear what you're saying, I have had an opportunity to see from close distance a PA28 which travelled from the other part of the world, not correctly secured. It was allowed to rock in its cradle on a ship and had multiple tears and "bullet holes" in the fuselage on arrival.
In that case, maybe I should PM you to pick your brains on reputable specialist carriers which could dismantle and pick up from Northern California?
/h88
I knew you'd reply sooner or later
Unless both aircraft are very small you'll struggle to safely/correctly get two in one container.
I think also that the 'savings' will be quickly decreased/removed by the additional logistics of different collection and delivery locations.
Hope not too unhelpful. Sorry! Sam.
I think also that the 'savings' will be quickly decreased/removed by the additional logistics of different collection and delivery locations.
Hope not too unhelpful. Sorry! Sam.
In that case, maybe I should PM you to pick your brains on reputable specialist carriers which could dismantle and pick up from Northern California?
/h88
Joined: Nov 2005
Aviation Qualifications: PPL
Posts: 12,458
Likes: 368
From: Wildest Surrey
Unless both aircraft are very small you'll struggle to safely/correctly get two in one container.
I think also that the 'savings' will be quickly decreased/removed by the additional logistics of different collection and delivery locations.
Hope not too unhelpful. Sorry! Sam.
I think also that the 'savings' will be quickly decreased/removed by the additional logistics of different collection and delivery locations.
Hope not too unhelpful. Sorry! Sam.
One important thing they emphasised was the container MUST have rings mounted inside along the walls to tie the aircraft down properly; not all containers have this.
When I moved my aircraft from Elstree to Fairoaks, I hired a lorry in which there were horizontal battens inside the body to tie ropes to; nail some long pieces of wood to the floor in front and behind the mainwheels to prevent fore and back movement and hey presto.
Last edited by chevvron; 4th April 2020 at 12:14.
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 2,807
Likes: 10
From: Ansião (PT)
Packing 2 planes in a standard 20' container is tricky business. It is not the feet cubed of volume that are sparse, but rather the square feet of side surface. The two wing halves of a SEP will each cover one side, and where do you put the other two?
If it must be done, I should think of a rough timber of jigs, a lower one to store two fuselages and an upper one for four wing halves. Make to fit almost precisely, then wedge them, and immobilise the wedges.
FWIW I was once incurred in the shipping of a Weed-Hopper type ultralight, the packers declared themselves unable to pack the poor little thing into a 20' container so they persuaded the buyer to pay for a 40' one - all the way from Antwerp to Thailand. But they were obviously clumsy at handling such a delicate load, and apparently didn't like my telling them so...
If it must be done, I should think of a rough timber of jigs, a lower one to store two fuselages and an upper one for four wing halves. Make to fit almost precisely, then wedge them, and immobilise the wedges.
FWIW I was once incurred in the shipping of a Weed-Hopper type ultralight, the packers declared themselves unable to pack the poor little thing into a 20' container so they persuaded the buyer to pay for a 40' one - all the way from Antwerp to Thailand. But they were obviously clumsy at handling such a delicate load, and apparently didn't like my telling them so...
Fleet Manager
Joined: Aug 2006
Aviation Qualifications: CPL
Posts: 7,089
Likes: 2,952
From: Ontario, Canada
You may find this thread helpful:
Container shipping a plane
From my experience loading containers, I support the suggestion that only your plane should occupy your container. If you share the cost, you share the risk of damage - any saving in cost will not be wroth the cost of the damage...
Container shipping a plane
From my experience loading containers, I support the suggestion that only your plane should occupy your container. If you share the cost, you share the risk of damage - any saving in cost will not be wroth the cost of the damage...
Gnome de PPRuNe
Joined: Jan 2002
Aviation Qualifications: Spotter
Posts: 15,200
Likes: 1,202
From: Too close to Croydon for comfort
I think Bob Grimstead got two Champs and a Minicoupe into a 40' container. At the height of the classic import craze 3 Luscombes/C120s was the norm.
Joined: Sep 2001
Aviation Qualifications: CPL
Posts: 2,787
Likes: 208
From: Toronto
I have seen 3 2-seat gliders arrive in a container. The factory welded up a frame from square steel tubing to accommodate the fuselages, wing halves, tailplanes and rudders.
Typically the wing halves will fit on top.
Handily the scrap yard was located across the street and gave us $80 for the frame.
Typically the wing halves will fit on top.
Handily the scrap yard was located across the street and gave us $80 for the frame.
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 1,214
Likes: 0
From: S Warwickshire
Skyview at Tracy and International Air Services at Hayward both specialise in container shipping aircraft. Last I heard Skyview were operating with limitations, but IAS were closed with the lockdown.
Container ships go from Oakland weekly and take about 4 weeks to European ports.
Now is not a good time!
Container ships go from Oakland weekly and take about 4 weeks to European ports.
Now is not a good time!
Joined: Jan 1999
Posts: 6,209
Likes: 2
From: north of barlu
Secure the aircraft with chains tensioned with turnbuckles....... they don’t stretch !
look further than transporting other aircraft, ask maintenance providers if they need a new set of aircraft jacks from the USA ( expensive to transport but cheap to buy in the USA) or talk to the motorcycle people, Harley-Davidson motorcycles make good money in Europe and shipping to Europe is in constant demand.
just a few ideas.
look further than transporting other aircraft, ask maintenance providers if they need a new set of aircraft jacks from the USA ( expensive to transport but cheap to buy in the USA) or talk to the motorcycle people, Harley-Davidson motorcycles make good money in Europe and shipping to Europe is in constant demand.
just a few ideas.
