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Shipping to Australia

Ed_Wischmeyer

Well Known Member
Got a prospective buyer for the RV-8 in Australia, and the obvious question is, how to get it there. I've been in contact with the folks in Lakeland, FL, but I don't know if there are exporters on the west coast that would be able to offer a better deal -- and of course, I'd have to fly the plane from Georgia to the west coast.

I did a quick search and didn't find any prior posts on this topic, but I know folks have done this already. And once I shipped an unbuilt Brand X kit down under after shipping it first to Oregon to go with a Van's shipment.

Thanks!

Ed
 
I would a 20' container out of Savannah would be the lowest cost option.

Well, maybe. There's customs, packing, declarations, agents, all that kind of stuff. Neel Aviation in Lakeland does aircraft exporting, and I've sent them a query. Don't know about anything on the west coast.

Thanks, though.
 
Since it's going in a container, it's going to be trucked to a port. Trucking it out of the west coast will likely be cheaper than flying it out there.

Easiest would be to just fly it to Australia.
 
Neel Aviation ships containers to Australia from Florida about once a week. If the RV-8 shares a container, the cost is about $7,000. If it goes by itself, about $10,000. Australia now has fumigation requirements. They will put the aircraft purchase price on the invoice to simplify money transfers.
 
Ed---Dennis at 3J1 shipped a RV8 to Germany for a client. 20 foot container. dont know all the details, but its flying in Germany.

Perhaps Vans shipping can give you and idea since they ship to AUS.

Tom
 
I've used Skyview out of Tracy CA.

They seemed to do a good job of packing into the container and shipped out of Oakland.

There seems to be more chance of damage on the road portion than the ocean portion of a container shipment.

A ferry flight would be similar cost and save the disassembly and re-assembly, but you would need a tank and a willing pilot to fly 12-15 hour legs and across the tropical convergence zone.
 
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Since it's going in a container, it's going to be trucked to a port. Trucking it out of the west coast will likely be cheaper than flying it out there.

Easiest would be to just fly it to Australia.

A huge amount of shipping at relatively low rates leaves Savannah for Asia. They have to get the containers back somehow and the inviting rates help. Whether going to Australia has the same kind of "tailwind", I dunno. But the port of Savannah is figuratively in Ed's front yard, and will logically be the most convenient and lowest cost option. Having it sent via rail to the west coast then shipped by container ship would net a 2 week or so shorter trip at an added expense.
 
I was referred by Van?s to a gentleman, Tom Hinkley in Hubbard OR, not far from Van?s factory, who was absolutely excellent to deal with. Did a superb job.
If you PM me I can send you his contact details. He may be a bit far for you to fly your 8 to, but you could visit Van?s nearby.
John
 
For shipping a plane overseas, there are all kinds of reasons for me not to do it myself. I'd have to deal with shipping, customs, agents, insurance for starters. I'd have to disassemble and pack the plane for shipping and although I could make something up, I don't know how to do it. And if the plane was damaged en route, then what?

Lots easier to hire it out to somebody who knows how to do it right and let the buyer pay for it.
 
Make sure they insure it and that it is theirs once their agent signs an acceptance document. That document includes a listing of any dings, paint scrapes, etc. on the plane.

I know someone who did such a document and the plane wasn't crated very well and suffered significant damage in the shipping container. The new owners called and asked for their money back because they didn't insure it. Because of his agreement as to the condition and time they took ownership, he did not have to return their money.

BTW, my friend agreed to fly it up to 250 miles to their agent, which was in Charleston, SC. That is where the owner's representative took ownership. They were responsible for draining the fuel and oil, disassembly and packing.
 
I had a plane shipped from Florida to Sydney several years back. I used an Australian shipper based in Melbourne with a lot of experience in shipping aircraft from the USA to Australia. They are called C&H Freight. They've shipped multiple Vans aircraft, among others.

C & H Freight

Things to think about:

Our quarantine laws are very, very strict (New Zealand is the same). Eg, if you have solid packing timber in your container, it must be treated and certified. All of it (unless it's highly processed). You do not want Quarantine personnel here deciding they will pull the plane out of the container, unpack it, and spray everything or destroy the packing material then shove the plane back in the container - and it has happened! Rubber tyres (fitted to rims or not) likewise are inspected for insect larvae, mud, dirt etc. Anything fitting that description will attract their wrath.

Customs, while expensive because they'll charge the 10% Federal GST on the purchase price (documentation will be required) before releasing the aircraft from the port, are the least of your worries. They just want the cash, and possibly will x-ray the container, then they'll likely leave you alone. Aussie Quarantine are the ones who can really ruin your day and paying them money won't save it.

Whoever you use, make sure they are aware of these nuances down under or it may cause significant heartache for seller and buyer when it gets to the docks. A 40' container with the aircraft..... and a Polaris..... in it was, if I recall, about $10k (Australian dollars) to ship here from pickup already packed in the container, to having the container dropped off at the hangar.

timber-packaging
 
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After considering weather, distance, time required, risks of all sorts, etc., it really doesn?t make sense for me to fly the -8 VFR to the west coast. If the plane is already sold and paid for and somebody else flies it, that?s different.
 
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