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Shipping an airplane

Robin8er

Well Known Member
I'm in the military in Hawaii, and I can expect to be here for about another 2.5 years. Initially I thought I'd only build the wings and tail, then box it up and ship it home and finish the airplane later. I completed the tail in less than 2 months and the wings are going together very quickly, there's really nothing to it.

I was anticipating taking about 2 years, but I think I'll be done with the wings and tail in 8 months:) this is all well and good, but it makes me want to keep going and build the fuselage. Only issue is it become a lot harder to ship.

Anyone have experience shipping a plane? I have no idea what it would cost to ship. I don't want to stop building, but I also don't want to pay like $10k for a Shipping container to ship it to the mainland.

Any advice or experience is welcomed and appreciate.
 
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I recently shipped two airplanes from the US to New Zealand. I used Craig Vincent, of www.ShipAPlane.com

They are located in Stockton, and I don't know if they ship inbound to the US continent, or only outbound.

I was Extremely Happy with the service! Very professional, knowledgeable, and easy to work with. The planes arrived with no damage.

I have no hesitation in recommending him. Good place to start, IMHO. :)
 
Won't the government take care of shipping it, since you are in the service?

Worth checking.
 
Ya just gotta know how to do that. In my time roaming the world in the US Army, all you had to do is mount a lamp shade on it, and it became "furniture" instead of a motorcycle sidecar etc.

Won't the government take care of shipping it, since you are in the service?

Worth checking.
 
When I was in (85-90) they would still ship a horse overseas if you were an officer in a Cavalry unit.
 
I recently shipped two airplanes from the US to New Zealand. I used Craig Vincent, of www.ShipAPlane.com

They are located in Stockton, and I don't know if they ship inbound to the US continent, or only outbound.

I was Extremely Happy with the service! Very professional, knowledgeable, and easy to work with. The planes arrived with no damage.

I have no hesitation in recommending him. Good place to start, IMHO. :)

Gosh, thanks Pete! :eek:
 
The military does ship your household goods, but the paperwork says you can't ship an airplane at govt expense. Now technically if it's just wings and a fuselage its not an airplane, it's really just airplane parts. But I don't know if that's going to work or not. I'm planning on it not working and me having to ship it myself.
 
The military does ship your household goods, but the paperwork says you can't ship an airplane at govt expense. Now technically if it's just wings and a fuselage its not an airplane, it's really just airplane parts. But I don't know if that's going to work or not. I'm planning on it not working and me having to ship it myself.

When a friend of mine PCS'd from Edwards, he hung the completed parts on the wall and called them "art"...
 
Army shipped an ultralight from Panama for me...

it was disassembled into major components, of course, but I can't remember why it was allowed. and a friend shipped her canoe, but she called it a Planter.
 
I'm in the military in Hawaii, and I can expect to be here for about another 2.5 years. Initially I thought I'd only build the wings and tail, then box it up and ship it home and finish the airplane later. I completed the tail in less than 2 months and the wings are going together very quickly, there's really nothing to it.

I was anticipating taking about 2 years, but I think I'll be done with the wings and tail in 8 months:) this is all well and good, but it makes me want to keep going and build the fuselage. Only issue is it become a lot harder to ship.

Anyone have experience shipping a plane? I have no idea what it would cost to ship. I don't want to stop building, but I also don't want to pay like $10k for a Shipping container to ship it to the mainland.

Any advice or experience is welcomed and appreciate.

My employer ships full sized (40') containers to China all the time. About $3,000/trip. With a shorter trip and (maybe) a 20' container, shipping an airplane shouldn't be extremely expensive. The key would be to pack it very securely. Containers are occasionally subject to a ridiculous amount of abuse.

You might just call a shipping company and get a quote on moving a 20' (or whatever) container to your desired location. Then add in a few hundred bucks for bracing and padding.
 
I am surprised no one has suggested fitting ferry tanks. It's what, only 2000nm, so about 12 hours in an RV-8?...
 
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I am surprised no one has suggested fitting ferry tanks. It's what, only 2000nm, so about 12 hours in an RV-8?...

I've thought about it, but somehow the thought of a single engine experimental aircraft over the Pacific Ocean didn't sit too long in my head.

I appreciate the input. I figured about 4000 to 8000 to box it up and ship it, I was just curious if anyone has done it. Shipping is weird, prices change quickly. Vans originally quoted 1200 to ship the wings, and 3 months later the price dropped to 550.


The comments about calling it art or a planter might work, but realistically I don't see how I could get away with it.
 
Robby---Several years ago---more like 10 -----I looked into hangar space at Kalaeloa (Barber's Point ). That was just before most of the GA planes were moved there from HNL. Airport manager was VERY RECEPTIVE to the idea of a hose shop at his airport. I still havent done it yet :eek:

I'll bet Craig can get you a great rate.
Seems to me that C17's fly there all the time----just saying.
Tom
 
My employer ships full sized (40') containers to China all the time. About $3,000/trip. With a shorter trip and (maybe) a 20' container, shipping an airplane shouldn't be extremely expensive.

Unfortunately, this is not the case at all. The container rates have to do with supply and demand, not distance traveled. It is very cheap to ship to China because they ship so many loaded containers out of China. Hawaii has almost no export, therefore it is very expensive to import to ship to/from Hawaii. Also, there is a monopoly on Hawaii freight so the prices are very high.
 
I've thought about it, but somehow the thought of a single engine experimental aircraft over the Pacific Ocean didn't sit too long in my head.

I appreciate the input. I figured about 4000 to 8000 to box it up and ship it, I was just curious if anyone has done it. Shipping is weird, prices change quickly. Vans originally quoted 1200 to ship the wings, and 3 months later the price dropped to 550.


The comments about calling it art or a planter might work, but realistically I don't see how I could get away with it.

Seriously, check with Smokey. I remember reading something to the effect of he built his -4 (or at least major parts of it) in a backyard shed in base housing at Misawa [Air Base, Japan] then shipped the whole thing home with his household goods. Times and regs change but might be worth checking out.

Hey since its an airplane, and if your a military pilot, call it "professional gear" and ship it with your household goods with no weight penalty. LOL :D
 
I built my Rocket mostly on Maui and shipped it to Utah just before it was finished. My cost was around 4000. If it's only going to The west coast it's cheaper as I needed train transport to Utah.

I used a 20 foot container. They may offer a 24 at the same rate, but you can't put a 24 on a train, only 20 or 40.

My plane was on the gear, engine installed, prop off. It just barely fit diagonally. I secured tied down rings to the floor and lashed the gear to those. I also screwed 2x4's around each gear to keep it from trying to slide. Then I built crates for the tail pieces and each wing. The wings were packed with expanding foam around the leading edge and pillows for packing material. These were shipped leading edge down along one side of the container.

The tail pieces were shipped in one crate and again used pillows for packing. The prop was in the box MT shipped it in. These were stacked and tied down to the floor.

I bought about 60 pillows (all they had) from the local thrift store on a package price of something like $25.

To load it, I used a roll back tow truck. Worked slick. For insurance I bought a policy from a third party and that was about $300. I think I insured it for $100k.

It arrived in Utah in perfect condition. Just be sure to pack it with the assumption that they might tip the container on its side!

My move was a company paid move that had a no airplane restriction. With a little more time I would have created the fuse and called all of it parts.

Hope that helps. Prices are 2003.

Russ
HRII N29268
 
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