Import aircraft from the US

[Vev]

I'm seriously thinking about importing an (second hand) aircraft from the US and was looking for some good guidance, pitfalls and suggestions before I take the plunge?

 

Also keen to hear about any experience of getting an imported second hand aircraft on the RAA register?

 

Cheers

 

Vev

 

 

[fly_tornado]

what sort of plane are you thinking about importing? if your plane is US registered just de register prior to shipping and reregister in Aus.

 

pit falls are many. consider that the typical freight company has very little concept of customer service and this extends all the way through the delivery process.

 

Get your plane vacuumed and spider webs removed before it leaves the states and you will save yourself a few hundred dollars. Untreated wood is also a major issue

 

 

[Spin]

Not sure about aircraft but one of my dads customers imports cars from the US, he takes major parts off doors, wheels etc and imports them as spare parts because it is thousands of $$ cheaper. Don't know if this applies to aircraft.

I don't believe so, as I understand it aircraft are exempt from duty anyway, but NOT GST which is payable on the total cost of import, shipping included. Search here on the forums, several people have gone through this recently, Rocketdriver and Spiriteah are two that come to mind.

 

 

[eightyknots]

How would you avoid the transport rash when untrained transport personnel handle a light aluminium plane?

 

 

[Mark11]

I'm seriously thinking about importing an (second hand) aircraft from the US and was looking for some good guidance, pitfalls and suggestions before I take the plunge?Also keen to hear about any experience of getting an imported second hand aircraft on the RAA register?

 

Cheers

 

Vev

Vev,

 

Did you end up importing?

 

I'm wanting to import a SeaRey form the states because there aren't any second hand one for sale here in oz

 

Is it really as easy as re-registering in oz?

 

If so, I'll book mine tomorrow!

 

Second hand SeaRey from the states as low as US38k! Bargain considering the kit cost min $75k aus.... Then you need to spend 800 hours building it!

 

Regards

 

Mark

 

 

[fly_tornado]

I would fly over there and have a look at it before buy it, a seaplane can suffer from salt water corrosion and the cost of importing parts to fix it would make it expensive fix.

 

 

[ayavner]

any idea of the cost involved? I know when i shipped all my worldly goods here from the US, it cost me about $2500 or so, and that was the slow boat. Of course that didn't include furniture or any appliances/power tools, but it was still a good amount of stuff.

 

i'd love to hear any numbers from anyone who has shipped a light plane here (say a KR2 - size thing?)

 

 

[eightyknots]

I don't believe so, as I understand it aircraft are exempt from duty anyway, but NOT GST which is payable on the total cost of import, shipping included. Search here on the forums, several people have gone through this recently, Rocketdriver and Spiriteah are two that come to mind.

I think you also get charged GST on the insurance cost while your aircraft is on the high seas.

 

 

[fly_tornado]

I paid $3050 GST on my planes

 

 

[old man emu]

There are some very experienced organisations in the US who will disassemble the airplane, crate it and put it in a seatainer. You can find their ads in Trade-a-Plane.

 

We just unpacked a C172. When we opened the container there was the fuselage minus wheels bolted to the floor and two massive crates on the floor that contained the wings, tail feathers, U/C etc. Everything in the crated was wrapped in carpet underlay. Not a scratch on anything.

 

It did take us a day and a half to get the crates out of the container, remove the parts from them, then break down the crates. We have enough 3x2, 6x1, 8x1 and sheeting to build a three bedroom chook house.

 

Actually freighting an airplane from the US to Australia is the least of your problems.

 

OME

 

 

[dazza 38]

Jarlin, a california based business has a good reputation.

 

 

[fly_tornado]

an expensive service though. from memory $9K to load a plane

 

 

[408059]

Vev,Did you end up importing?

 

I'm wanting to import a SeaRey form the states because there aren't any second hand one for sale here in oz

 

Is it really as easy as re-registering in oz?

 

If so, I'll book mine tomorrow!

 

Second hand SeaRey from the states as low as US38k! Bargain considering the kit cost min $75k aus.... Then you need to spend 800 hours building it!

 

Regards

 

Mark

Mark

 

There is a SeaRey at Polo Flat, NSW for sale as far as I can tell. I believe David Holgate is selling it. Might be worth a try. I do not know David's number but if you give Mike Apps, the CFI from Snowy Mountain Academy a call, no doubt he'll give you some contact details.

 

cheers

 

Steve

 

 

[Mark11]

MarkThere is a SeaRey at Polo Flat, NSW for sale as far as I can tell. I believe David Holgate is selling it. Might be worth a try. I do not know David's number but if you give Mike Apps, the CFI from Snowy Mountain Academy a call, no doubt he'll give you some contact details.

 

cheers

 

Steve

Thanks Steve,

 

I'll try to get in touch...

 

Regards

 

Mark

 

 

[Mark11]

How would you avoid the transport rash when untrained transport personnel handle a light aluminium plane?

I love your signature quote.... Hilarious.... I'm trying to think of one as good,....

 

Regards

 

Mark

 

 

[Vev]

Hi Mark,

 

Yes I did import and it wasn't all that hard to do, save a couple of small dramas with the shipping documents.

 

So long as the ac was registered (mine was FAA) and you get the appropriate documentation from the authorities to say it is unregistered, it's all very easy to transfer over to RAA.

 

The costs were: Inspection, transport (ferry flt), disassembly and packing, container, shipping and insurance, customs clearance and GST ... plus any transport costs back to your airfield and reassembly. I did the reassembly myself but had it check by a LAME and did a full inspection check after the event ( I think the inspection process is now dropped by RAA) but I personally think another set of eyes is worth every cent. The total costs from USA to Aus was about $8k +gst.

 

I did a direct ship from the West Coast USA, rather than via Singapore (Cheaper), which saved 15 days of sea time but cost $1200 more. I had the engine pickled with oil and crystal absorption spark plugs fitted as well same in the exhaust.

 

I would recommend that you go and look at the ac and take a good LAME with you to inspect ... I did a lot of prep and made sure I had a comprehensive check list of things to look at. Make sure you weight the ac, mine was spot on, but I have heard of huge dramas with over weight ac from Europe ... don't ever believe the documentation, check everything to make sure. Make sure all modifications are recorded and that all STC and FAA 337 are available ... cross check the logs and docs to make sure everything is correct and accounted for.

 

Good luck.

 

Cheers

 

Vev

 

 

[Mark11]

Hi Mark,Yes I did import and it wasn't all that hard to do, save a couple of small dramas with the shipping documents.

 

So long as the ac was registered (mine was FAA) and you get the appropriate documentation from the authorities to say it is unregistered, it's all very easy to transfer over to RAA.

 

The costs were: Inspection, transport (ferry flt), disassembly and packing, container, shipping and insurance, customs clearance and GST ... plus any transport costs back to your airfield and reassembly. I did the reassembly myself but had it check by a LAME and did a full inspection check after the event ( I think the inspection process is now dropped by RAA) but I personally think another set of eyes is worth every cent. The total costs from USA to Aus was about $8k +gst.

 

I did a direct ship from the West Coast USA, rather than via Singapore (Cheaper), which saved 15 days of sea time but cost $1200 more. I had the engine pickled with oil and crystal absorption spark plugs fitted as well same in the exhaust.

 

I would recommend that you go and look at the ac and take a good LAME with you to inspect ... I did a lot of prep and made sure I had a comprehensive check list of things to look at. Make sure you weight the ac, mine was spot on, but I have heard of huge dramas with over weight ac from Europe ... don't ever believe the documentation, check everything to make sure. Make sure all modifications are recorded and that all STC and FAA 337 are available ... cross check the logs and docs to make sure everything is correct and accounted for.

 

Good luck.

 

Cheers

 

Vev

Vev,

 

Very much appreciated advice. I'd say 8k was a very good result... I'll aim for the same.

 

Who did you buy from?

 

Mark

 

 

[bones]

I use a company called C&H freight, for all my imports, never a major problem yet in 10 imports, simply send an email where to get it, and then forget it until they let you know when its about 2 weeks out then, the only things to pay, is GST on the a/c cost and freight, and a couple of hundred for wharf costs.

 

Very simple with a good company is charge

 

 

[fly_tornado]

I spent $6600 on mine, athough it was a 40' container. the guy that sold the planes loaded the containers. he used a tilt tray truck to pick the planes of the ground and into the container. the wings sat of polystyrene blocks and where strapped to the walls.

 

 

[Mark11]

I use a company called C&H freight, for all my imports, never a major problem yet in 10 imports, simply send an email where to get it, and then forget it until they let you know when its about 2 weeks out then, the only things to pay, is GST on the a/c cost and freight, and a couple of hundred for wharf costs.Very simple with a good company is charge

Bones, thanks ... I have already sent an email following your recommendation ... Will see how much they quote.

 

Regards

 

Mark

 

 

[Mark11]

I know this is off topic, but...

 

How do you change tha avatar ???

 

 

[bones]

Mark,

 

I see in your blerb you want a seamax, funny enough one landed at YCHT today, forgot to take a pic, my first response was sh*t you lost :), any way he is up here to do the water landing endosement, a VERY nice little bit of gear i must say, only 20hrs on the clock, the guy who owns it was from Hervy Bay i think he said. I dread to think how much it cost though, and wasnt game to ask :)

 

on the subject of the last post about the email to C&H, if you want ask for Christine, she really REALLY know her stuff, they are the cheapest i have found and easy to work with, they even released a machine once to my local transport company even though the money wasnt in their account yet, admittitly this was after about 5 machines, but that type of trust is nearly gone now days. As you can guess i am really happy with their service. PM sent also

 

 

[Mark11]

Mark,I see in your blerb you want a seamax, funny enough one landed at YCHT today, forgot to take a pic, my first response was sh*t you lost :), any way he is up here to do the water landing endosement, a VERY nice little bit of gear i must say, only 20hrs on the clock, the guy who owns it was from Hervy Bay i think he said. I dread to think how much it cost though, and wasnt game to ask :)

on the subject of the last post about the email to C&H, if you want ask for Christine, she really REALLY know her stuff, they are the cheapest i have found and easy to work with, they even released a machine once to my local transport company even though the money wasnt in their account yet, admittitly this was after about 5 machines, but that type of trust is nearly gone now days. As you can guess i am really happy with their service. PM sent also

Thanks bones, I'll ask for Christie.

 

Yep, the seamax is sweet - cost about $165k .... Yep, I could buy 3 searey for that....

 

Regards

 

Mark

 

 

[skeptic36]

I know this is off topic, but...How do you change tha avatar ???

Top right hand corner, click on your user name and the rest is self explanatory.

Regards Bill

 

 

[Mark11]

Mark,I see in your blerb you want a seamax, funny enough one landed at YCHT today, forgot to take a pic, my first response was sh*t you lost :), any way he is up here to do the water landing endosement, a VERY nice little bit of gear i must say, only 20hrs on the clock, the guy who owns it was from Hervy Bay i think he said. I dread to think how much it cost though, and wasnt game to ask :)

on the subject of the last post about the email to C&H, if you want ask for Christine, she really REALLY know her stuff, they are the cheapest i have found and easy to work with, they even released a machine once to my local transport company even though the money wasnt in their account yet, admittitly this was after about 5 machines, but that type of trust is nearly gone now days. As you can guess i am really happy with their service. PM sent also

Mark,Hi there,

 

Spoke to a guy at the oaks who is going to import a sonic in crate boxes... He reckons that there is a big problem when trying to get the boxes off the wharf.... They can't tell him how much now... They seem to make it up!

 

Did C&H quote you door to door.. If not how did you deal with the problem above??

 

Regards

 

Mark