Moving Arrow to Australia

M

morleyz

Pre-takeoff checklist
Joined
Aug 31, 2023
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186
Location
Chicago
Display Name
Jeff
I'm moving to Australia later this year from the US. After talking to two different ferry companies, it was cost prohibitive to use them to fly it to Australia. Both stated they didn't want to deal with issues having to land in Russia, so they suggested going the other way at great expense. I listed my bird for sale thinking that was the only option. I don't really have the knowledge or experience to plan the flight going through Alaska, Russia, Japan, but a member here reached out through PM to suggest I might ask the experts here on thoughts about getting an Arrow II from Chicago to Melbourne, VIC.

And go...
 
morleyz said:
on thoughts about getting an Arrow II from Chicago to Melbourne, VIC.
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Have it disassembled and shipped via container. Have shipped a few helicopters this way to the land of Oz. Don't know what the costs are now but it was around $8K USD the last one I did. There are actually a few companies that specialize in this in the US.
 
Bell206 said:
Have it disassembled and shipped via container. Have shipped a few helicopters this way to the land of Oz. Don't know what the costs are now but it was around $8K USD the last one I did. There are actually a few companies that specialize in this in the US.
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Whoa whoa whoa. Did the $8k include the disassembly and reassembly? The quotes I got were 5 times that. :mad:
 
morleyz said:
Whoa whoa whoa. Did the $8k include the disassembly and reassembly? The quotes I got were 5 times that.
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It included disassembly and crating. I oversaw the disassembly. The reassembly was separate as well as any CASA airworthiness paperwork. Who did you get quotes from?
 
Bell206 said:
It included disassembly and crating. I oversaw the disassembly. The reassembly was separate as well as any CASA airworthiness paperwork. Who did you get quotes from?
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Hrm. Maybe I'm just not looking in the right place. Craters and Freighters was one and the other was Transpak. Maybe they were giving me go away quotes.
 
A couple of thoughts, one of which is a ferry pilot/company, the other is dependent on how long you plan to be in Australia, but have you considered a partner here to keep it and keep it flying?
 
morleyz said:
Maybe I'm just not looking in the right place.
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If you're moving large personal items over there as well maybe check with them for options? However, start with the larger international freight forwarder/expeditors for options. Be sure to state moving a small personal aircraft. Or you can start from the other side and inquire with the people who will be maintaining your aircraft in Oz and who they will recommend? A lot of aircraft there came via container. Regardless, there are companies who will handle all the requirements to include the FAA side and who have connections over there to complete the process. Trade-a-plane used to have ads for this as well but its been ages since I read a copy. Or maybe post on some type websites or social media to get a list of names. But if a company doesn't list shipping aircraft probably not the one to use.
 
One of our Australian customers was into US muscle cars. I helped him find car parts (hood, fenders, windshield) and I would have them delivered to a warehouse in LA where they were loaded onto shipping containers along with our products bound for his location. This was about 20 years ago. Maybe long-shot, but if your company makes stuff and ships internationally to a customer in Oz, you might be able to take some space on a container. Rare that this would work, but we made it happen.
 
I'm in the middle of (well, have nearly finished) flying my C182 from Houston to Australia. It's not cheap in terms of fuel, handling/permit fees and so on, but I am happy to have a chat about it if you're interested. If you have any interest in that kind of adventurous flying then I would 100% recommend doing it - it's something you'd remember for a lifetime!

Here's a link to a write-up of my current flight: https://katamarino.co.uk/index.php/return-to-australia/
 
My best friend ferried a Cherokee 235 to Hawaii which then flew to Australia. This was in the 70s and with extra ferry tanks, the trip from Oakland to Honolulu was 17 hours.
 
A decade or so ago, a friend who was moving to Europe for a couple years had his car shipped from Baltimore to Rotterdam. I don't remember the exact details, but I recall it cost him less than $1000 in 2015 money to get ut shipped there.
Yes, prices have gone up and Straya is a bit further away, but 8k feels closer to reality than the quotes you were given.
 
AV8R_87 said:
A decade or so ago, a friend who was moving to Europe for a couple years had his car shipped from Baltimore to Rotterdam. I don't remember the exact details, but I recall it cost him less than $1000 in 2015 money to get ut shipped there.
Yes, prices have gone up and Straya is a bit further away, but 8k feels closer to reality than the quotes you were given.
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There's a large market for moving wheeled vehicles from one continent to another. There are RO-RO ships specifically built for this trade.
RORO3.png


But they're not at all suitable for moving an airplane.

 
I met an Aussie at Oshkosh back in 2018. He had flown in and told me that a bunch of them ship their planes to the US for Airventure. If it’s worth doing for that, then it has to be possible at prices below “just buy a new plane when you get there” territory.
 
To add, if you need a ferry pilot in this process, I can assist with the Chicago to Anchorage or Chicago to California leg. I’d be happy to put my commercial cert to use and you can be my first customer. :cool:
 
iamtheari said:
I met an Aussie at Oshkosh back in 2018. He had flown in and told me that a bunch of them ship their planes to the US for Airventure. If it’s worth doing for that, then it has to be possible at prices below “just buy a new plane when you get there” territory.
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I can vouch for that, I saw first hand. I think it was late 2000s, and an SAS 747. 3 crates were rolled off at OSH, forget where they were moved to (over by Basler's?). Pilot opened them up, put the pieces together and had a perfectly good airplane. Spent over a month touring the US, then had the airplane crated up again, shipped back to Sweden.
 
given the whackadoodle pricing people are listing for (including the OP's own listing), I'd say yeah pull the wings and container it to Australia is the cheapest all-in option.
 
Cirrus SR planes are also flown/ferried to AUS.
It's possible albeit not cheap (and might not make sense for lower value aircraft).
 
DesertNomad said:
My best friend ferried a Cherokee 235 to Hawaii which then flew to Australia. This was in the 70s and with extra ferry tanks, the trip from Oakland to Honolulu was 17 hours.
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Back in those days we used to see groups of new GA airplanes prepping for the trip from here (Santa Barbara, CA) to OZ by way of Hawaii. I'm not sure where they went after
Hawaii, but nowhere near Japan or Russia. They did it convoy style, with a lead plane equipped with HF radios and overseas-capable Nav gear. Comm/Nav might be simpler these
days, what with readily available GPS and Satellite Communications.

Dave
 
You going to convert it to Aus or find a AP and keep the N reg?

Lots of Mexicans who buy nicer planes keep the N reg as it’s easier than dealing with the native authorities

Yank the wings and crate it, this shouldn’t even be close to 50k
 
AV8R_87 said:
He's getting rid of it. See the for sale post.
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That was only for testing... See the first post in this thread:
morleyz said:
I listed my bird for sale thinking that was the only option.
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...And then he posted this thread to see if there was a reasonable way to ship it so he could keep it.

@morleyz did you find out anything useful from the place in Monroe?
 
flyingcheesehead said:
That was only for testing... See the first post in this thread:

...And then he posted this thread to see if there was a reasonable way to ship it so he could keep it.

@morleyz did you find out anything useful from the place in Monroe?
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Not yet. I got a voicemail when I called, so hopefully I heard back today.
 
Roller said:
You going to convert it to Aus or find a AP and keep the N reg?

Lots of Mexicans who buy nicer planes keep the N reg as it’s easier than dealing with the native authorities

Yank the wings and crate it, this shouldn’t even be close to 50k
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This will be a permanent move for me, so my understanding is that I would have to import it and change it to a VH.
 
Fly it...you know you want to... :D

I know a couple of super experienced pilots who'd be happy to go with you and help.

Where in Oz are you moving to? Come hang out.
 
Ok so a few ideas/hints from someone who spent 30+ years in trucking and logistics ...

Shipping rates on containers can change daily. I just checked real quick and a 40 ft container from Chicago to Melbourne base rate would be right at $3200 ... fees and surcharges would probably get to right to $4000 ... today ... tomorrow it may be a few (or a lot) dollars less or more etc

If I were shipping this I would find a specialist familiar with loading an aircraft into a container safely and securely. I would let them quote me on the doing a whole deal but I would also get my own quotes on shipping it as a separate deal. Pay 1 company to load and secure the freight (your arrow) and pay a separate company for the shipping.

If you get quotes on shipping rates only, try to avoid declaring the commodity (if you absolutely have to to get a quote it's "aircraft parts and supplies") and worry more about the size of the container (40ft) and the weight of the freight ... this usually has the greatest impact on freight cost. the commodity shouldn't have a big impact on cost unless its hazmat or they think they can take you for a ride because its "special" ... its not ... its just freight but any 3PL out there will definitely take advantage of a regular consumer on that given the chance.

And it should go without saying, but I'll say it anyways don't scrimp on the insurance .... You'll want a very comprehensive shipping insurance policy.

Last pointer ... regardless whether you ship it yourself or use a broker to help arrange things pay an attorney a couple hundred bucks to review any shipping contract to make sure you don't get a raw deal. 30 years ago shipping was a noble and honorable profession ... not so much true these days, may have something to do with my imminent retirement LOL!
 
My problem was solved when someone offered me essentially asking price. Have a signed purchase agreement with a pre-buy coming this week. The exciting part for me is when I get there, I can go plane shopping.
 
morleyz said:
The exciting part for me is when I get there, I can go plane shopping.
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Congratulations! A few words of unwanted advice:
Having been in that part of the world, they struggle with parts availability and overhaul costs even more than we do. But they have a good experimental aviation community. Depending on your urge to fly, it might be worth considering an experimental build and joining a flying club while you build.
 
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