Transporting an aircraft to Europe?

FlynRyan

Well-Known Member
I was contacted by a family friend for some advice. He has a very rare/vintage aircraft that he wants to transport from the states to Europe. He wants to ship it there by ocean freighter but doesn't know how to get it from the airport to the shipping dock somewhere on the east coast. The aircraft has a 44 ft wingspan so putting it on the back of a 18 wheeler is out of the question.

He mentioned the idea to fly it to an airport close to the ship and then airlift it by helicopter to the ship. But he didn't want to do that really because of the cost. My suggestion was to fly it to an airport that also serves seaplanes and taxi it up to the water and put it on a barge, and then float it to the shipyard.

You guys have any other suggestions? From what I understand, he doesn't want to fly it all of the way over.

Thanks for the help,
Ryan
 
I would just fly it to the airport closest to the docks and pay to have it broken down and crated for the freight ship...

Don't forget to get all the Hazmat paperwork and placards too...Those fines are crazy if not done properly.
 
I was contacted by a family friend for some advice. He has a very rare/vintage aircraft that he wants to transport from the states to Europe. He wants to ship it there by ocean freighter but doesn't know how to get it from the airport to the shipping dock somewhere on the east coast. The aircraft has a 44 ft wingspan so putting it on the back of a 18 wheeler is out of the question.

He mentioned the idea to fly it to an airport close to the ship and then airlift it by helicopter to the ship. But he didn't want to do that really because of the cost. My suggestion was to fly it to an airport that also serves seaplanes and taxi it up to the water and put it on a barge, and then float it to the shipyard.

You guys have any other suggestions? From what I understand, he doesn't want to fly it all of the way over.

Thanks for the help,
Ryan

What airplane is it?
 
Is flying the airplane over there an option? Up the east coast, into Canada, Greenland, Iceland(I think?), England, Europe?
 
Pay to have it taken apart and crated. Or, take the wings off yourself and crate it.


AOPA should be able to help you find companies that you need to speak to.
 
Is flying the airplane over there an option? Up the east coast, into Canada, Greenland, Iceland(I think?), England, Europe?

Yep, that's the way. Many have done it. Depending on the plane I would do that before taking it apart. What kind of plane is it? That will have a bearing on the advice you get.
 
Your options (unless money is no issue, which you said it is) is to pull the wings and crate it, or fly it over. Getting a 50 foot square piece of real estate on a boat will be VERY expensive, as well as airlifting the plane into place.
 
how about a lot of extra fuel tanks? lindburg did it...

Is flying the airplane over there an option? Up the east coast, into Canada, Greenland, Iceland(I think?), England, Europe?

Yep, that's the way. Many have done it. Depending on the plane I would do that before taking it apart. What kind of plane is it? That will have a bearing on the advice you get.

First question. Is this a single engine or piston powered aircraft? If so, I'd stop this idea right there. Sure, people do it...but when you can put it on a boat, why?


I would wait till July/August as well to fly a plane over the North Atlantic.
It doesn't matter. That water is still going to be cold. All you're doing there is prolonging your wetness before you succumb to hypothermia.

The North Atlantic isn't a place for noobies.
It isn't a place for single engine or piston powered aircraft. Flying over the N. Atlantic at 350 with 2+ jet engines pushing me along would be fine. Flying at 6,000' with an IO-360 up front is not my idea of a good time.

My two cents? Fly it to the closest airport to the dock, have the wings taken off, box it up and put it on a freighter.

-mini
 
For me, the key words in the OP's post were "very rare/vintage". With that in mind, I don't see how a flight would even be a consideration.
 
"Rare" and "Vintage" conjurs up some airplanes that may in fact have "rare" and "vintage" motors. I am not talking about big Wrights, or P&W's, but maybe a Jacobs, old Continental, perhaps a Menasco, Warner, Lambert, Gypsy, or Ken-Royce. Not sure I would set out across Lake Michigan with the Menasco/Warner/Lamert/Gypsy/Ken Royce set, and I would be sucking the seat into my arse with the round little Wrights or Jacobs (depending on the model of Jake) assuming it was a single - for sure I wouldn't do the North Atlantic.

I would probably ship it.
 
For me, the key words in the OP's post were "very rare/vintage". With that in mind, I don't see how a flight would even be a consideration.

I wouldn't be opposed to flying a modern SEL airplane across the atlantic, but "rare/vintage" means it's going in a container.

Normally the costs are fairly close either way.
 
"Rare" and "Vintage" conjurs up some airplanes that may in fact have "rare" and "vintage" motors. I am not talking about big Wrights, or P&W's, but maybe a Jacobs, old Continental, perhaps a Menasco, Warner, Lambert, Gypsy, or Ken-Royce. Not sure I would set out across Lake Michigan with the Menasco/Warner/Lamert/Gypsy/Ken Royce set, and I would be sucking the seat into my arse with the round little Wrights or Jacobs (depending on the model of Jake) assuming it was a single - for sure I wouldn't do the North Atlantic.

I would probably ship it.

Never cross any body of water in a single without gliding distance. Water kills. I'm terrified to cross the inlet here, just no sense in it, it will kill you quick if you go in the drink and Lake Michigan will too. Don't cross water single engine unless you've got survival gear, you're on floats, or you've got gliding distance. Any other time, and you are an idiot. Even in warm water you're an idiot. Why? Simple, when you knock yourself out on the panel as you impact the water if you misjudge your height, or a swell hits you, you drown. I don't have the huevos for it.
 
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