Primarily for general aviation discussion, but other aviation topics are also welcome.
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By Flintstone
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1617224
I recall a time when 'everyone' seemed to be nipping across the Atlantic to buy light aircraft. Stories a'plenty of someone who knew someone whose mate would buy three or four aircraft, stuff them in to a shipping container, sell all but one back in the UK and earn themselves a free aircraft.

A) Did this actually happen?

B) With the £ stronger against the $ than it has been for a while, is it worth looking at now?

I know, Experimental and homebuilt aircraft are a risk with no guarantee of earning a Permit. So too might be certified aircraft but I'm not suggesting buying without an Inspector or engineer's say-so.
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By Full Metal Jackass
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1617233
Flintstone wrote:I recall a time when 'everyone' seemed to be nipping across the Atlantic to buy light aircraft. Stories a'plenty of someone who knew someone whose mate would buy three or four aircraft, stuff them in to a shipping container, sell all but one back in the UK and earn themselves a free aircraft.

A) Did this actually happen?

B) With the £ stronger against the $ than it has been for a while, is it worth looking at now?

I know, Experimental and homebuilt aircraft are a risk with no guarantee of earning a Permit. So too might be certified aircraft but I'm not suggesting buying without an Inspector or engineer's say-so.


The local maintenance shop regularly did the same - importing aircraft from the US and then selling them on. Although it wasn't a buy 3, get one free action, the owner of the shop paid for his SR22 from those sales.

From personal experience, back in 2014 I assisted my local flying club by being the contact person for importing their glass cockpit Archer III from the US to Germany - in those days, the exchange rate was around $1.4 to the Euro and although we missed the peak of $1.6 : 1, we didn't have to suffer the $1:12 : 1 the following year. It was a good choice because the plane cost around 110k€ (around 150k$) and the rest cost around 15k€; if the club had tried to buy a similar vintage Archer III in Europe (none were available with Glass cockpits), they would have been looking at at least 130k€. Once the aircraft arrived, they received offers of around 135k€ for it so a profit could still have been made from the deal.

The club was considering doing the same again but the exchange rate hasn't recovered, it's around $1.17:1 so they dropped the idea. Currently, the cost of exporting a US aircraft including Export CofA, escrow, prebuy, shipping to Europe (because we didn't know someone else shipping a plane and therefore filling the container / reducing the cost, it was cheaper to hire a ferry pilot) is just too expensive to consider, the only benefits are when, as you already said, the offerings here are sparse...

Having said that, there are a few nice Cirrus in Europe on the market :D

Ok, I'll get my coat..... 8)
#1617245
Yes, it is being done - but not as much as before. The exchange rate plays a part.........the Brexit vote offered an exchange opportunity of a generation when the pound plummeted overnight; but only for those that had an aircraft to sell. It made buying pretty expensive. Thenthe pound recoveredto over 1.40but has since dropped again.
Buying overseas is for the more expensive options, where the ferry costsare a much smaller proportion of the the deal. We are talking 208s and Kingairs here.........larger avgas burners are (understandably) not flavour of the month in Europe. For a Cherrytree or small Cessna it’s only worth it if you are buying late, well equipped and can’t find what you want over here.
There’s also a shortage of good ferry pilots.....can’t imagine why :roll:
#1617273
Thread drift alert

Speaking of Tundra tyres, the other day I saw a high wing Piper, Cub or L4 or similar, in full and to me authentic camouflage, complete with D-Day striping.

After all that effort they went and put oversize tyres on it. Much the same end result as the middle-aged, overweight reenactors driving around in jeeps trying to pretend they are the 101st Airborne's finest.

:(

[/threaddrift]

Rob P
Waveflyer liked this
#1617274
I have done it three times previously when the $ exchange rate was so much better. The exchange rate and VAT make it difficult to justify now unless it really is a bargain .
I am always looking still - and sharing a container might just push me into a decision .....
( but it wont be one of those sleek , sexy machines with small wheels that dont glide - it will a proper Skygod machine) :wink:
Flintstone liked this
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By Flintstone
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1617277
Barcli wrote:I have done it three times previously when the $ exchange rate was so much better. The exchange rate and VAT make it difficult to justify now unless it really is a bargain .
I am always looking still - and sharing a container might just push me into a decision .....
( but it wont be one of those sleek , sexy machines with small wheels that dont glide - it will a proper Skygod machine) :wink:



Sharing a container is a great idea of course but what are the odds of two or three buyers finding the aircraft they want around the same time and within a decent distance of each other?

What’s really needed is someone in the US prepared to do the legwork. :|