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By adriaan.pelzer
#1792316
Hi All,

I’ve recently started tinkering with the idea of buying a plane in South Africa, and ferrying it to and importing it into the UK (to sell eventually).

So, as you can imagine, I have my research cut out for me, in terms of buying a plane in a different country & getting it kitted out for ferrying (I do have trusted flying contacts there, as it is my country of birth), importing a plane to the UK, and planning for and embarking on a cross-continent ferry flight.

So, I’d like to start with the route, and let that inform the plane & kit (ie let distances inform range required). Are there any pilots here who have done the cross-Africa route? Which route did you opt for, and what were the considerations? Paperwork, avgas availability, etc ...

My prime objective is the trip itself, so I won’t mind doing more stops, lingering along the way, and I don’t expect breaking even cost-wise after the trip. I do need to know, however, which countries should be avoided altogether, due to instability/lack of avgas/difficulty of obtaining landing or overflying permits.

Any pointers would be hugely appreciated.


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Last edited by adriaan.pelzer on Mon Aug 24, 2020 12:55 pm, edited 2 times in total.
User avatar
By Boswell
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1793186
Hi, Adrian

You might find it interesting to browse through these links, covering UK/S.Africa (and v-v) flights on various routes, both single and twin with a wide range of budgets:

viewtopic.php?f=67&t=111268

https://www.adventures4charity.com/about

https://bit.ly/3lr8H5m

https://bit.ly/3b4ncY9

https://bit.ly/31Cw5oJ

I've minimal experience on that route, besides Jo-burg/Nairobi to import a C182 to Kenya, but I'd advise getting up-to-speed on obtaining a S.African licence (which you'll need on a SA reg. a/c), researching the complications of a S.African Export C of A (took us 3 weeks), whether import to the UK is viable (you imply there's a possible financial advantage), obtaining advice from reputable overflight agents, checking visa and entry red-tape for your en route stops (though bundles of $ can help), and try to be realistic about how Covid restrictions might be a nightmare for a year or two.
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User avatar
By CloudHound
#1794613
Be careful about homebuilt experimentals.

UK Light Aircraft Association rules mean many have tried and either failed or taken so much time and money as to render the exercise a failure.
#1794770
Boswell wrote:Hi, Adrian

You might find it interesting to browse through these links, covering UK/S.Africa (and v-v) flights on various routes, both single and twin with a wide range of budgets:

viewtopic.php?f=67&t=111268

https://www.adventures4charity.com/about

https://bit.ly/3lr8H5m

https://bit.ly/3b4ncY9

https://bit.ly/31Cw5oJ

I've minimal experience on that route, besides Jo-burg/Nairobi to import a C182 to Kenya, but I'd advise getting up-to-speed on obtaining a S.African licence (which you'll need on a SA reg. a/c), researching the complications of a S.African Export C of A (took us 3 weeks), whether import to the UK is viable (you imply there's a possible financial advantage), obtaining advice from reputable overflight agents, checking visa and entry red-tape for your en route stops (though bundles of $ can help), and try to be realistic about how Covid restrictions might be a nightmare for a year or two.

Boswell wrote:Hi, Adrian

You might find it interesting to browse through these links, covering UK/S.Africa (and v-v) flights on various routes, both single and twin with a wide range of budgets:

viewtopic.php?f=67&t=111268

https://www.adventures4charity.com/about

https://bit.ly/3lr8H5m

https://bit.ly/3b4ncY9

https://bit.ly/31Cw5oJ

I've minimal experience on that route, besides Jo-burg/Nairobi to import a C182 to Kenya, but I'd advise getting up-to-speed on obtaining a S.African licence (which you'll need on a SA reg. a/c), researching the complications of a S.African Export C of A (took us 3 weeks), whether import to the UK is viable (you imply there's a possible financial advantage), obtaining advice from reputable overflight agents, checking visa and entry red-tape for your en route stops (though bundles of $ can help), and try to be realistic about how Covid restrictions might be a nightmare for a year or two.


Thanks, this is very helpful!

I have already gone through the South African PPL validation process (based on my UK PPL), so I’m legal to fly there. Good point about the Export CoA though - I know very little about that, and will ping up all my contacts there for as much info as possible.

Thanks for all the links! - that’s exactly what I need now: read as many accounts of cross-Africa trips as possible.


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#1794771
CloudHound wrote:Be careful about homebuilt experimentals.

UK Light Aircraft Association rules mean many have tried and either failed or taken so much time and money as to render the exercise a failure.

Yup, I’ll stay with good old tried and tested CoA aircraft.

Good advice thanks!


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#1795403
Boswell wrote:Adrian, here's one example of what you need for Export C of A (under 5,700kgs):

https://bit.ly/3buITkh

Any document missing at your final airfield out of S.A. and you're stuck. That was 10 days delay for us.

Can recommend an outfit at Wonderboom, near Jo'burg, who know the procedure....

Thanks, checklist is very helpful.

I always fly out of Wonderboom when I’m in ZA, so that will be great, thanks.


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