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Shipping an engine for an overhaul/repair

This is a description of the process for packing an engine for shipping, within Europe or to the USA.

The photos here are mostly from 2008.

First you extract it from the aircraft, removing the baffles, the exhaust, and some of the accessories


Then, with it hanging off the crane, you put a big plastic bag around it

Then you need a pallet, 1m x 1.2m. This has to be certified free of parasites, especially for the USA. The standard is called ISPM15. The pallet must be stamped with this.

This firm does nice cases. The L1200xW1000xH800 packing case, compliant with the USA packaging regulations and capable of holding 200kg is £112.97+VAT.

Then you need some 2-pack expanding foam. The pack which is just right for this job is this

The following photo shows a bare pallet with a card box on top of it, which is another way but I wouldn’t bother with it next time

The engine is suspended from the crane about 10cm above the bottom of the box and the foam is used to fill the gap, under and all around. It helps to chuck in some old tyres or old polystyrene packing material, inside, into the corners, to waste a bit of space.

Accessories which are being send it for overhaul / cores are wrapped individually and placed into the top of the foam before it sets.

There are other ways. There are pre-made containers in standard sizes e.g. an ARCA box which is 1140 by 1140 in the base size

When it came back it was packed similarly




Administrator
Shoreham EGKA, United Kingdom

Most aircraft owners over here use a car, either their own or a rented one. A shop removes the engine and puts it in the car. Most engine overhaul shops are not located at aerodromes.

You should drain the engine oil and make sure there’s none left – because otherwise the engine might be declared “hazardous material” and the transport will be MUCH more expensive.

Most aircraft owners over here use a car, either their own or a rented one. A shop removes the engine and puts it in the car. Most engine overhaul shops are not located at aerodromes.

Funny this debate always comes back to “your local engine shop is perfect”.

The other day I spoke to the owner of a UK maintenance company (not at my airfield). He sends engines to a UK shop, in the back of a van, sitting on an old tyre. I asked him what does he think of the firm he uses. He replied “well, they are sort of OK”. I asked if he knows a good one. His reply was “no, they are all the same, can’t be trusted”. He’s been in the business about 30 years.

Hence I prefer to not bet against known odds

You should drain the engine oil and make sure there’s none left – because otherwise the engine might be declared “hazardous material” and the transport will be MUCH more expensive.

Of course, drain the oil. That will be done anyway because you want a sample for the last oil analysis, so that after the new one is run-in, you have a history.

Administrator
Shoreham EGKA, United Kingdom

Hello all

I’m new here. My name is Antoine and I’m based in Switzerland.
I am the proud new and soon poor owner of a water-cooled TSIOL-550 in an Extra 400 sitting at my maintenance shop in Germany needing a major repair.
A fellow owner from Alberta Canada strongly recommended a shop there who are very competent on this specific engine model and are also willing to go the extra mile. I talked to them and really liked them.
I think I will get a better running engine from them vs the german company my maintenance shop normally works with. The german shop will only do “standard” repairs and were slow to respond. They also seem uninterested in chasing suppliers for spare parts…

Can you help me find a reasonable company to ship the engine back and forth?
FedEx quoted 5’800 Euros!
Thanks!

LSGG, LFEY, Switzerland

I have had a quote from DHL of GBP 800 each way, for a IO540 in a box on a pallet, 250kg, to Tulsa, Oklahoma, from Brighton, UK. However that is a special rate to my company and I would expect it to be 1.5x to 2x higher to a non regular customer. But still way less than the silly Fedex price. I suggest you drop me an email with the full addresses at both ends and I will get my office to get DHL to work out a price for you.

For Europe, DHL is the best organised company of the big US couriers.

I was astonished at that price since I was quoted GBP 3000 each way by DHL in 2008.

Air freight is cheaper and a fairly standard price might be GBP 500 each way, but the firms are mostly monkeys and will screw up at any opportunity. Plus their price list is like a chinese takeaway and they like to stick charges on top.

I too would not use any European company for engine work, especially a slightly unusual engine like yours.

Administrator
Shoreham EGKA, United Kingdom

A few years ago I used Dachser to ship an engine CH→DE→CH, it was slightly below 1k CHF, both ways

LSZK, Switzerland

Peter wrote:

For Europe, DHL is the best organised company of the big US couriers.

Unsurprisingly, as they are a part of Deutsche Post ;-)

In fact, any freight forwarding company (Dachser, Schenker, etc, etc) will be able to deal with this and I’m reasonably sure you’ll get better rates than with the couriers. Of course, if you have a company account with them and ship a lot (a la Peter) then you get a better deal.

That said, a quick FedEx online quote brings up a rate of GBP 1471 one way from the UK to California. I’m pretty sure you can negotiate that down for a round-trip shipment.

Hello Antoine and welcome to EuroGA !

Your best bet is to use an Independent freight agent. I’ve got a Conti 520 coming over next week from Missouri to the South of France, $900 door 2 door !

Tell us about your Extra 400 ! What’s wrong with the engine ? Where’s it registered ?

FAA A&P/IA
LFPN

Hi Michael/Peter

We have found a solution, thanks for your help Peter.

@Michael. The Extra is N-Reg. I bought it as a “refrurbishment project” .
I see you are in LFPN? Maybe you know Amar? he just bought my second hand avionics on behalf of Aeroclub Paris Sud!

The engine was in need of a TOH but it turned out that there was a bit more (camshaft…). I am not unhappy because I wanted to have it “precision rebuilt” anyway and this allows us to get the improved camshaft from RAM and talk a harder look at the bottom end.

We are doing a major avionics project with GTN750 etc… I can share with you – flyingfish28 at gmail.com

LSGG, LFEY, Switzerland
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