Airline travel

[Lyle Spiegel]

What info is available  regarding how to package & transport an airplane and flight gear when traveling by commercial airline to a contest? I don't have any take apart airplanes- but want to know what is involved to travel with my ARF Nobler or similar . Thx

[frank carlisle]

hi lyle,
as you can see by the responses to your post this is a matter that doesn't get a lot of attention. i've thought about it once or twice. here are my thoughts.

you need to build a box tp put it in that is light enough to be carried without too much strain and strong enough to take a beating from the airline baggage handlers.
it should be easy to open since someone in security will probably want to take a peek.

another concern will be support equipment and fuel. you'll probably need another box.

check with the airline you'll be using. it's their plane and their rules.

[Ironbomb]

Lyle, Frank gives good advice. The box will have to be very strong. Baggage Handlers are not gentle. Itsnot possible to be easy on the luggage when you have 3 more planes to unload. You may want to look at shipping the plane as "freight" to your location on the same plane. I am not sure a box that can hold a Nobler will even fit in the baggage handling equipment. SHipping as freight will require you go to a different location at your destination airport to get your model plane. Call the airline with your box size for the best instructions.

Shipping fuel will not be worth the hassle of boxing it as "HazMat". Hazardous materials is a serious issue when using airfreight. Not declaring fuel and hiding is out of the question, you will  get hammered if you get busted. I have seen more than one aircraft fire caussed by improperly contained HazMat.

Myself, like many on the forum, work in the airline industry. Others may have different advice.

Good luck shipping your model, let us know what you find out.

Greg

[Chuck Feldman]

LBS,

In 2005 I went to the Nat's and flew to Ind. on the airlines. My nobler went by Fed Ex in a box that I built. It was shipped to the hotel who was notified that it was coming. It was returned by Fed Ex and it arrived with damage. It was quite expensive and difficult to stay within the package size guidelines. Some say that Greyhound is cheaper but they do not deliver. I suggest you build an ARF Nobler and make it take appart. That way you can build a good shipping box and send it as baggage. You can send your tackle box as baggage with little trouble. Fuel is best purchased at the contest. Give what you have extra to a junior flier or a fellow flier. Good Luck

Chuck Feldman

[Thomas Wilk]

My son and I went to Portugal a few years back.  We went to gas stations and got those signs made fro plastic that look like cardboard.  We used tiedown straps around the boxes.  All the planes traveled both ways without a problem.  Just make sure that they meet the size or you'll pay the oversize cost.  ours measured .5 in less the the max.  We used contact cement to glue them together.  Our cost was our time and the glue.

Tom Wilk
www.cpinternet.com/~tawilk36

[Steve Helmick]

I have several computer files written on the subject by stunt fliers of note employed in the airline/aviation trades. If you want them, I'll email them to you. They were posted on SSW, so I wouldn't feel right about pasting them here. There are some real serious issues beyond getting your airplane to your destination in one piece. Shipping by GreyDog is a pretty good alternate plan.  Steve
sbasser at yahoo dot com

[peabody]

The dog is probably the best and easiest....
Go and get a mattress box and cut it to size....save the cardboard for vertical bracing...
use the "air bags" available from Staples instead of those foam peanuts.....
Greyhound ships point to point, but are reasonable, and won't hassle you about sealed fuel and batteries.....

I once shipped racing karts on Greyhound with no problems...