Shipping an Airplane

[Shorts,David]

Hi, I didn't see any discussion on this topic. Does anyone have any experience shipping their model to Muncie or any location?
Such as, building a custom case or modifying an existing one?
Best packaging to protect the model?
Size vs. size cost. In other words, is a take apart model much cheaper to ship?
Perhaps there has been a SN article I missed.

Thanks

[Trostle]

Over the years, people have had success with shipping their models in appropriate boxes by Greyhound bus.  If you time it right, the model could arrive at the terminal slightly before you arrive in Muncie.  Or maybe you could find some stunt guy to pick it up for you.

Most boxes I have seen and used are made primarily from 1/4" ply with something like 3/4 x 1 1/2 external frame, all screwed together.  Some have rollers to help moving them.   Need internal braces to prevent crushing and to hold the model in position.  there have been articles in the magazines.  I will try to find something.  The boxes do not need to be rectangular, but sort of diamond shape to minimize volume.  It was not too many years ago that our F2B teams did not use take-apart models.  Transporting these things on the airlines became a nightmare.

Keith

Hi, I didn't see any discussion on this topic. Does anyone have any experience shipping their model to Muncie or any location?
Such as, building a custom case or modifying an existing one?
Best packaging to protect the model?
Size vs. size cost. In other words, is a take apart model much cheaper to ship?
Perhaps there has been a SN article I missed.

Thanks

[Howard Rush]

Airlines lately are getting more particular about baggage.  I think most restrict the sum of height, width, and length to 62", at least internationally.  That makes it a squeeze unless the fuselage comes apart.  Weight is no a big deal, so you can build a stout box.  Below are pictures of mine. It's made of 5mm plywood lined with Kevlar left over from Snorts (don't ask).  Wings come apart separately and fit into the pink foam block.

LiPos gotta go as carry-on. 

[Peter in Fairfax, VA]

Two thoughts.

First, I'm also a bicycle rider.  My friends and I often travel with our bikes in a box.  Europe, Caribbean, Canada, etc.  The typical case is 47 x 31 x 11 and fits on many airliners.  While I know of no one that has had a problem, Howard has related at least one situation a stunt pilot encountered.

Second, using FedEx Ground, UPS or Greyhound also works.  However, I'd advise estimating your dimensions and getting a shipping estimate on their websites.  Don't worry about accurate weight, because you will be charged "dimensional weight," meaning the dimensions are the critical factor.

best of luck,

Peter

[Howard Rush]

That's interesting.  I wonder if we could get away with using a bike box that didn't contain an actual bicycle. 

[Shorts,David]

Over the years, people have had success with shipping their models in appropriate boxes by Greyhound bus. 

Keith

Awesome, I'll check into it.

Two thoughts.

First, I'm also a bicycle rider.  My friends and I often travel with our bikes in a box.  Europe, Caribbean, Canada, etc.  The typical case is 47 x 31 x 11 and fits on many airliners.

Second, using FedEx Ground, UPS or Greyhound also works.  However, I'd advise estimating your dimensions and getting a shipping estimate on their websites.  Don't worry about accurate weight, because you will be charged "dimensional weight," meaning the dimensions are the critical factor.

best of luck,

Peter

Thanks Peter. I'm looking into that with a bike friend.

Howard thanks for the pictures. That two part wing method still has me scratching my head. I assume the flaps have to be removable. My dad gave me a spare Nobler kit for my birthday. I'm thinking of building it with a two part removable wing just so I can start wrapping my mind around this method and see if it folds in half or not.

[john e. holliday]

During the World Champs in 2004 most people had their planes shipped to AMA headquarters.  I haven't tried the search function yet, but I thought some people had posted before about this and their solutions.

[Igor Burger]

Since I have my planes all 3d modelled, it was no so big problem to mill negative foam shimming box and to put it to normal traveling bag ... easy solution for Perth 2016 :- )) I even did not pay anything for excessing luggage :- ))


... may that was reason why they did not allow me to take batteries :- P

[big ron]

Now that is slick

[Dwayne]

Since I have my planes all 3d modelled, it was no so big problem to mill negative foam shimming box and to put it to normal traveling bag ... easy solution for Perth 2016 :- )) I even did not pay anything for excessing luggage :- ))


... may that was reason why they did not allow me to take batteries :- P

I've been doing this hobby on and off since 1972 and I'm so amazed at the stuff that's out there now, this is very slick to say the least. 

[Dave Edwards]

In my experience, travelling quite a bit with bicycles and models on commercial flights, as soon as you get to oversized items the policies are very inconsistently applied.  I have had fees range from $0 to $250 each way to get a bike carrier on a plane. Prebooking, checking in priority, using military ID sometimes seems to help and sometimes not. It seems to depend entirely upon the individual checking bags. Airline policies give some guidance but they are not enforced equally, everywhere.  International travel appears to be even harder to predict.

If anyone has advice on how to manage this, I would like to hear it.  The trick used to be to drop the bag with the redcap at the curb, give them a good tip, and no problems. The days of curbside check is long gone, unfortunately.

[Dennis Leonhardi]

I've had very good luck shipping even large, completed airplanes cross-country with Greyhound - but none of them were candidates for Nats competition.  Drop the box off at the nearest Greyhound terminal, recipient picks it up at the terminal nearest them.  It's pretty convenient if both shipper and recipient are reasonably close to terminals.

I suspected Greyhound would exercise reasonable care handling the boxes since they accept responsibility - and remember, we're not talking thousand dollar packages.  So I made boxes from 48" x 48" 200 lb. test corrugated sheets; heavier material is available.

I believe it's key to secure the contents reasonably firmly to one side of the package, and then provide enough "cushion" that compressing the package to the point of damaging the contents would require real effort.

I've shipped several large packages cross-country in this fashion via Greyhound with absolutely no damage to any.  Others may have had different results.


Dennis

[Shorts,David]

Back at it. What is everyone doing to attach the tail of their airplanes? I tried the two piece wing system and my craftsmanship left a great deal to be desired. It'll fly and probably stay together, but it looks like a nine year old did it. No offense meant to nine year olds. Now I'm doing a once piece removable wing which is more my speed for now. But what about the tail? It looks like some of you (Igor) leave the rudder attached and just remove the stabilizer, while Howard removes the whole tail and stabilizer. Can I get a close up of how anyone is holding the stabilizer on? I'm guessing threaded inserts and some thin plywood doublers? I'm building a take apart Oriental at the moment.

Thanks for any help or description for the tail.

David

[Tim Wescott]

That's interesting.  I wonder if we could get away with using a bike box that didn't contain an actual bicycle.

"Bi" means two, "cycle" means wheels...

[Tim Wescott]

Do a search on "take apart".  I just did, and it didn't pop up a definitive build thread, but there may be some ideas after searching.

The system that folks are using around here as three aluminum rods through the fuse, with matching mounting features in the wing (it's the Tom Morris system, although a lot of folks just make their own).  Bellcrank is mounted in the fuse.  Then the tail cone comes off, with thin plywood tabs on the fuse sides, and the rudder comes off the stabilizer.

It'll take less time to understand by looking at a good set of pictures than trying to puzzle through the above paragraph, though.

[Dave Edwards]

Fedex makes a very sturdy $15 cardboard box made to ship golf clubs/bag with a shipping price that wasnt too unreasonable a year or so ago.  May not be big enough for a stunt ship but could fit 6-8 combat planes. They also have boxes for guitars and bikes and TVs that might be better. https://www.fedex.com/en-us/shipping/packing/supplies/boxes.html#specialty

[Shorts,David]

Fedex makes a very sturdy $15 cardboard box made to ship golf clubs/bag with a shipping price that wasnt too unreasonable a year or so ago.  May not be big enough for a stunt ship but could fit 6-8 combat planes. They also have boxes for guitars and bikes and TVs that might be better. https://www.fedex.com/en-us/shipping/packing/supplies/boxes.html#specialty

That's good to know. I think I will be able to fit in an electric piano case on this one. I'll be holding the wing on like an RC plane, but I've never done a removable tail, but like all things, after I've done it I'll figure out what  I should have done.

[Angelo Smyth]

Over the years, people have had success with shipping their models in appropriate boxes by Greyhound bus.  If you time it right, the model could arrive at the terminal slightly before you arrive in Muncie.  Or maybe you could find some stunt guy to pick it up for you.

Most boxes I have seen and used are made primarily from 1/4" ply with something like 3/4 x 1 1/2 external frame, all screwed together.  Some have rollers to help moving them.   Need internal braces to prevent crushing and to hold the model in position.  there have been articles in the magazines.  I will try to find something.  The boxes do not need to be rectangular, but sort of diamond shape to minimize volume.  It was not too many years ago that our F2B teams did not use take-apart models.  Transporting these things on the airlines became a nightmare.

Keith

This is exactly what I've done in 2017. Shipped a box full of (non take-apart) models and other model supplies from Columbus, OH to Tucson, AZ. Using 1/4 ply, I made my box the largest acceptable size that Greyhound would ship, and was careful not to exceed weight limits.  Used foam glued-on with a hot glue gun along with cheap Velcro strips (JoAnn fabrics, Walmart, etc.) - it did a fantastic job at holding things down. If you're going to build a container, assume it'll get abused, turned upside-down, etc. My experience was that shipping took a little over 3 weeks. Tracking was very poor, so if you're the kind of guy who stews over where your box is at any given moment, it'll drive you crazy! On the plus side, it did arrive with minimal damage to the box, and the contents perfectly protected - which was a relief. Hope this helps.

[Mike Alimov]

What is everyone doing to attach the tail of their airplanes? I tried the two piece wing system and my craftsmanship left a great deal to be desired.
David

Don't know about everyone, but here's a link to a photo album that shows one approach (not mine... taken from a Russian-language stunt forum, but the planes pictured belong to one of the team members):
https://cloud.mail.ru/public/3v7B/PmDfKZLZV/

[pmackenzie]

Try to find a copy of the Impact article and/or plans.
They show a fairly simple and proven method for doing one-piece removable wings and removable tails.

Pat MacKenzie

[Shorts,David]

Thanks for those pictures Mike and the other ideas and suggestions everyone else gave too. At this moment I've abandoned the skills I definitely don't poses, and am doing a one piece wing mounted RC style. The tail was a pain but after three fails to get my hardware lined up I have a straight stab that I'm confident with.