That's a lot of valuable advice Simon.
Could it be put in an "instructions" type format on the aus-soaring website?
It would save the people who continually answer import type questions on the
list the time and effort.
----- Original Message -----
From: "Simon Hackett" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: "Discussion of issues relating to Soaring in Australia."
<aus-soaring@lists.internode.on.net>
Sent: Sunday, March 18, 2007 9:07 AM
Subject: Re: [Aus-soaring] Costs/issues on importing a foreign
registeredglider
To add to the list of things to be aware of:
I've moved Stemme aircraft to/from Australia multiple times; One (VH- TCP)
is just back at Port Adelaide from the factory now, though I've deferred
delivery until just after Avalon so I can concentrate on flying VH-SIO
over to Avalon tomorrow :)
Anyway, some random items I've learned:
- If you can pick the aircraft up at the freight forwarders facility, you
will save a delivery leg on a truck, which costs 'thousands' routinely.
- Really *do* believe what has been said about trailer imports - get an
import permit first. They're only $50 and they remove all hassle from
legally importing it.
That allows you to bring the trailer in, but not to take it on a public
road.
When it comes to that latter task, *registering* it, a process which
varies a little from state to state, contact your local motor
registration people for details and/or find someone who has done it in
your state and ask them to tell you what the steps and/or tricks are. Its
not necessarily as hard as you might think, but there are some
optimisations here - again find someone who has succeeded before you,
it'll save you a lot of grief.
Also remember that a little research can go a long way - you might, for
instance, be able to arrange a single day registration permit (in SA, at
least, a princely $6) to (for instance) tow the trailer from the
importers facility to the registration inspection area to have it
inspected for compliance, and if its compliant, great, if it isn't, the
permit will then let you tow it back to your glider club and fix what
needs fixing and you can get another permit and try again another day.
This is the form:
http://www.dotars.gov.au/department/forms/pdf/VSB10_Form.pdf
The form is design by a bureaucrat who clearly enjoyed hurting peoples'
heads. But if you remember that you have a trailer, not a car, and follow
the 'if <a> then go to stop 42' things around the form properly, you'll
see that much of the form doesn't apply and you really just need the VIN
number from the trailer and a $50 cheque that doesn't bounce. So 'just do
it' (tm).
Note that there -are- plenty of glider trailers in Australia that
'slipped through the net', but it depends a lot on the luck of the draw;
There is some (valid in my view) argument for a glider in a trailer being
the moral equivalent of a violin in a violin case - the case is only
there to protect it during shipping. And on this basis many have indeed
turned up here, but for $50 and a tiny bit of additional planning,
seriously, why take the risk? If you get hauled up for this as the
shipment arrives, it generates all sorts of un- necessary grief.
If you have to have the container stored while you get the permit (14 day
cycle time), consider that I'm storing a container for two weeks right
now before delivery (for a different reason) and its costing me more than
$3000 to do it. Shipping companies *really* don't like to do this, you're
stopping the container earning them more $$$ by moving something else -
and that $50 and a bit of forward planning suddenly looks even more
sensible, doesn't it.
- Shipping gliders inside trailers is great in that these are often the
best possible mounting systems to hold the parts steady and safe, without
a trailer you really really need someone who is competent to pack it well
at the remote side.
- To underscore the previous point, imagine that some huge angry greek
god is going to take your shipping container and routinely drop it from a
great height over and over for two months, and subject it to interesting
side to side rolling motions, and in addition will inject some salty high
humidity sea air, raise the internal temperature of the container to
silly levels, and leave it that way for weeks. Then look at how you're
getting it secured and secure it even better than that. You'll thank
yourself.
- If you are shipping the aircraft from Europe and it is made by a
european manufacturer who is still in business, seriously consider
getting the aircraft shipped to that manufacturer and paying them to
inspect/service/perform any needed AD's/add any options you might like
that they can supply etc etc. It may be the last time it visits the
manufacturer, and (obviously) they can do things more cost effectively
and more compentently than can necessarily be done here.
- Get a copy of the import paperwork set needed for a glider from the GFA
and read it to understand the information/documents needed to register it
here.
There are some magic items like an 'Export C of A' which the original
manufacturer can generate for you (by doing a form-2 equivalent
inspection) but unfortunately that doesn't absolve you of the need to do
another one here. Its also possible to get a glider registered without
one but it just needs more hand waving (I've done it both ways with
different aircraft over time).
The one you really do need, as already noted, is the certificate of *non*
registration (i.e. of deregistration) from its current registration
country. The GFA can reserve a registration for you here when you know
you are definitely getting an aircraft.
You can view the list of available registrations here (updated daily),
and GFA can then pull one over and reserve it for you if you ask nicely:
http://www.casa.gov.au/casadata/register/data/Availablemarks.pdf
- I strongly commend the GFA to you in this regard if you are unsure
about whether you have, or can have generated, all the documentation they
need - in my experience the GFA in general and John Viney in particular
have been tremendously helpful and (where needed) flexible with what is
required to get an aircraft in and flying. Remember they are as
interested as you are in seeing more gliders in Australian skies - if the
forms aren't clear, or if you aren't sure, ask them, they'll help.
- Remember one more joy in your life is taxation - GST applies to
imported items including gliders (fortunately no other taxes and duties
apply any longer). With imports, this has some wrinkles you may not have
thought of that contribute to that cost. In particular GST applies to the
hull value (which is obvious) but it also applies to anything done
overseas that generates a benefit here, including:
- The cost of all repairs/servicing
- The cost of shipping
- Insure the shipment. And be there when the container is opened, with a
camera. And with lots of tools to help to with the unloading/ unpacking
process. And extra helpers to lift/move stuff and to help you if you get
tired.
- Make sure you have insurance here ready to kick in once its opened.
- Do speak to people who have done it before, and/or do consider getting
assistance from others who have done it before, it can make what seems
like a hard process into a far simpler one - it really isn't that bad,
you just need to be organised about it.
Overall, this process really is an exercise in what an in-law correctly
describes as the "5 P" rule: Prior Preparation Prevents Piss Poor
Performance
:)
Regards,
Simon Hackett
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