Ferry or Ship? Moving an Aircraft From the U.S. to Europe, Australia or Latin America

Once an airplane bought in the U.S. is ready for export, it has to physically get to its new home. There are three options: hire a professional to ferry an aircraft overseas, ship it in a container or fly it yourself with experienced help. Which one makes sense depends mostly on the destination.

The short version: piston singles bound for Europe are usually ferried across the North Atlantic. Airplanes going to Latin America are usually flown, because the route is over land and islands. Airplanes going to Australia, New Zealand and much of Asia are usually shipped, because the Pacific legs are longer than most piston singles can fly without major ferry-tank installations. This guide explains how each option works, what it involves and where the costs and delays come from.

Ferry, Ship or Fly It Yourself

How a Transatlantic Ferry Works

Professional ferry pilots fly piston singles from North America to Europe on the northern route: Canada to Greenland, Greenland to Iceland and Iceland to Scotland or Norway, then on to the destination. The shortest routings keep the longest over-water leg under about 500 nautical miles. Whether a ferry tank is needed depends on the routing, the season, expected winds and the reserves the pilot plans to carry.

Canada sets the most detailed requirements for small airplanes leaving its airspace over the North Atlantic. Under section 602.39 of the Canadian Aviation Regulations, the pilot of a single-engine airplane may not leave Canadian domestic airspace over the high seas unless:

• The pilot holds an instrument rating, and the airplane carries the equipment required for IFR flight.
• The airplane has an HF radio able to transmit and receive on at least two international air-ground frequencies.
• There is hypothermia protection, in practice an immersion suit, for each person on board.
• The airplane carries the required fuel plus contingency fuel of at least 10%.

Separate rules require a life raft and survival equipment for long over-water and remote flights, and Denmark and Iceland set their own requirements for the Greenland and Iceland legs, including survival kits for Greenland. Ferry companies that fly the route carry all of it as standard.

Ferry tanks. An airplane fitted with a temporary ferry tank usually operates above its normal maximum takeoff weight, which requires an FAA special flight permit. For a U.S.-registered airplane, the FAA issues the permit and, according to Transport Canada, Canada must validate it before the airplane enters Canadian airspace. The permit restricts weights, speeds, maneuvers and departure and arrival points. Ferry companies that fly the route regularly handle the installation, the paperwork and the removal of the tank on arrival.

Season and weather. Summer is the easier time to cross. Winter brings severe cold at Canadian and Greenland stops, shorter days and a higher risk of icing at the altitudes piston airplanes fly. Airports in Greenland have limited hours, and opening them outside those hours costs extra. Weather delays are the biggest source of cost overruns on a ferry flight, because the pilot is paid by the day and is staying in expensive places.

Paperwork on board. The airplane normally flies on its U.S. registration and standard airworthiness certificate, so its U.S. registration stays in place until it arrives. A U.S.-registered aircraft flying internationally also needs an FCC aircraft radio station license, and the pilot needs an FCC restricted radiotelephone operator permit. Customs filings for the export must be completed before departure. Our guide to exporting an aircraft from the U.S. covers the sequence.

What a Ferry Costs

Ferry companies usually quote a pilot fee and then pass through the rest. One European ferry company’s published starting price for a Cirrus SR22 crossing was about US$11,700 in 2021, and quotes like that typically exclude several significant items:

• Insurance for the ferry flight, often quoted separately and not small.
• Fuel, landing, handling and airport opening fees.
• Ferry equipment: tank installation and removal, HF radio, survival suit and raft rental.
• The pilot’s travel to the airplane and home again.
• Weather days, which can add materially to the total.
• Maintenance findings before departure. Most ferry pilots want to see a recent inspection and will not leave with open discrepancies.

Ask for every quote itemized, with the daily rate for delays stated in advance, and confirm who insures the airplane during the flight. Once the airplane closes, it is the buyer’s asset, so the buyer’s insurance needs to cover the ferry.

Delivering a Vision Jet

Cirrus SF50 Vision Jets are flown, not shipped. The first Vision Jet delivered to Europe in 2017 crossed on its U.S. registration through Goose Bay, Greenland and Norway. A few points differ from a piston crossing:

• The same Canadian rules apply. Section 602.39 covers single-engine aircraft, so a Vision Jet leaving Canada over the North Atlantic needs the same HF radio, hypothermia protection and fuel reserves.
• Altitude depends on the generation. First-generation (G1) Vision Jets, built from 2016 to 2018, are certified to 28,000 feet, which keeps them below the North Atlantic high-level airspace that starts at FL285. G2 and later jets can climb to 31,000 feet, into that airspace and the RVSM levels, which requires specific approvals for the airplane and crew. Plan the cruise altitude and routing with the ferry crew well before departure.
• A type-rated crew. The pilot needs a Vision Jet type rating and, ideally, previous North Atlantic experience in the type.
• Longer routes are possible. For destinations across the Pacific, ask a ferry company for a route plan and costs, since a jet has more options than a piston single.

How Container Shipping Works

For destinations across the Pacific, the distances settle the question. San Francisco to Honolulu alone is roughly 2,100 nautical miles, so piston singles going to Australia, New Zealand or Asia are usually shipped. The process:

• Disassembly. The wings and, depending on the type and container, tail surfaces and other components come off. A shipping company that has handled the type before builds jigs to support each piece.
• Packing. Components are padded, strapped and crated, typically in a 40-foot container. Wood used in international shipments must meet the ISPM-15 treatment standard.
• Dangerous goods and fluids. Fuel is drained and batteries handled according to shipping rules. On a Cirrus, discuss the CAPS parachute system’s solid-propellant rocket motor with the freight forwarder and a Cirrus service center before packing, because it is subject to specific handling requirements.
• Transit. Ocean freight plus trucking at both ends commonly takes several weeks, and door-to-door times of around two months are not unusual.
• Reassembly and inspection. At the destination, qualified engineers reassemble the airplane, rig and inspect it, and it is test flown before the local authority completes registration and airworthiness certification.

Disassembly, packing and reassembly are usually priced separately from freight. Ocean freight rates move with the global shipping market, sometimes sharply, so get current quotes rather than relying on last year’s number. Insure the airplane as cargo for the full transit.

The biggest risk with shipping is not the ocean. It is the handling at each end. Choose a company that has shipped the same type before, ask how the wings will be supported in the container and photograph the airplane thoroughly before disassembly and after reassembly.

Flying to Latin America

Airplanes bound for Mexico, Central America and much of South America are normally flown, either through Mexico and Central America or through the Caribbean. The legs are short enough for a piston single, but the route crosses many countries, each with its own overflight and landing permissions, handling arrangements and customs procedures. Experienced ferry pilots know which countries need advance permits and how long they take. For destinations deep in South America, the trip can take a week or more of flying.

Flying It Yourself

Some owners want to make the crossing themselves. It can be done, and many pilots describe it as the flight of a lifetime, but it is a serious undertaking in a single-engine airplane. Owner pilots should be current and proficient on instruments, train specifically for the North Atlantic, rent or buy the required survival equipment and consider flying with an experienced ferry pilot on board. Insurance for an owner-flown crossing can be difficult to obtain.

Fitting Delivery Into the Purchase

• Book early. Good ferry pilots and shipping slots are booked weeks ahead. Tentatively reserve one as soon as the pre-buy is scheduled.
• Finish maintenance first. Complete inspection findings and the export certificate before the delivery date, not in parallel with it.
• Insure from closing. The buyer’s hull and liability coverage, or a specific ferry or cargo policy, should start the moment title transfers.
• Plan the arrival. Know where the airplane will clear customs, where it will be inspected for local registration and who will reprogram its transponder and ELT for the new registration.

For the earlier steps, see our guide to buying an aircraft in the U.S. from overseas.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it cheaper to ferry or ship a small airplane to Europe?

It depends on the airplane and the market at the time. For most piston singles, a professional ferry is the usual choice, and the airplane arrives flying. Shipping avoids the weather risk of the North Atlantic but adds disassembly, reassembly and inspection costs and takes longer.

Can a single-engine airplane such as an SR22 fly across the Atlantic?

Yes. Professional ferry pilots regularly fly SR20s, SR22s and SR22Ts across the North Atlantic on the northern route through Canada, Greenland and Iceland. The SR20 carries less fuel than the SR22, so a ferry tank is more likely to be part of the plan. Ferry pilots fly other piston singles, such as Bonanzas, Mooneys and Piper Malibus, on the same route, usually with a temporary ferry tank. Equipment, ferry tank needs and timing depend on the airplane, the route and the season.

How do airplanes get to Australia from the U.S.?

Most piston singles are shipped in a container, because the Pacific legs, starting with roughly 2,100 nautical miles from California to Hawaii, exceed their normal range. Larger aircraft with long range are usually flown.

Who insures the airplane during a ferry flight?

Ferry quotes often exclude insurance. Once title transfers, the airplane belongs to the buyer, so the buyer should arrange hull and liability coverage for the ferry flight or a cargo policy for shipping before closing.

The Bottom Line

To Europe, a professional ferry is usually the answer. To Latin America, the airplane is normally flown. Across the Pacific, it is usually shipped. Whichever applies, book the delivery early, finish maintenance first, insure the airplane from closing and get every quote itemized.

Aerista can help you plan delivery as part of an international purchase and put you in touch with ferry pilots and shipping companies we know, and our insurance team can help with coverage for the trip. Contact us to talk it through.