Airplanes and aircraft parts are much more complicated to ship than your average package. Because of their sheer size and weight, the fragility of certain components and the importance of their integrity for the safety of eventual passengers and crew members, aircraft shipping requires expertise and care at every step of the process.
From choosing the right shipper and insurance to disassembly and industrial packaging, a lot goes into ensuring that aircraft parts reach their destinations safely. With that in mind, let’s take a look at some of the factors to consider before shipping your aircraft.
Preparing your aircraft for shipping
Choose the right shipper
When choosing a shipper, there are several important factors that need to be taken into account. Firstly, make sure you choose a shipper that has extensive expertise in the aerospace industry. Since aircraft parts can be extremely bulky, heavy and awkwardly shaped, the shipper you choose needs to have the capacity to ship your products. You’ll also want a seasoned shipper with years of experience who can easily navigate the regulations and other specifics of aircraft shipping.
Check insurance coverage
Considering how expensive aircraft parts can be, it’s vital for them to be properly insured just in case anything goes wrong in transit. Your usual insurance may not cover items being shipped by a third party, so you’ll need to verify your coverage and make sure that the parts you’re shipping are properly insured before sending them out.
Drain the fuel
If you’re shipping fuel tanks, it’s important to make sure they are completely empty before they are sent out. Transporting jet fuel is a significant safety hazard. Some jurisdictions actually require a purge certificate guaranteeing that the tanks are entirely free of fuel and residue.
Disassembly
The larger the aircraft is, the more complicated and expensive it will be to ship intact. You’ll need to carefully assess your craft and shipping requirements and discuss size and weight limits with your shipper in order to determine whether it’s preferable to partially or completely disassemble your aircraft for shipment.
Well-sealed packaging
Aircraft parts can be very delicate, and they need to be kept in pristine condition to ensure that they will work properly upon arrival. When packaging them for shipment, they need to be properly covered and sealed to prevent moisture and dust from getting in, particularly if they are being shipped by sea or stored for a significant period of time.
The importance of packaging for aircraft shipping
The size and fragility of aircraft parts makes them uniquely challenging to ship, particularly across long distances. The rigours of transit can easily cause damage that can be very costly or even hazardous.
Working with a crating company that can provide made-to-measure solutions is the best way to ensure that your valuable aircraft parts reach their destination intact. A professional packaging design team that has extensive experience creating packaging for the aerospace industry will be able to assess your products in detail and tailor the design to meet your needs.
Trust Creopack for your aircraft packaging needs!
Need first-rate protective packaging for your aircraft? Creopack has got you covered! We can make wood crates up to 60 ft long that are able to transport products up to 50,000 lbs, with support materials designed specifically to protect your items from jolts and vibrations en route. Our experienced team will be able to create custom collapsible and reusable crates to meet whatever specifications your items require and ensure that they get to their destinations safely.