Has anyone had any problems or damage by shipping their plane in a BVM jet case by Fed-Ex .

Thanks

Many moons ago I shipped my Bandit in a BV jet case thru ups. No damage to the plane but the case got some beating. UPS seems to be the toughest on boxes......

3 years ago, my BVM Jet Case got crunched in two places by FedEx. Still fully functional...just cosmetic cracks. It's a tough mutha of a case.

Woody

YES !! I did ....

a few years ago i bought a RTF Bandit through BVM, and it was shipped in a JetCase. BVM at the time had advertised it as FedEx and UPS approved ... turns up that was hogwash. The plane came damaged, and FedEx denied the claim based on "inadequate packaging" .... BVM refused to do a single thing to make things right (did not even want to get involved with FedEx on the claim ), and i was stuck with a broken plane i paid $8K for ... some great service and customer support there ....


i would recomend to just build a nice crate, and pad everything with foam rubber and styrofoam ... Ship via a crate forwarding service and make sure its insured for the full value ( typical insure rates are around $10 per each $K )


Voy

I overnighted (UPS) a Comp BC from VA to AZ in BVM Jet Case with zero damage. I guess b/c it was onvernight, they didn't have it long enough to beat it up .

George

I have shipped my BVM Jet Case a variety of ways over the years, and a variety of distances, including in the baggage compartment of airliners, UPS, FedEx, Forward Air, and have never suffered any damage to the contents. The case has taken a pretty good beating, but is easily repaied.

If you pack the jet correctly, the chances of damage are limited. Remeber the Samsonite ad on TV where the gorilla was the baggage handler/destroyer? There is no package that the shipper can't destroy........Maybe that's where the term "Ramp monkey" came from. LOL

BVM's advertising since day one has simply stated "It is UPS and FedEx legal (73" long, 59" girth) and the airlines easily accept it as excess baggage, often at no extra charge."
I see no claim of being UPS or FedEx "approved". Merely a statement of being within their acceptable size limitations....

Sorry you had a problem Wojtec, but it probably wouldn't have survived the ride in anything less substantial either. Since you bought the Bandit THROUGH BVM, it probably was in the "Turnkey Jets" section, and was probably shipped to you by the owner.....Not by BVM.

There are countless horror stories about claims and insurance companies.
The shipper will always deny the claim at first, in the knowledge that you probably won't hire an attorney to slug it out with them. They have a legal department. I don't.

Speaking about UPS, a couple of weeks ago, I was going to ship one of my P-120's to Bob Wilcox for a "between season" checkup, and kero-start upgrade. I took it, poump, and two ecu's to the local UPS depot, instead of the UPS store downtown.
The lady behind the counter instantly opened the box (Original JetCat shipping box, removed the engine, slipped it out of the plastic bag,and asked me "Is this a carburator?"

I replied "No, it is a small turbine engine."

She then stated that it was definately hazardous, because she could smell something dangerous smelling...definately a fire danger. I replied that "It certainly is hazardous, but only if you drop it on your foot". She didn't seem to appreciate my sense of humor, and again stated that it is a fire hazard. I told her that she was smelling a residue, and that the cardboard box it was packed in is more of a fire danger, as it will burn and the metal engine won't. She didn't know that a turbine engine makes it's living by containing one hell of a fire!!!!!!
She again stated her belief that she could smell something that was a fire hazard. I immediatly thought of saying something smart assed like "When was the last time you had your gas chromatograph calibrated?", but thought better of it. I could tell she had her feet locked in cement, and not going to move, and she was certainly not going to think.
Hell, I love the smell of Jet-A in the morning!

I then asked her if UPS was going to ship it or not, and she said firmly "NO!!!"
"Good enough, I said, crammed it back into the box, and went back home to re-pack it, and get the address of FedEx.

Ten minutes later I walked into the FedEx depot, and was met by a pretty lady that only asked me if there were any liquids inside, and if it was flammable. I replied "No" to both questions, and remarked that the cardboard probably wouldn't live through much of a fire, then she promised me that she would not set it on fire.
She measured it, weighed it, I filled out the form, and off I went with a smile on my face.
Cost me about $14.50 from Kalispell, Mt to Van Nuys, Ca. about 1300 miles, and I didn't get any BS.

FedEx is getting all of my business from now on. NO more dealing with that b#*&h at UPS.
I have talked to other jet flyers that have said the same thing. One time it was the local Police Chief, in uniform, with a badge and gun, and four silver stars on his collar.
She still unwrapped a box containing christmas presents he was sending out of town. She lost his business, too.

Yesterday UPS called me (a recorded message) to inform me that I would receive a delivery at my home between 0800 and 1900 hrs, and someone needs to be home to sign for it. I'm a widower, nobody else here but me, and neither of my two cats or parrot (he can talk) can't write, so I guess I'll stay home all day so I don't have to go to the UPS terminal and deal with that same b#*%h again.

I can't seem to get away from UPS.

Harley Condra
BVM REP
JetCat REP
Down with the brown!

The F-100 is a squeeze in a BVM jet case and it passed the DHL shipping from Seattle to Florida.
I think the BVM case is the way to go. A bit of planning and a little extra foam padding goes along way.

Justin Sands

I shipped a BobCat in a Jet Case via UPS overnight insured for $10000. UPS dropped it so hard the alumium joiner tube was bent and the center section of the plane was destroyed.

They gave me a lot of flack about an approved shipping container, but finally paid for the plane in full.

BRG

Greg Anixter

Ah....yes, I remember that one Greg, What a mess....[]

Back in the day, i was a supervisor at UPS. You do not want to ship anything through UPS this time of year even inside a sherman tank, unless maybe, i stress maybe, overnight. I saw more packages get destroyed over a six year period than you would believe. They hire alot of seasonal help and on top of mishandling, overloaded conveyor systems, there is a real drive to get packages from a to b no matter what it takes. Take it from someone who knows!! If it doensnt get damaged, basically consider urself lucky. Let me also tell you that UPS stand is to deny every claim due to mispackaging, etc. They will look for any way possible to try and deny the claim. After working there for nearly seven years, i decided to ship through them because it was easy. I shipped through them knowing the correct packaging procedures and they damaged a box and tried to tell me it was insuficiently packaged. Give me a freakin break. They tried to tell me i didnt package the item correctly! There is a chain of command, simply go to the top or get an attorney. They paid the claim. They do have fine line packaging requirements and i would investigate these before using the BVM crate. We just resently received a destroyed SuperBAndit thanks to UPS. Guess what, UPS is trying to deny the claim!!!!!
I use a local crating company that does an awesome job crating and I always use forward air and never a problem. I did get a few fork lift holes though. Never put anything against the walls. I would trust Forward Air with the BVM crate, but they like to move things around with fork lifts. I would strap on some fork lift legs.
I had always thought Fedex guys had it easy strolling around handing out letters and never damaged anything, while we were handling over 70 packages and impossible irregulars that should have been at a freight company . But i just receiveed a package today smashed like an accordian by Fedex.
On a side note, i just received my BVM F86 80" via UPS all with no damaged and four boxes. Coulndnt believe it.
Scott

I would just like to point out that a BVM jet case IS the way to transport your Model Jet. I have used them for at least five years now to go to and from Florida twice a year - with a Bandit and more recently a KingCat. Take the turbine out of the model and pack that separately thus removing a large mass that will want to keep moving if your jet case comes to an abrupt halt (i.e dropped!) and pack the model in the case properly and sensibly. This way I would be very surprised if your model got damaged in shipping - the cases are good - very good, and in my experience the best solution to what is a 'calculated risk' (i.e shipping a model jet!). I had a friend who shipped a model in a homemade plywood crate, and the shippers put a fork lift through the side! Nothing is indestructible, but a jet case goes someway there! Oh and another positive is that you don't have to design or construct a jet case as you would a plywood crate - it's an 'almost ready to go' solution.

Good to see you on RCU, Nick , how are things ?

So far as my BVM BobCat case is concerened its probably the world's most travelled case with several round the world trips, several flights around Australia by air and thousands of Ks on top of my car. It and the contents (both Bobcats are still flying ) are still in perfect order, the case a bit scratched but thats all. Thank you BA, Qantas, Virgin Atlantic and Blue, Thai Airways, Gulf Air, American Airlines, (and Cathay Pacific and Singapore Airlines who have delivered five large kits without a scratch) and the shipper Bax Global.

Its interesting to note that not one airline has accepted it just as "limited release" ie no liability for damage even though the box is plastered with fragile stickers.

Regards,

David Gladwin

Hi David!

Very well thanks.......

B regards,

Nick

PS, please see PM

Yes I have had damage from the screws that screw in the sides.