Forget fuel, you can always order what you want , it is not a problem. 5-10 % is readily available everywhere.

If you consign it to sea shipping or a shipping agent make the crate heavy as you like but it will cost.

Do you want me to help you pack a model in a crate? 

All my experience is making something for outsize , accompanied,  luggage allowance. Airlines are used to Bicycles, windsurfs,etc.

Stuff your clothes in a cabin bag.

We always used British Airways, Every time we used another airline something went wrong. I did it 12 times to USA.

USA based airlines are the worst and can't be trusted to do what they say.

 I think if it involves a internal flight using  smaller aircraft =trouble.

BA will honour what they say. But try to establish a contact in customer service.

However getting a 15 kg model into a 32 kg box is not easy but can be done.

First if you have a freind/wife/travelling with you, you can both have the same allowance.

Wings and tail go in one box. Fuselage in the other.

Plenty of extra supporters buying tickets helps oil the wheels. Promise them a big thank you.

Pack it in loads of bubble wrap so it cant move.

The only strong point to fix it to the crate is the U/C. Strap the wheels down with lots of rubber bands.

 

Poke the crankshaft through a internal false former with a large hole. Not tight.

Fix a cut down propeller to the engine and  fix with more rubber bands.

 If you fix it rigidly,  when, not if, they drop the box it will break the firewall etc.

My most successfully crate is made from 1/4 light ply. 

The corners and all the seems are reinforced with short balsa triangles fixed with Gorilla glue. 

You can run glass fibre tape all round the external joints. 

If the box exceeded weight limit drill it full of holes with a hole saw. (makes hand grips anyway) 

Put some rails on the bottom in case they want to fork lift it. 

Make the lid secure but removable without tools. (over centre catches)  for customs.

This was packing my PT22 for a trip to Top Gun and Jo Nall in 2014

I had a chance to stop by Mike Barbee's house last month and see his build.  We discussed making the tails removeable, I'm pretty sure his will be.  Mine isn't designed to be and I thought it wasn't necessary because of the F24's large struts.  But when I got home I did some looking and maybe it is necessary after all.  The stab is 36" wide but the tripod struts are only about 22.5" wide.  It's also longer than BA's luggage limit of 75" but if I take the tail, engine, and gear off it should all fit in a box about 62x24x23.

I'm planning on the batteries being removeable for a variety of reasons, but one of them is that they come with me in my carry on.  

Which brings me to your tip about padding the engine.  Wouldn't it be better to remove that big weight from the airframe altogether?  It would seem to reduce the opportunity for airframe damage, it'll also shorten the box and you can carry the engine with you to save some weight from the crate.  When the Ag Cat gets crated the engine gets bolted to that vertical piece in the lower right.

Ben

Ben

So the rumor says, that the FAI WC 2024 may be held at Strejnic airfield near town of Ploiesti in Romania.

Preliminary date is 10.-17.8.2024.

So same venue as 2016 WC:

So far  it is only a rumour, the event is not confirmed.

If it dose go ahead it would be at the Ploiesti airfield.