Getting a CDN A/C painted state side

[niss]

Well, the extra 10 HP at overhaul made UBC so fast that she's flying out of her paint and leaving a trail of chips behind, so it's time to start looking at options.

Has anyone sent their bird down to the US to get painted? Any legalities I should know about? Also does anyone have any recommendations in a state that borders Ontario. On top of that is it worth the high exchange rate to get it done there?

Thx!

[PilotDAR]

Make sure you have the required maintenance release figured out. Non required maintenance might not be within the privilege of an US A&P. The customs people might have an interest too. Consider giving your fellow Canadians the work, maybe John at Purple Hill...

[photofly]

There's a bilateral agreement: An A&P/IA can issue a release for any maintenance on a Canadian Aircraft. Required or otherwise. (Not an annual inspection though).

Customs will want a declaration for the cost of the work, and charge tax appropriately.

[ba31pilot]

We have had a few aircraft painted at Duncan Aviation in Battle Creek, MI. Might be worth looking at them if you that is close enough for you.

[Taiser]

Shouldn't be an issue. Get a receipt, claim it on the way back and have the logs signed off. As stated above it can be done and signed off by a US shop. Not sure what the difference in price would be now-a-days with the dollar at 0.82 or so but if the used planes market is similar to maintenance prices here it could be a good sized savings. Probably way more shop choices as well.

[schnitzel2k3]

I would have thought the exchange rate would nix any savings.

Agree with giving John at Purple Hill (just north of London) a call and see what he,can cook up.

[blueskysNtailwinds]

I looked into getting a plane done in the USA for guy who was convinced it was cheaper there but it turns out the exchange and the worry of customs was the deterrent. Keep it local and support the small amo's! Have seen a bunch of Johns work, he's a great guy to deal with and does a stand up job I highly recommend him. He has a grass strip at his farm where he does all the paint work, like stated before just north-North east of CYXU, the maintenance side of things is done at CYQS.

[photofly]

What is the "worry" of customs?

[blueskysNtailwinds]

Wasn't really worry I should have put it differently, he just didn't like that he would have to pay the tax at the border on top of the terrible exchange rate etc...A penny pincher and it was cutting into his savings. In the end it was cheaper to have it done here.sorry for the confusion.

[photofly]

Remember Goris has to charge HST as well - and that's all your friend would be paying at the border. The exchange rate sucks for sure at the moment, that's true.

[blueskysNtailwinds]

This maybe a dumb question but if he gets his aircraft painted in the U.S. Say Michigan He would have pay the 6% tax the state charges on purchases plus 13% hst here so it would getting taxed twice once by michigan and once by Ontario.....I'm I understanding that right...sorry I don't shop much in the U.S.

[photofly]

He'd have to check on a state-by-state basis, but some (many) states don't charge sales tax on aircraft repairs for that very reason - because it makes them uncompetitive. I'm not sure if being a foreign aircraft helps too. The repair or paint shop in question should be able to answer questions about what taxes they charge.

[blueskysNtailwinds]

Ok thanks for the clarification