Is there an instrument shop in the EU anyone can recommend? We need to have an AI overhauled/repaired. We have previously used Aircraft Instruments Ltd in the UK and were happy with them, but today customs handling has become cumbersome.
I can recommend www.ceslet.cz, which fixed my AI a few years ago.
I would not use anybody in Europe 
Re “customs handling” I won’t start another thread on “brexit but not brexit” The courier firms make that transparent.
Peter wrote:
The courier firms make that transparent.
Not in terms of time and additional cost. It is a sad fact that we now have to pay customs duties, national VAT (which in the case of Sweden is higher than the UK VAT) and courier handling fees. And I’m not making this up. I’ve imported stuff from the UK after Brexit.
customs duties
B2B, these are zero. Lots of previous threads on online retailing effects. But would your maint company not be doing the import?
The admin fees are real enough. But in the context of an avionics overhaul…
Anyway, that’s a detail. Nobody here I would use either.
Peter wrote:
B2B, these are zero.
In theory aircraft parts are duty free. In practise that depends on the courier. I’ve had to pay duties on goods imported from the US with a customs declaration using the correct code for aircraft parts, because you need advance approval from customs and the courier either didn’t bother checking if we had that or asking about it. Our avionics shop has similar experience. Sure, you can in theory get the duties refunded, but that simply adds to the hassle.
True; a/c parts are zero duty, as well as the EU-UK deal being zero duty for everything except the online retail scenario.
It is crucial that the sender produces correct AIRCRAFT PARTS description. If not, you pay the duty…
Personally, I would always use the best shop available, with a few % variation being immaterial. Gyro instruments are a problem, usually with bearing issues. I’ve had some really dodgy work done here in the UK. I think the problem is that the repairers have to order parts from the US every time.
Airborne_Again wrote:
Is there an instrument shop in the EU anyone can recommend?
Avionik Straubing is the place most German avionics shops send their instruments for repair: www.avionik.de
But usually they are super busy so you might have to wait a bit.
Peter wrote:
It is crucial that the sender produces correct AIRCRAFT PARTS description. If not, you pay the duty…
Was I not clear enough? “with a customs declaration using the correct code for aircraft parts,”
Airborne_Again wrote:
We have previously used Aircraft Instruments Ltd in the UK and were happy with them, but today customs handling has become cumbersome.
After having been in contact with them, an additional hurdle is that they don’t issue EASA Form 1 anymore – only the national UK CAA Form 1.
