The shipping stand includes a cradle assembly (224) mounted upon a frame assembly (211) to which a jet aircraft is securable. The frame assembly includes a plurality of wheels (218) for locomotive capability. A plurality of shock absorbers are operatively engaged between the cradle assembly and frame assembly to provide adequate shock protection to a loaded jet aircraft engine when the shipping stand is configured in a truck transport mode. A plurality of lifting mechanisms selectively raise the cradle assembly to a predetermined height creating gaps between upper transport flanges (254) and lower transport flanges. The gaps correspond to the height of spacers (261) positionable between the flanges in the truck transport mode. To place the shipping stand in an air transport mode, the lifting mechanisms are activated, the spacers are removed from between the flanges and the cradle assembly is lowered to eliminate the gaps between the flanges. Each spacer includes indicia which indicate in which mode the shipping stand is configured and further includes an air mode slot and a truck mode slot which cooperates with corresponding mode pins ensuring that the appropriate indicia are viewable when the shipping stand is configured in either the truck transport mode or the air transport mode.