Hi
Hopefully a short and simple question. My Uncle wants to import a relatively old Cessna 182 into the UK when he moves back (yes I did tell him that he wont like all the rules, and the cost of gas, but he still insists…). He has old style 3 inch high tail numbers on his aircraft, whereas at least in the UK, and I guess all or most of Europe, aircraft now have the larger 12 inch high lettering on the main fuselage. Does anyone know if after importing, he is required legally to change his numbering scheme?
Edit: He has asked the UK CAA but doesn’t seem to be getting any responses on this question.
Thanks
PiperArcher
Does anyone know if after importing, he is required legally to change his numbering scheme?
Not required. If the aircraft remains on the N-reg., the UK CAA (or any other european CAA) has no say in this.
Should he ever do a full repaint of the aircraft, he might have to change to 12-inch numbers. In the past, I was lead to believe that this was required, but recently, someone told me that the regs allow keeping the small even in case of a full repaint.
Thanks Boscomantico, that is very much appreciated.
Assuming the aircraft leaves the US and is not flown back into the US, it seems to me there would be no practical problem. AOPA however quotes regulations that indicate you need permission of the foreign country: AOPA Link
I can’t imagine the US would ever enforce the ‘foreign operation’ regulation if the N-registered plane remained overseas.
If the plane were to be flown back into the US, it needs big numbers to cross the Air Defense Identification Zone. For instance anybody in the US who flies to Mexico (and back) needs big N-numbers or they will face an intolerant reception upon return at the US customs stop. The big numbers can be (and often are) taped on temporarily, as per the AOPA link.
Also might be worth noting that a friend got in an argument returning through customs at the US border because his C195 had huge N-numbers on the wings but small ones on the sides of the tail. The guy wanted big numbers on the sides of the fuselage.
Here is the FAA Advisory Circular on N-numbers, should anybody ask. I don’t think it covers the foreign operation or border crossing issues – which might make it useful. Advisory Circular
Thanks also Silvaire, that’s very helpful. Both my Uncles machines are pre 1981, which was one of the exemptions in the Aopa link. He wont be ferrying skydivers when he comes over here anymore, and I think the cost of shipping it, plus the cost of fuel doesn’t really make it viable in my opinion, so he is making sure there are no other ‘surprises’ when he comes over.
