Denopa, thanks. The first question is if I were to purchase a N reg aircraft, would you recommend re-registering in Europe? Can I fly an N reg aircraft on a UK CAA (EASA) licence? I have just registered with MMOPA! The closest airport to us in France is Cannes. Thanks for your help.
if I were to purchase a N reg aircraft, would you recommend re-registering in Europe?
If you already have the required FAA licenses etc, and have a reasonable setup for keeping them valid, and have access to an A&P/IA, NO.
You will just get shafted with Part M maintenance, as well as opening a can of worms on the registry transfer.
Some notes here - in the opposite direction but mostly applicable.
Can I fly an N reg aircraft on a UK CAA (EASA) licence?
Only in UK airspace. Ref FAR 61.3 - notes here.
Why the surprise?
TBM = Made in France
PA46 = Made in USA
Who runs EASA?
In this case, unusually, I would say this is not a finger-up to the USA by the EU. I think Socata just managed to use their close relationship with the DGAC (the whole EADS/Dassault/FrenchGovt relationship) to get the TBM under a Class Rating. The DGAC has signed off on a number of things for Socata without looking at it e.g. the TB horizontal stabiliser whose internal structure cannot be inspected does not comply with Part 23, the BRNAV approval for the aircraft which was never tested for VHF-GPS interference, etc.
I think that, with some bizzare exceptions (e.g. the forced relocation of the fuel totaliser behind the firewall, where it reads about 25% off, and mandating that the stormscope display does not rotate with the heading because the pilot might then use the stormscope to avoid storms) the DGAC were happy to sign anything Socata put under their nose. It's France!
However the Class Rating concession for the TBM is of little value. I have some notes here (under Pilot Qualifications) which show that you still need to collect an awful lot of paper to fly the TBM on EASA papers. There is an "interesting" shortcut involving the FAA ATP written exam 
but you need an FAA CPL to sit that exam...
The vast majority of private TBM pilot-owners I know are flying N-reg TBMs (on an FAA PPL/IR or CPL/IR) and I don't see any of them doing anything to cover their 6 o'clock for April 2014... Most don't have an EASA IR, never mind the HPA stuff.
I don't see any of them doing anything to cover their 6 o'clock for April 2014... Most don't have an EASA IR, never mind the HPA stuff.
So what is their plan?
Europe means business with this and they will loose their capability to fly their very expensive aircraft. Will they just trust that eventually someone takes Europe to court and actually win?
Denial is still a huge part of todays GA community but this one borders on stupidity, unless they all plan to emigrate in the very near future. Mind, that might be the best variant anyway.
Thanks for the info Peter.
