Snoopy wrote:
Would it be possible to buy an aircraft in the US as a foreigner and keep it hangared there?
I read an article about two young French airline pilots who wanted to do floatplane flying in Canada. Rental is near-impossible for insurance purposes so they bought (I think) a cheap N-registered PA-20 with the intention of adding floats. This wasn’t done for whatever reason, but they had long summer holidays two years running flying around Oregon. Even not flying 10 months of the year it was apparently still very cheap compared to renting in Europe. There wasn’t any real information on the practicalities however.
msgr wrote:
There is no formality in EASA land around non high-performance complex: in theory you could fly such an aircraft tomorrow without having any prior experience of doing so and it would be legal under Part-FCL.
No aircraft variant may be operated under the privileges of a Part-FCL aircraft rating unless the pilot has received familiarisation or differences training as appropriate. Other than for variants in the SEP/TMG classes, differences training only has a shelf life of 2 years. Details at FCL.710 and GM1 to FCL.700.
The interpretation of “complex aeroplane” differs between EU and US regulations.
Art 3(j) of the old Basic Regulation, retained by art 140(2) of the new Basic Regulation, defines a complex motor-powered aircraft as, among others, an aeroplane:
— with a maximum certificated take-off mass exceeding
5 700 kg, or
— certificated for a maximum passenger seating configuration
of more than nineteen, or
— certificated for operation with a minimum crew of at least
two pilots, or
— equipped with (a) turbojet engine(s) or more than one
turboprop engine, …
Whereas in US regulations the interpretation given at 14 CFR 61.1(b), for the purpose of 14 CFR 61.31(e) on the need for ground and flight training and a once-off endorsement from an authorized instructor before a complex airplane is operated as PIC, is:
Complex airplane means an airplane that has a retractable landing gear, flaps, and a controllable pitch propeller, including airplanes equipped with an engine control system consisting of a digital computer and associated accessories for controlling the engine and propeller, such as a full authority digital engine control; or …
Thank you @qalupalik
Just as a quick note: To ensure I stay reasonably proficient with US phraseology, I do a few flights on X-Plane with PilotEdge (pilotedge.net) every couple of months and before a trip across the pond. You can do VFR and IFR flights. Although the amount of traffic volume is clearly not realistic, the procedures and phraseology are as PE is manned by current and former FAA controllers.
Openairplane seems nice. I’ll try it. Universal checkout and you can rent the same type of plane anywhere. Would something like this work in Europe? Lots of inefficiency in GA around here too..
Thank you for all that, very helpful!
I discovered a couple of subtle issues regarding insurance.
My standard yearly travel insurance — provided to me via barclays but underwritten by aviva — basic family multi-trip cover incl. winter sports has a general exclusion relating to flying aircraft 1. Another policy I used a couple of years ago does as well 2. However, some google searches found some companies offering cover that specifically included flying (e.g. jsinsurance.co.uk). Good to know …
On that point. Renters insurance. From what I can see, it mostly covers legal liability and damage. A rough comparison to the travel insurance (the one that includes flying) suggests it would cover the same as renters insurance. I assume a lot of renters insurance is taken out by US people already in the US who wouldn’t otherwise have any insurance to cover them. Just like people vacationing in the same country often don’t think to have travel insurance.
1 “you flying (except while travelling in an aircraft as a passenger) or taking part in other aerial activities not listed in the Leisure activities, activity based holidays and Winter sports section.”
2 “We will not pay claims arising out of: … you travelling in an aircraft other than as a fare paying passenger in a fully licensed passenger carrying aircraft and for no other purpose”
Traffords does a policy variation for flying light aircraft.
Renters insurance in the US is popular because there is no FAA aircraft insurance requirement, so aircraft renters insure individually for liability (both for aircraft damage and for third party claims) without regard for whatever insurance may be held by the aircraft owner… because it could be weak to none.
Travel insurance has always puzzled me a bit, not to say it’s not useful for those who buy it but it doesn’t seem terribly useful for me. My health insurance covers me for any doctor worldwide, and I make sure any vehicle I use is insured at least for liability (as it is at home). Some people I’ve traveled with do get emergency evacuation insurance to jet them home if they can’t travel commercially (due to injury, typically falling off a motorcycle). For various reasons I’ve never seen for to do that but for some it makes sense.
Aaah…. renters insurance. You could write a book on that. Unfortunately, this is being required by an increasing number of FBO’s, who are using it to pass on some of their own costs (ie. the insurance deuctible gives lower premiums) directly to the renter.
That’s all very well, and there are other benefits (possibly) to the renter like protection from subrogation (where the owners insurer persues the pilot), but…
The policies offered by popular websites are not designed for foreigners. They won’t accept a foreign address, or credit card. When you contact them directly, they’ll suggest an accomodation address like your hotel, but may balk at the FBO’s address. For years my address was in Hollywoods’ Avenue of the Stars, but the Hyatt soon stopped forwarding the mail to me in UK! It’s possible to persuade them to ‘record’ your foreign address, but they absolutely won’t mail you there. Some will stop talking to you altogether.
This may just be typical US insularity, but I suspect there’s a deeper reason to do with how much information they pass on to actual insurers and general US policy on insuring foreigners. You’ll run in to similar obstacles trying to insure a car lent, not rented, to you in the US like an airport courtesy car. Of course, obtaining insurance in UK by giving a fake address would be a serious, perhaps even criminal, matter but in the US anything goes. In the one case I’m aware of they did pay out to the level of the deductible, but the pilot was frantically nervous about the fake address coming to light.
If you can, get an exchange of emails with them where you advise them of your actual foreign address as well as the US address you are using for correspondence.
You might be able to complete the online form with the FBO address, the advantage being that the FBO sees your correspondence. And you might be able to pay online using a fake zip code for the credit card.
There is definitely some block in this insurance roadmap because when I entered into correspondence with US AOPA (the association, not the broker) about the plight of uninsured foreign pilots they were initially encouraging but after referring to their in-house broker soon dried up and stopped answering altogether. If anyone can give a clearer view on this subject I’d be very pleased to hear it.
Aveling wrote:
Of course, obtaining insurance in UK by giving a fake address would be a serious, perhaps even criminal, matter but in the US anything goes. In the one case I’m aware of they did pay out to the level of the deductible, but the pilot was frantically nervous about the fake address coming to light.
People in the UK do seem to get terribly worked up about all sorts of things 
It’s just an address to mail the policy, nobody cares or could prove at what precise address you live or don’t live. The reason to limit it to a US address is likely because the company is only licensed to sell insurance in the US.
