For IR rating, the convenience and practical skill you get with an FAA IR in the past for private flying is a universal truth (those who disagree on this don’t seem to have a vested interest in GA 
), but now FAA IR is getting tough to get while things in EASA IR are changing in the right direction….other than N-IR rating I prefer to mind my own business regarding others N-reg ownership 
Capitaine wrote:
Like Candide, I’ll tend my own garden
The story on N-reg ownership in the UK has it all: jealousy and vanity, slick and dodgy aircrafts, fair play and protectionism…you have enough there to write a new “Pride and Prejudice” best seller
is a good analogy. Some people view the N-register as the most efficient way of maintaining an aircraft, while others see it as circumventing the system.
Could someone please tell me how I can dodge tax with my plane?
I am all ears
Peter wrote:
Could someone please tell me how I can dodge tax with my plane?
We don’t need to pay insurance premium tax…
Although a very feeble ineffective dodge overall.
I would agree that the worst maintained aircraft I’ve seen have been on european reg’s. Being on the N for me was certainly not to avoid maintenance. It just so happened the aircraft I bought was on the N reg. But now I wouldn’t consider anything certified that wasn’t.
I’ve never known any anti-N feeling in France.
I’m afraid that frequent ramp checks of N-reg in France, by both Police and Douanes, suggest a degree of targeting. However a douanier recently told me that they maintain a list of “approved” aircraft which have been recently checked, thus avoiding further checks. I later requested confirmation that I was “on the list” but did not get it, surprisingly
We don’t need to pay insurance premium tax…
At 5% on say 2k annual premium I am not going to get rich on this
Can anyone think of a better tax dodge?
(Let me tell you – there isn’t one).
However a douanier recently told me that they maintain a list of “approved” aircraft which have been recently checked, thus avoiding further checks. I later requested confirmation that I was “on the list” but did not get it, surprisingly
Various previous threads on this. This may be a useful data point; not sure if it is real / if anyone has tried it.
Some years ago (10+) there were forum postings that there was a French contact which you could contact and send in your documents and get your plane on there so it would not get hit. I tried to chase these reports down but it always let to a dead end; the source would be “busy” etc. I would be surprised if there was such a facility; it is not in their interest to run it because every country wants to retain the right to “hit people” at random or based on some “field intelligence”. I would expect such a list to exist however (confidentially) because it avoids the police to be running like crazy all over the place. The police will maintain lists of “known ok” people, in the same way as they do with “usual suspects” since both methods save police time
NeilC wrote:
I’m afraid that frequent ramp checks of N-reg in France, by both Police and Douanes, suggest a degree of targeting. However a douanier recently told me that they maintain a list of “approved” aircraft which have been recently checked, thus avoiding further checks. I later requested confirmation that I was “on the list” but did not get it, surprisingly
Across Europe, there is a system of ramp checks and your tail number is recorded. It should prevent you getting checked multiple times in a short period unless you were found to have deficiencies. If so, it makes you more likely to be checked.
Peter, IPT in UK is 12% for UK reg aircraft whereas in Netherlands for example it is 20%
These ramp check stories and white lists of planes intrigue me. How many checks do you get per 1000h flying? I had only one and that was in the Kingdom of Tonga. Never in Europe. Is it because I fly EU-reg? Where should I fly to get checked?
loco wrote:
These ramp check stories and white lists of planes intrigue me.
Ditto.
I have never been ramp checked despite flying my N reg aircraft throughout Spain, France, Ireland. GAR forms filled in, flight plans completed, but NO ramp checks.
Am I doing something wrong?
“Where should I fly to get checked?”
I’d guess North Korea
