Looking at the completely outrageous amount which the San Marino registry charges for putting a plane on it (about 20k for a TB20, when i asked them) I doubt anything there will be cheap 
Peter, the fees to register a light plane under San Marino are all specified here: http://www.caa-mna.sm/fees.php, then you have to add import taxes and you end up to a total of around 10k for a TB20 (I did the whole process six months ago for my Cirrus).
However, for the purpose of this thread, I don’t think you need to change reg, you just need to have a San Marino based company to act and figure as Operator. You could create your own San Marino company but that would cost 15k (I did all the checks six months ago), so everybody (me included) ends up asking the collaboration of a company called Tangosette srl, a well established aircraft and leasing operator in San Marino, with more than 10 years experience and many tens of planes owned/leased/operated. They charge a few thousands for their service but I’m sure that EuroGA could obtain a collective discount if many people apply (I hope to retroactively benefit from it, as I’m part of EuroGA :-)
You paid more than 10k to move your aircraft to San Marino reg so you don’t have to get the EASA PPL which is now just a simple practical exam?
I have zero knowledge of Valerio’s situation but getting an EASA PPL is not the hard bit. What I can pretty well understand is someone who has been flying IFR perfectly well for 100 years (you did say most IR holders are “old” 
) being unwilling to submit him/herself to a fresh CAA test which is likely to involve NDB holds and approaches. Plus of course get an EASA medical – how many people would confidently change their AME? Most people I know would travel to Mars to visit the AME who passed them last time.
But, yes, things are changing. There now appears to be a way (I posted details here recently) to rig the IR test so that NDB work is avoided (for IR conversions) and that makes a very big difference.
It’s much harder for a CPL/IR who is still facing the full 14 JAA exams. Non-EU operator structures are going to be a significant business. Same for owners of stuff like TBMs who need to waste a load of their time to get the HPA.
likely to involve NDB holds and approaches
I’ve never flown NDB holds, that seems to be a british peculiarity, and Valerio doesn’t sound very british to me…
To answer Achimha, there are many reasons to get San Marino registration. One is that I have UK (EASA) PPL + standalone FAA IR and the only way for me to fly in Italy IFR is 1) either with an N-reg, but they tend to be grounded for months by the Italian police on the stupid assumption that N-reg=Tax-elusion (see http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/afp/130517/private-jets-seized-italy-tax-fraud), or 2) T7-reg (which has all the advantages of N-reg, plus others, like the possibility to avoid VAT on maintenance costs and VAT+Excise Duty on Avgas, i.e. less than Mogas price :-). Of course I went for T7 (btw, to register November I believe the cost is not much different than 10k, overall). Even my previous plane was T7-reg and I flew everywhere in UK, France, Germany, Belgium, Swiss, etc… without problems (San Marino is part of the European Customs Union). As a byproduct of being T7-reg, I get to wait till end of 2015 or 2016 before potentially deciding to take the EASA “easy” IR conversion exam (I don’t want to be the first :-). However, as already mentioned, for the purpose of this thread, nobody needs to change reg, we just need to find a cheap, credible, knowledgeable, non-EU Operator.
I’ve never flown NDB holds, that seems to be a british peculiarity…
Not at all… I did a skill test in Sweden to renew my lapsed IR one month ago and NDB holds and approaches were certainly part of it.
On the other hand the UK seems even worse with its requirement (as far as I understand) that you be established inbound in an NDB hold/racetrack at least 30 seconds before passing the fix.
Not at all… I did a skill test in Sweden to renew my lapsed IR one month ago and NDB holds and approaches were certainly part of it.
What is the examiner going to do if the airport where you do your skill test doesn’t have an NDB? Or does every swedish IFR airport have NDBs?
There’s only one NDB left in Switzerland, in Bern, LSZB. I don’t particularly like to go there, ATC slots are included in the price, and if you’re lucky strip searches as well. So I tend to always go to Friedrichshafen EDNY, just because it’s closer to my homebase and much less hassle. There’s no NDB anywhere near, and furthermore it’s no longer required to even have an ADF installed.
the UK seems even worse with its requirement (as far as I understand) that you be established inbound in an NDB hold/racetrack at least 30 seconds before passing the fix.
That may be historical but it certainly wasn’t the case in 2011 when I was doing it. At that time it was mostly an FTO invention, like the “gate” system which was never an IR test requirement. If you search my 2011 writeup for “gate” you find some references.
The UK also required, until very recently, an ADF for all IFR in CAS.
going back to the thread subject, there are ~30000 European citizens with FAA IR who will not be able to fly IFR in 9 months: I’m curious how many among them are planning to complete the “easy” EASA IR conversion in the next 9 months? Any experience to share from EuroGA members?
