Anti N-reg provisions - EASA FCL and post-brexit UK FCL

Thanks for your reply.

It very much makes sense thanks.

So reading that as I hoped I am covered for the UK with my EASA licence and Europe with my FAA licence.

In line with your first paragraph I will tell the ‘others’ in the club to join EuroGA so that they can brush up get their facts right first.

Many thanks again
G

Hello everyone,
I’m new here! thanks to the Covid lockdown and the extended extra time at home i discovered this nice forum.
I write from italy and for the last 8 years i was working in the far east as a bush pilot on single and twin engine turboprops.
i was reading a lot about this anti N-reg topic, still i’d like to ask for some inputs as is not clear to me how it works on the field with the Opt out countries etc.
i am asking since i was offered to fly an N -reg airplane, NCC single pilot ops, based in Switzerland.
i contacted the Swiss licensing office about this matter and they came to me saying that they will enforce the Opt Out to the FCL regulation for NCC operators until june 2021.
Can i fly with my standalone FAA license/medical to uk or germany for example?
i just started my Icao Atpl conversion in Austria , but i see that to get all the 14 exams done will take a while! anyone had to deal with validations in switzerland, in case FAA alone is not enough nowadays?
thanks!

I can’t comment on NCC operations, as I’m strictly NCO. I’ve been operating a Swiss-based N-reg aircraft for over 20 years on just an FAA licence and it has never caused any issues. In that time I’ve flown in almost all countries in the EU. My position is that the country of residence CAA derogation position is determinant (Switzerland for me). There are those who claim that a given country derogation position is applicable to all aircraft flown into that country. However, I have never heard of that position being taken in any enforcement attempt. But then, I haven’t heard of any enforcement attempts either way.

I suggest you be very very very careful with NCC operations in Switzerland due to customs considerations, not licencing. Switzerland is not in the EU customs union. Bottom line is that you need to be 1000% certain that each operation is legal from a customs viewpoint. There was a case fairly recently of a Spain-based N-reg Caravan on floats (if my memory is correct) that gave a few rides for a fee at a seaplane event, was prosecuted by Swiss customs, and lost. The sums were not inconsiderable. However, that had nothing to do with N-reg. The was a recent German case against a Swiss pilot in an HB-reg who suffered similar prosecution (persecution?) for a customs misdemeanour.

Stelian wrote:

i am asking since i was offered to fly an N -reg airplane, NCC single pilot ops, based in Switzerland.
i contacted the Swiss licensing office about this matter and they came to me saying that they will enforce the Opt Out to the FCL regulation for NCC operators until june 2021.

Essentially yes. I have never seen NCC-issues arise on ramp checks – the approach always depends on private vs commercial. Licensing seems to be enforced re the opt-out based on country you are based in regardless of whether the rules actually support this. Of course customs and other things must be done correctly.

okay, makes sense. Thank you very much guys for the good infos! I’ll do my research about the episodes you mentioned so to have a bigger picture as the burocracy here in Europe looks a “bit” tricky for newbies like me in here eheh

If you haven’t done so already I would forward their email to “Overall John” <[email protected]>.
They may well have changed the policy given that GA is now open.
I assume your examiner quoted your CAA Ref no so they could find you?

I haven’t received the “approved” email yet so don’t know what’s going on.