Peter wrote:
I know for a fact, for example, that most N-reg pilots are not aware of the requirement for two radio licenses.
What do you mean by this? One radio license per installed radio? (That would be news to me.) Or one license for the plane and one for the pilot? (Which latter one gets from the FCC for ~$50.)
Usually when an N-reg leaves the US you get an FCC radio license. So that way the plane itself is covered.
At least in Germany pilots have a personal radio license. I believe that’s now true for EASA and thus in all of Europe.
In the case of Germany one gets the highest possible radio license, called AZF, when you present an FAA instrument rating regardless what other radio license you might have had before.
What do you mean by this? One radio license per installed radio? (That would be news to me.) Or one license for the plane and one for the pilot? (Which latter one gets from the FCC for ~$50.)
Documents required for an N-reg plane
Usually when an N-reg leaves the US you get an FCC radio license. So that way the plane itself is covered.
Not permanently, however.
Documents required for an N-reg plane
Not that it would affect a ramp check in France or many other places where proof of insurance is a local requirement, but I notice Peter’s link states an “Insurance certificate showing the appropriate coverage area and the amount of cover” is required by the FARs. That document is not something we would carry by law in the US, aircraft insurance not being mandatory. Is it that the FARs require insurance as specified by the country in which the flight is conducted, or something like that?
My aircraft radio lic. expired so I applied for a new one. What I got was a down loadable and printable document that had stamped across it “official copy”. Looking anything but official, I called the FCC and they told me that is it. Your old offical one is not being used any longer.
I wonder what the European powers that be, who usually like to rubber stamp things a half a doz times, will say about my “official” yet unofficial looking document?
The other concern I have is with my VAT status. I paid no VAT when I brought the plane over from the US to Hungary because I was allowed by law to do that being a returning citizen post communism. I got an official waiver for all my goods and cars including my plane. I carry a document that states VAT satisfied. The original Doc was in Hungarian. Hearing that most people dont speak Hungarian outside of Hungary, unless they are very intelligent and wanted a challenge in their life 
, I had the Document translated at the Official Govt Transcript Office, which is the same as the official Doc as far as the Hungarian Govt is concerned.
The law in Hungary states that there is one restriction that I do not sell the plane or any vehicle using this exemption within one year. Whoever I do sell to past that 1 year obtains the vehicle VAT free.
Anyone have any experience with this type VAT exemption? Do the French recognize other EU member states sovereignty when it comes to VAT satisfaction? I ask about the French only because from this tread they seem to be the ones most interested in Ramping planes.
C210_Flyer wrote:
Anyone have any experience with this type VAT exemption? Do the French recognize other EU member states sovereignty when it comes to VAT satisfaction?
You will be safe. All the check is about is whether the plane — provided it is permanently located inside the EU — went through the EU VAT process in one member state. Yours did via the change of residence provision and you have the evidence to show it.
Anyone have any experience with this type VAT exemption? Do the French recognize other EU member states sovereignty when it comes to VAT satisfaction?
Also, this is what you used to get when people did the Denmark zero-VAT route. You got a Certificate of Free Circulation. Every EU country was forced to accept it. Not all liked it but all had to accept it.
And that whole Danish job was done in one day.
There were reports of actions by the German tax authorities against people who followed the Danish route but that was on personal taxation grounds (a transaction with no commercial purpose can be regarded as void for tax avoidance – this is a principle in most “civilised” countries nowadays) but I don’t know how far this has gone. It should not affect pilots who are not German taxpayers.
This proof of VAT paid in the EU stuff is really a pain !
Example: I imported my Cessna 140 in a 40’ container through Antwerp, Belgium.
I did not get a “signed & stamped” receipt for the VAT and when later I asked for a copy they told me that it’s all computer based and no hard copies are available !
I’ve never been checked by the customs for the 140 so I’m a bit nervous that they will accept that.
