Purchase of a plane in France

We recently purchased a used DA42 NG, all using adapted templates from AOPA US (they are generic and fit for EASA-land):
- Bill of Sale (had it verified by Swiss CAA that it was sufficient)
- Purchase Agreement

https://www.aopa.org/go-fly/aircraft-and-ownership/buying-an-aircraft/forms-for-buying-and-selling-aircraft

Worked out beautifully!

The escrow agent was simply a normal notary of our choosing (and accepted by the seller) without aviation experience. IMHO aviation experience is irrelevant for the escrow agent, as he simply ensures the holding and transfer of money vs. bill-of-sale between two parties, a generic transaction for a notary. It is also the notary that establishes the “Escrow Agreement” between himself and the parties.

updated links for French aircraft register as those from September 2016 do not work any more:

• top level page on aircraft register – https://www.ecologie.gouv.fr/immatriculation-des-aeronefs
• current registration search – https://immat.aviation-civile.gouv.fr/immat/servlet/aeronef_liste.html
• Change of ownership form – https://www.ecologie.gouv.fr/sites/default/files/Formulaire_immatriculation_aeronef.pdf
  I haven’t found the filling instructions mentioned in 2016 post so I am yet to research how to pay 91 EUR and submit the form.

enjoy
M.

Hi,

I am interested in buying a French registered UL/microlight aircraft. Does anyone know where I can find the registry data for French UL’s?
It would also be helpful to have check whether ther penis outstanding financing on the aircraft, similar to the site suggested in the second post, I would appreciate if someone could help me find that.

Any other advice on buying an aircraft/UL in France? Language is already quite a challenge as I speak no French.

Thanks in advance,
Cobus

[ @propkop duplicate post(s) removed ]

Deepl.com is incredibly helpful

If you speak no French, and the seller speaks no English, doing anything in France (beyond ordering a taxi – and even that can be fun ) is likely to be incredibly hard, and not just due to the language. You will find contractual matters fun too. I know a former French lawyer. You need a French speaker to help you.

French 3 axis ULs are registered F-Jxxx. AFAIK they are included in the sites posted by Michal in his post #12 on this thread.
Buying and selling in France is pretty simple. The bill of sale plus the names of the new owners is sent to the DGAC and about 2.weeks (might be longer now with staff and bureau cutbacks) later the certificate of immatriculation arrives back in your name.
The banking part takes a little(well quite a bit really) longer. It depends how much ink the bank clerk has for his quill pen. That can be several weeks before they agree that a cheque is cleared and payment guaranteed. One day maybe they will get into the computer age. But still it is difficult to hack an account ledger.😁
I have never sold or bought an aircraft to or from outside France or its Dom Toms.
Remember it was not necessary to keep Log Books for ULMs in France so look it over very carefully and check the counter matches what you are being told.
I give warnings but to be honest I have never had a problem with a French owner who is selling and I have always been told all the problems and pitfalls with the aircraft. Almost as if they don’t really want to sell it. On the other hand I might have been lucky.

You might also want to look at the FFPLUM website.⁹

From experience I can say that the advise I had from the forum was very helpful. I have very positive experience with the French authorities – but I have used some help from a local friend who translated my emails.
I know the French pilots might have different opinion about their bureaucracy, but I’ll take it any day of the week.