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Import a Mooney from F-reg to N-reg

Hi All,

This is my first post as I usually find the elements I need in one of the threads but this one is still unclear to me: Has anybody been through the process of bringing an EASA-reg aircraft to the FAA-reg with an aircraft that had damage history (several gear up landings). I am considering buying a M20 under F-reg (was initially N-reg) but as I am moving to the US in a few months, I will need to get that bird imported back to the US. Very worried about that process becoming lengthy and costly.

Thank you !

KHPN, LFBE, EGKB, United States

You need to get a DAR to issue an airworthiness certificate once you have reregistered it. Obviously that means getting them involved before you try to transfer it. I would get them involved before you buy it and make buying it conditional on the aircraft being eligible for N reg. the owner should have to take that risk not you.

Happy to discuss. Recently bought a plane on swiss register to go on N reg. it is tricky but doable.

Last Edited by JasonC at 25 Mar 18:59
EGTK Oxford

Welcome to EuroGA, xavierde

aircraft that had damage history (several gear up landings)

This should not matter because an aircraft is either 100% airworthy or it isn’t

I have some notes here from when I went G to N in 2005 and they are mostly still valid when it comes to the general process. The one really key point is that once you leave F you are in limbo until you are on N and the aircraft is basically worthless if something goes wrong.

It isn’t worth doing for a plane at the bottom end of the cost scale.

You have no doubt considered this but why not buy a Mooney in the USA? The transport will cost you of the order of 10k.

I am not suggesting you are thinking this but over the years a lot of bar proppers in Europe have been saying that if you have an old heap which can’t get a CofA here, you just put it on the N-reg and carry on. This has never been true, wasn’t true at all in 2005 (the inspection mine got was extremely detailed and revealed various of mistakes made by the JAA 145 etc etc approved UK Socata dealer) and is even less true today, with very few DARs around here.

One recent previous thread is here.

make buying it conditional on the aircraft being eligible for N

I don’t know about jets but I have come across this a few times in the light GA sphere (the buyer intending to do a registry transfer immediately) and the seller always vigorously refused such a condition. Frankly I don’t blame him because the Export CofA from F and the FAA DAR costs a few k and the seller doesn’t want to be responsible for this potentially open-ended process. The buyer should buy the plane as it is and then he can do what he wants with it. It is not unusual for the new owner to abandon the plane, upon discovery that what he wanted to do is difficult, and immediately sell it.

Administrator
Shoreham EGKA, United Kingdom

xavierde wrote:

I am considering buying a M20 under F-reg (was initially N-reg) but as I am moving to the US in a few months, I will need to get that bird imported back to the US. Very worried about that process becoming lengthy and costly.

You might want to talk to Troyes Aviation. Not only are they a Mooney Service center, they also have many N-reg Mooneys under their maintenance and I would think they know all there is to know about this process and vice versa.

LSZH(work) LSZF (GA base), Switzerland

If you are thinking of taking to the States and eventually selling it there, be aware that it’s time on a foreign registry could cost you….I believe some buyers are fussy about such things….especially if the logs are not in English… personally I would go to Jimmy Garrison at All American Aircraft in Spring Branch, Texas…

YPJT, United Arab Emirates

AnthonyQ wrote:

I believe some buyers are fussy about such things

Some are outright psychotic. Thankfully most aircraft deals are done without the “help” of the fora, otherwise I think more planes would be parted out than sold….

AnthonyQ wrote:

personally I would go to Jimmy Garrison at All American Aircraft in Spring Branch, Texas…

I agree, in the US Jimmy is one of the two addresses I’d go to. The other would be Don Maxwell, but I am not sure if he does imports.

LSZH(work) LSZF (GA base), Switzerland

Thank you very much for all the advice! I actually hadn’t thought about the issues around selling this aircraft back in the US with a mixed US/Foreign docs.

It might be worth keeping this one on the F-reg while in the US and flying her back when we move back to Europe.

Peter wrote:

You have no doubt considered this but why not buy a Mooney in the USA? The transport will cost you of the order of 10k.

Yes and I definitely am as this would be a lot less complex.

My rationale for even considering buying this one and flying it back to the US is based on:

1. I know this aircraft and the owner well and it’s nice to trust what you buy/fly
2. I can get a lot of plane for my money and it would make this competitive vs. buying directly in the US
3. it would be an experience to do the ferry flight along with a professional ferry pilot

I’ll make sure to get in touch with Jimmy and Don and see what they suggest.

Last Edited by xavierde at 26 Mar 18:06
KHPN, LFBE, EGKB, United States
7 Posts
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