Hi,
Being the only one at the airfield who has been through the transfer of an A/C to the N-Reg I’ve been roped into helping a mate put his heli onto the N-reg. I was wondering why the aircraft should take up a new N number, and not just go back onto its original N number from when it left the facory. The few aircraft I have done in the past have just been assigned a new N number, but it doesn’t really make sense. If you bring an aircraft back onto the G-reg it takes its old registration marks AFIK.
Just curious…
William
Yes, you should start by ordering the CD from the FAA with the history of the aircraft.
I believe you can apply for a specific tail number (N-reg) provided it is not in use. There is an FAA web page to test for the availability of a reg.
The FAA reallocates old registrations, the CAA does not. That’s why it’s always possible to go back to a previous G-reg but new N-numbers get allocated instead of reallocating the original.
Sure, no problem if the reg in question is not being used. That’s the easy part.
You still need to get a NEW Airworthiness Certificate, since the previous one would have been canceled.
And if you’ve already been-there-done-that, then you KNOW what this means.
Just a little warning – when an N-number gets “given back” to the FAA, either by exporting the aircraft, demolishing it, or changing it, it gets frozen for 4 or 5 years (can’t recall exact times). I’ve been trying to get back my old one after mine was exported, but it says it’s “already reserved” in FAA database. But it’s not, it just got a hold on it. So even if you’re favorite N-number might come up reserved, it’s worth checking on them and finding out the circumstance of the last sale.
