Buying an aircraft in Spain

[gyrotyro]

I have a friend interested in buying an aircraft in Spain.
Do any forumites know the SP on a British pilot owning and bringing a Spanish registered A/C on to the British register ?

Alternatively being an EASA country does it mean that any UK maintenance company can perform the servicing?

[IO540]

Leave it on the ES reg.

I don't think there is any reason to move to G, with the possible exception of issues arising out of ANO Art 140 (aerial work in foreign reg planes) and licensing issues arising out of FAR 61.3 (FAA licensed pilots).

[172driver]

Just one word of advice from someone who knows Spain well - whatever you do, be very, very careful. Also, if leaving it on the ES register, be prepared to deal with the DGAC in Madrid. Not for the faint at heart.....

[IO540]

One could suggest transferring it to the US register :) :)

Not entirely tongue in cheek, either.

All depends on one's view of whether EASA's rather crude political posturing against the FAA is going to make the USA cave in and realise that Europe is much bigger and much more important than the USA.......

The downside of moving to G is that you now have to deal with the UK CAA which is required by law to make a nice profit and keeps jacking up its charges. Some of the charges are verging on silly. I don't think any other European CAA is thus constrained.

Another factor, sometimes cited as an incentive to move from N- to the M- (IOM) registry (available only for big iron) is that it avoids the prejudices which are rampant around Europe, concerning the USA and the UK and various military operations. Might find it easier to get PPR if on ES- than on G- and N- is probably the worst one.

[pa28r driver]

as i understand it leaving it on the es reg is okay,
any maintenance company is able to do the required work
BUT..........the logs etc can only be signed off by a spanish engineer and the paperwork has to be issued by Madrid
only know this because i was going to buy a swedish reg plane last year and aked the caa what was the requirement regarding maintenance etc
hope this helps a little
regards to all

[aerorrancio]

If i want to buy a plane with reg- N and go to spain for a reg-EC i will have troubles with DGAC?

[IO540]

There is a long process, transferring an aircraft from one registry to another... costs thousands of Euros. Many issues...

[Sam Rutherford]

...why would you want to? This is the private flying forum, for private flying - leave it N.

Safe flights, Sam.