You know who I am and the fact that I rarely contribute to the rumour-mill must mean that I took said "little birdy's" comments quite seriously.
I do know who you are, and I don't doubt the motivation of your original posting, nor the authenticity of the rumour that you originally posted.
We do need to look at these rumours with a critical eye.
We don't need to know "somebody in the CAA" to be able to predict that the CAA is not happy about the massed arrival of N-reg aircraft on their doorstep.
However when that "somebody in the CAA" suggests that there is the thought that N-reg aircraft should be obliged to return to the US for an annual, we can apply our critical faculties.
The sole authority on where N-reg aircraft may be maintained and who may do the maintenance is the FAA. The CAA has no authority to vary this no matter how much it might wish to. So anybody spreading that rumour, is demonstrably mistaken and we can dispense with the detail of the rumour very quickly.
The sort of rumour we should be worried about are rumours implying the sort of changes that the CAA or Executive
is entitled to make.
Compelling UK-resident aircraft to swap to the G after 6 months, would be one such change well within their powers. Powers prohibiting UK Citizens from owning overseas assets by trust might be another.
Fortunately, both of those come with such massive difficulties attached that I doubt either will see the light of day.
I am looking forward to hearing a really compelling rumour with a proper punchline.
Any idiot can write "My friend at the CAA says they are not happy with all these N-regs". It takes a much better rumour-mongerer to come up with a credible "... and so the CAA is going to..." bit. No offence intended at all to you Stik.
2D