[Yorkshire Jack]

Hi.
I am new to Flyer and hoping someone out there can. Help.
I am looking to buy a LSA from abroad as I can't find the one I want in the the UK at a price I am prepared to pay.

I have been told by the LAA that in order to get a permit to fly the aircraft in the uk it will need to have proof that the build has been inspected at certain stages and who the inspector was.
The Netherlands appear not to go through the same build inspections as we do here in the UK.
Has anyone bought an LSA aircraft from abroad and if so what did they do to get an LAA permit issued in the UK
Any information will be greatfully received.

[hatzflyer]

Having done a few for customers I would say that by the time you have got it on the British permit system it will cost the same (or more ) than buying in this country.
In reality it usually a long drawn out process. Often work needs to be done to comply , travelling to find one , hangarage, inspections ,insurance whilst being done even petrol for the car back and forth to the hangar to work on it all add up.
You would need to buy it considerably cheaper to make it worthwhile but also miss a flying season whilst sorting it.

On the other hand if you need any help ..,...,...

[CloudHound]

What is your heart set on?

[Genghis the Engineer]

Hatz knows what he's talking about. It's not something I would contemplate - and I used to certify permit aeroplanes for a living.

The build standard's likely to be different to the UK approved standard, as you've already identified, there's not going to be evidence of stage inspections - and any changes from UK approved standards will require substantial analytical / testing work to approve, with no guarantee that it'll prove compliant with UK standards.

Buy something registered in the UK, or buy a kit and build it from scratch under supervision of LAA or BMAA.

UNLESS you are a good aeronautical engineer, or have the services of one, don't even contemplate buying anything in either kit form or built, not already approved for issue of a PtF by one of the two associations.

G

[ianfallon]

I'm sure there have been a number of RVs brought into the UK and put on the G reg from the States so it must be possible. How did they manage it I wonder ?

[Genghis the Engineer]

I'm sure there have been a number of RVs brought into the UK and put on the G reg from the States so it must be possible. How did they manage it I wonder ?

Take it to bits, inspect all the parts, put it back together again. (I'm simplifying the process somewhat, but that's the basic gist of it I believe).

The RV, being all metal and fairly easy to inspect is reasonably amenable to this. I wouldn't contemplate the same with a composite aeroplane, as a lot of that inspection process really does need to be during build.

G

[MikeW]

It looks as though buying an SSDR microlight abroad should not be a problem - or have I overlooked something?

[Genghis the Engineer]

No, that should be no problem - as there are no airworthiness standards to comply with, you cannot not comply with them.

G

[G-BLEW]

Take it to bits, inspect all the parts, put it back together again. (I'm simplifying the process somewhat, but that's the basic gist of it I believe).

The RV, being all metal and fairly easy to inspect is reasonably amenable to this.

Hi Genghis

To what extent do RVs have to be taken to pieces? I can't imagine that is a very practical undertaking.

Ian

[Paul_Sengupta]

To what extent do RVs have to be taken to pieces? I can't imagine that is a very practical undertaking.

I think the RV8 that came to our maintenance place from abroad was in there for about 9 months. It wasn't so much completely dismantling it, but I think there had been a few mods which needed to go through the LAA one by one for approval, but I may be misremembering.

[MercianMarcus]

There's been an N reg RV in bits in the back of hangar for over 5 years. It was a flying example before being shipped to the UK. No idea what the issue is, but I assume whatever it is is not simple to fix.

[Ben Twings]

To what extent do RVs have to be taken to pieces? I can't imagine that is a very practical undertaking.

Ian

I sold an RV-4 that had to be containerised and shipped. About a days work to get it secured in the container. The tail span was just a little too much to safely fit a standard container (8' external w&H).
Probably quite a bit longer to re-assemble as the wing bolts are a very close tolerance fit.

But why ship it when you can fly it?

This is it in the shipping container:

[damhead]

It's not uncommon to read in the LAA magazine about ready built aircraft being imported. An approved design built as per plans without modification would be key considerations.

[Sooty25]

I'd guess a classic like Cub would be reasonably easy being factory built originally and less likely to have been messed about with.

[Genghis the Engineer]

I'd guess a classic like Cub would be reasonably easy being factory built originally and less likely to have been messed about with.

If it's been operated in some sub-ICAO regime such as US Experimental, it's still a problem. But, it does have a "known good" standard against which it can be inspected, and a clear regime of maintenance and inspection that can get it to that point. So it should be possible - especially if the logbooks have been well kept.

Ian's question of course can only really be answered with some variation on "how long is a piece of string", as different aeroplanes will have different degrees of recorded history, and of inspectability. But realistically you can't expect an organisation like LAA to take responsibility for an aeroplane, *unless* they can obtain sufficient evidence from paper-trail and inspection that it's at-least as good as one built under their supervision. With an RV I think it's almost certainly do-able, as all-metal structure inspection is achievable without necessarily going to the depths of drilling out rivets and inspecting separate parts, and the LAA already have a good understanding of the supply chain's quality assurance. With a composite aeroplane, say a Europa, I don't think that is reasonably possible as it is very very hard to prove that stuff is "right" underneath bonding and lamination without destroying the aeroplane in the process.

G