Primarily for general aviation discussion, but other aviation topics are also welcome.
By Stu B
#1820543
My D-reg aeroplane has been based in the UK for the last 30 of its 53 years, passing through the hands of a number of British owners. Now post Brexit I can no longer fly it on my (previously UK-issued EASA) licence, nor any longer get it maintained by my UK-based (but previously also German accepted) maintenance firm. So I've decided to re-register it (rather than to SOLI or to hope that "something will turn up") to solve the problems.
I presume there are others here who have faced this issue and I'd be very interested to hear of their experiences/advice , whether they have completed the transition (from any EASA registration, not just Germany), or have embarked upon it but have not yet completed. The first stage appears to be cancellation of the German registration, but the form to notify that appears to assume that the cancellation relates to the sale and export of an aircraft and its move from Germany to a new owner elsewhere, neither of which relates to my circumstances!
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By ls8pilot
#1820549
There is a thread on gliderpilot.net where a poster is having a bit of nightmare with the CAA doing this, because he started in the pre-brexit regime but the CAA delays caused it to drag into post-brexit!

As I understand it, post brexit, you need to follow the export/import process, so you will need an export CofA from the German authorities, but others may know better...
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By Flying_john
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1820562
You will need an export CofA from Germany before you cancel the reg.

Then a UK LAE prepared to take on the work to not only paint the new reg on but to add the UK required items like, low voltage warning indicator, starter engaged warning light and a review of previous maintenance before your UK LAE can make an application to the CAA, You will also need a UK approved POH and a few other hoops to jump through too.
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By Dyslexnick
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1820628
Hi Stu B

I find myself in the same position but with 2 x D- reg aircraft. I have spent most of the last 6 months mitigating the effect of Covid on my business but now need a resolution to this problem. The LBA recognising equivalence on licencing and maintenance would be the ideal solution but we i suspect we will have to go thru the pain of G reg transfer.
I did try to email you a couple of weeks ago on this matter but suspect your email may have changed in the intervening 12 years since we last spoke !
Nick
By SteveX
#1820908
If it turns out to be a paperwork drama would it be too traumatic to just sell it in Germany? Or at least get a German validation on UK License and fly it there for maintenance?
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By Flying_john
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1820926
In Europe or out of Europe there was always a requirement for an Export CofA from the LBA for a German Reg aircraft being exported to UK with the intention of putting it on the G reg. - So nothing to do with Br*xit !

In Germany an aircraft could not continue with an engine over 12yrs old ( may of changed recently) whereas in the UK you were allowed to continue on condition for private use, not public transport or flying school use.

So you still need an Export CofA - so that means an annual first, then you can remove it from D reg and fly to a UK LAE to have the UK required items fitted, UK CofA and then an English version of the POH together with an application form to CAA for them to issue a new registration. Sometimes (if unusual type) CAA reserve the right to send an engineer for a survey (at your expense).

I'm not sue whether it is now any more complex than it was a few years ago when I imported a D reg, but perhaps CAA are a little busier at the moment.
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By PaulO
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1821737
I bought D-EEWA at the start of 2018 knowing I would need to do a transfer at some point.

Having transferred my previous (proper) Bonanza from D-EMEF to N59VT in 2000 I was open to the N reg again, but as at the start of 2019 I was told no DAR was available in Europe to perform the N reg transfer, so G reg it was for me.

I started the transfer of D-EEWA to G-EEWA (couldn't come up with anything better and was happy it was no tongue twister so went cheap, as mentioned above, only needed to change 3 letters on the aircraft) for BREXIT reasons on 20/01/2019, with the guide it should take a month.

Finally got to fly G-EEWA on 05/05/2019.

The CAA were actually very good at coming back to me when I kept chasing them (weekly) but admitted they were being swamped with applications at the time whilst experiencing staff shortages for my application due to staff reductions, prioritising commercial aircraft transfers, maternity leave and someone seconded to the Middle East to perform an audit.

Given I have instrument rating aspirations, medical issue permitting :-( ,wonder if I should have waited on the N reg option.
By Stu B
#1823695
Many thanks to all of you who posted here, especially @Flying_john
I've been rather immersed in other issues recently so apologies for being slow to acknowledge your advice. I've also now got a contact with a "friend-of-a-friend" who seems to be a few weeks ahead of me going through what are presumably the same hoops with another aircraft of the same type as mine so I will be able to compare his very current experience and be guided accordingly. I'll post again here with an update when I start to make some progress (or find my progress obstructed!) as I am also aware of others who are still "considering their options" and hoping that some easement of the rules might start to emerge to obviate the need for the change.
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By Paul_Sengupta
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1823723
Stu B wrote:hoping that some easement of the rules might start to emerge to obviate the need for the change.


We just need the EU to tick the "we recognise UK licences" box. What are the chances of that happening within a reasonable timeframe, before the engine health suffers?
By Stu B
#1823779
Exactly - though due to a medical issue there are advantages to me (and now look likely to continue to be, but that's for another thread) in becoming able to fly it on a PMD (which, of course, I have never been able to, though I do already fly G-reg aircraft on one).