Why is a freelance mechanic harder in Europe.
Around here there are quite a few part 66 mechanics who freelance between different outfits depending on workload.
Peter wrote:
which is much harder under EASA
Why is that? Are there more FAA mechanics in Europe?
Using a freelance mechanic (which is much harder under EASA) halves the cost of maintenance, without doing less work.
True. It‘s not so much the financial savings that make N-regs popular. It‘s the savings in headaches that do.
In a N-reg, there is essentially just ONE thing you HAVE to do: get an annual signed off by an IA every year. That‘s it. Anything on top you do is entirely at your discretion. You decide when you do anything else. No schedules to take into consideration. No due dates, no prescriptions by maintenance programmes, no shops telling you what you must do.
You then merely have to learn how the maintenance game with your shop and IA works". Like here:
I have mine on the N with and wouldn’t even consider changing. The flexibility one loses would be incredibly tiresome.
please distinguish between EASA to EASA transfers BEFORE and AFTER 24/03/2020
No difference to what I have seen got caught.
EU to EU (EASA-EASA) is just a paperwork job. What else could it be?
Yes, normally, but you would be amazed what can be found, especially once the accepting CAA starts to look at details like checking detailed STC applicability.
Yes, the airplane can be physically looked at, just like during any ramp check or ACAM inspection anywhere. Obviously, if the paperwork is a mess, any process would be difficult, nothing to do with EASA.
I didn’t say it was anything to do with EASA. Just that don’t take it for sure that it will be a smooth process. Lots of people sell planes with a known hidden issue.
However, it’s inappropriate to portray such cases, which should be the exception, as generally valid examples for the process.
The point is that this is the only time it is likely to get picked up. Especially if you use the same maint company all the time, and even more especially if they are aware of the “discrepancy” 
Registry transfers are simply risky!
by a profit oriented FAA appointed DAR
Sure I would leave it on N and get a 61.75 and one of the IR routes if applicable.
I know of EASA to EASA transfers which went spectacularly wrong, and after “solving the problem imaginatively” the plane was sold very fast EASA to N or vice versa can go wrong too but people half expect difficulties there so are prepared, whereas everybody has been telling everybody that EU to EU is just a paperwork job, but a) the transfer can and has failed on papers inspection alone, b) there is no assurance of it being just a paper job, c) and those which were problematic were kept off the forums because nobody wants the person they sold the plane to to find out the history… i.e. same old problem.
First, please distinguish between EASA to EASA transfers BEFORE and AFTER 24/03/2020 (Part ML entry into force). Any anecdotal knowledge before is worthless to reiterate for the readership on EuroGA. It’s like advising against an EASA PPL on the basis that in 1994, it was difficult to fly a G-reg on a Czech license.
Second, EU to EU (EASA-EASA) is just a paperwork job. What else could it be? Yes, the airplane can be physically looked at, just like during any ramp check or ACAM inspection anywhere. Obviously, if the paperwork is a mess, any process would be difficult, nothing to do with EASA.
Third, any aircraft that has undocumented changes („manipulations“), missing or fake AD compliance etc.. is always at risk of being grounded, rightfully so. However, it’s inappropriate to portray such cases, which should be the exception, as generally valid examples for the process.
The transfer of aircraft registration within the Union is legally defined by Regulation (EU) 2019/1383
(a) When transferring an aircraft registration within the Union, the applicant shall:
(1) first, provide the former Member State with the name of the Member State in which the aircraft will be registered;
(2) and subsequently apply to the new Member State for the issuance of a new airworthiness certificate
(b) the former ARC shall remain valid until its expiry date
For N planes that are already in Europe to EASA, the main obstacle is at the beginning of the process, namely the Export CofA, which has to be done by a profit oriented FAA appointed DAR. The few who have this privilege and are in Europe have resorted almost to extortion, charging 5000€ for issuing eg a PA28 Exp. CofA.
I think the answer is short and @WilliamF summed it up right – much easier to deal with flight crew licensing than a registry change.
Off the bat you can fly in airspace of the issuing country of your license. Then you can get a piggyback, and so on. Yes, everything used to be easier, but the simple stuff still isn’t prohibitively complicated.
For me, maintenance has been the bigger challenge, but it is manageable and most FAA licensed people are pragmatic and will work with you once you form an actual relationship.
I don’t think I ever really regretted keeping my plane on N-reg.
