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Flying in Spain (US pilot relocating, and N-reg)

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I currently live in the U.S. and I have a Private Pilot License. My wife and I will be relocating to Spain later this year. From what I understand, I can fly N-registered aircraft (U.S. registered) in Spain using my ICAO FAA Private Pilot Certificate. I was planning to purchase a small aircraft, probably a Light Sport Aircraft, once we move to Spain, and then register it with the FAA and fly it in Spain using my FAA issued ICAO PPL. Based on the research that I’ve done so far this seems to be a feasible plan. Has anyone heard of other U.S. private pilots doing something similar in Spain, or in other European countries? Does this seem like a feasible plan? I would very much appreciate any general advice on this topic. Thanks in advance for your insight and knowledge on this topic.

Last Edited by RyanB at 03 Mar 05:02
United States

A US LSA is not ICAO, and it’s not the same as European LSA. I would think in Europe it would be considered a non certified foreign aircraft of “unknown” category or something? I would strongly recommend you get in contact with the Spanish CAA about this. On this site you will get as many different answers as there are posters, but only the Spanish CAA can give you any definitive answer.

My gut feeling tells me it would be easier for you to purchase a European microlight when you get here. They have their MTOW lifted to 600 kg (same as US LSA), but I’m not sure if, and in that case when, the Spanish CAA plan to do that. If not you will be restricted to MTOW 450 kg. With any ICAO license the microlight license is a formality.

The elephant is the circulation
ENVA ENOP ENMO, Norway

@aart and @coolhand might have useful input in this.

On the more general angle of operating an N-reg in Europe, this applies i.e. if you hang around in Europe apparently permanently (nothing has been defined though; the regs are largely FUD) then you will need European licenses also. There are derogations but I don’t know if Spain has applied (there is a table in that thread, and I would start reading it backwards).

Administrator
Shoreham EGKA, United Kingdom

The best way may also be dependent on the citizenship of @RyanB, EU or US citizen? ‘Taking residency’ has different implications.

Last Edited by at 03 Mar 09:38

The EASA FCL stuff is based on vague terms involving the residency of the “operator”.

In the sole owner scenario it tends to be assumed that the pilot is the operator.

The citizenship (the country of passport issue) of the pilot doesn’t appear to be applicable.

No known enforcement cases so nobody knows what this stupid regulation really means. It has been rattling the N-reg cage since 2011.

On a more general note about Spain, it’s a really scenic place for flying. We have many threads here on EuroGA about it, have done some fly-ins there, and I have some trip writeups here.

Administrator
Shoreham EGKA, United Kingdom

I can see many options here. A CAA may regard a US LSA as a microligth as it fulfills the requirements (considering Spain accepts 600 kg MTOW). They may also very well accept it in equal terms as CS-LSA, who knows? in the early days of LSA, they were all US LSA flying on a special permit before the CS-LSA was put into force,

The elephant is the circulation
ENVA ENOP ENMO, Norway

From the Microlight (called ULM’s, Ultralights, in Spain, as in most of Europe) perspective:

Like LeSving said: US LSA would be an ‘experiment’ and I would not try the Spanish CAA for that, or even inquire..

ULM flying in Europe is not as it is in the US. Everything is regulated in each individual country which leads to some significant differences. In Spain, as a resident, officially you would need a Spanish reg ULM, and get a Spanish ULM license. The official MTOM limit is 450kg. Also, no flights in CAS and not higher than 1.000 ft AGL. The number of ULM types that can be put on a Spanish reg is limited, and to start a process to get an aircraft approved (either as a factory-built or kit) is a lengthy process without any guarantees on a good outcome. Getting a license is not difficult for those with a EASA license (3 hours of flight time), but I don’t know whether the same goes for an ICAO license, that’s worthwhile checking.. I assume you speak Spanish, that’s a requisite AFAIK.

There is the possibility to buy an ULM on another European reg, get yourself a license of that country and then fly in Spain on a 6-monthly Permit to Fly. The process to get such a PtF is simple and straight forward, all through email. Officially, that can only be done for 6 months per year, and, again officially, a Spanish Citizen or foreign fiscal resident cannot do this: he would need his craft to be registered in Spain. Which is a difficult (read: impossible) process, see above. So, in practice, the Spanish CAA provides such PtF’s in a row and apparently is not that strict on enforcing that legislation. No guarantees for the future though. Apparently, what helps is that you can demonstrate that you use the craft to go abroad regularly.

Talking about the future, that looks brighter. There is now a solid combined front of AOPA, RACE (‘National Aeroclub’) and AEPAL (Association of ULM pilots) who have started a constructive dialogue with the Spanish CAA, and therefore some useful changes are on the way, like increase of MTOM to 600 kg, flying in CAS and higher than 1.000 ft AGL, ‘approval’ of ULM types under Spanish register on the basis of a prior approval in another EASA member state and ‘self declared’ continued airworthiness.
The dialogue is constructive apparently, but don’t hold your breath, at may take anywhere from 1-3 years?

Private field, Mallorca, Spain

Years ago, I “convalidaded” my FAA ASEL-IA certificate at the time (now ASMEL-IA), to be allowed using pilot privileges on EC- registered aircrafts, in Spain.
Obtained the forms from the DGAC (now available online) and received in the post the Spanish license. Its validity was until the expiry of my medical. They only gave VFR Day privileges (fine by me) and only national flights. For night and IFR they indicated local training requirements. No fees, then.
Things must have changed since then.
Did the same in France.

I had a friend who kept his N-registered plane at LECU. It was a very nice Piper Malibu. I flew with him few times and indeed no issues as FAA certificated in a N-reg plane.

ASMEL-IA (FAA)
Spain

LEMD49 wrote:

Obtained the forms from the DGAC (now available online)

@LEMD49, can you post the link? For various reasons I’m interested in this route.

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