Peter at 04 > EASA had a chance to do it but instead brought in the need for dual pilot papers,>
Can you just briefly explain this i.e "dual pilot papers".
In essence, if you are based in the EU then you need to have not only the licenses/ratings required under ICAO by the State of the aircraft registry (e.g. FAA papers for an N-reg, as always in the past) but you also need EASA versions of these.
More info here.
There are no proposed restrictions on overflight or long term parking of foreign reg aircraft. Only the pilots are getting screwed if the "operator" (a term not defined in the regulation) is EU based (also not defined in the regulation).
There are lots of unknown/undefined/unclear aspects to this, but it is law which has been passed by Brussels.
It looks like there is a general delay in implementation (a "derogation") throughout much if not all of the EU, till April 2014, or maybe a year later if you appear to be starting on a conversion route.
That's why I did the JAA IR conversion even though it is not even valid to fly my aircraft once out of UK airspace.
Thanks Peter - what a nightmare!!!