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Is there any market for low-end N-reg planes in Europe?

As the owner of what you might be calling a low-end N-reg and as someone who has been involved in the transfer of a few aircraft off and onto the N-reg through my work, may I add my thoughts?

Operating a VFR N-reg is probably cheaper than operating a similar aircraft on the G-reg and there are advantages when it comes to STCs and to maintenance. Why people think the value of N-reg aircraft should be cheaper than its equivalent G-reg is just because people have always thought that.
If you have an amicable A&P/IA, then I would suggest that the hassle and cost of ownership is smaller compared to the current UK Part-ML / ARC / Maintenance Programme hassles and costs.

Since Brexit, moving a German registered aircraft to a UK registration is as difficult as it was before the late-noughties and EASA. Yet selling an N-reg across borders is easy in comparison.

People are hanging on to their assets in a rising market.

United Kingdom

Since Brexit, moving a German registered aircraft to a UK registration is as difficult as it was before the late-noughties and EASA. Yet selling an N-reg across borders is easy in comparison.

That’s a very good point. An N-reg just stays on the N…

My basic point was that the customer base for these will not be new pilots, because not many are getting the FAA papers today. And those who have been in the business for years may have moved up. But it’s great to know that their values are holding up.

Administrator
Shoreham EGKA, United Kingdom

In Germany the private owner market for low end airplanes (both N- and EASA-reg) has been almost completely replaced by microlight. Therefore air clubs and flight schools are the only ones left on the demand side of that market – and for both it is inconvenient to impossible to use n-regs.

In the higher end market (as in the SR22 example), owners typically have more money than time. The easiest (as in: least time consuming) way to operate an airplane these days is : Get a CAMO, give them the documents and keys, pay the bill. Might be more expensive than operating an n-reg or an EASA-reg w/o a CAMO, but lot more hassle free.

It seems to me, that between the much lower cost microlight segment and the much more convenient CAMO-way there is just too little of a market left for the “comparatively high hassle at some potential cost savings”-way of n-reg.

Germany

I must admit, I would really only consider certified aircraft if they’re on the N reg. I have hankering for a pitts, and possibly an s1t at the right price on the N will tempt me in a few years.

I’d also consider a Christen Eagle, but N reg exp is not really feasible, but LAA permit seems OK as long as you don’t want to experiment.

In Germany the private owner market for low end airplanes (both N- and EASA-reg) has been almost completely replaced by microlight. Therefore air clubs and flight schools are the only ones left on the demand side of that market – and for both it is inconvenient to impossible to use n-regs.

In the higher end market (as in the SR22 example), owners typically have more money than time. The easiest (as in: least time consuming) way to operate an airplane these days is : Get a CAMO, give them the documents and keys, pay the bill. Might be more expensive than operating an n-reg or an EASA-reg w/o a CAMO, but lot more hassle free.

It seems to me, that between the much lower cost microlight segment and the much more convenient CAMO-way there is just too little of a market left for the “comparatively high hassle at some potential cost savings”-way of n-reg.

It’s the same here, only lots of experimental registered and Annex I ICAO aircraft as well.

I know of 2 N-regs in the close vicinity. One SR22 and one Beech 200. They have been here for years, and how exactly they do it (the current regulations in mind) I have no clue. A Beech 200 isn’t exactly a VFR puddle jumper and it flies a lot from time to time.

The elephant is the circulation
ENVA ENOP ENMO, Norway

As a potential buyer, I see N-regs a tiny bit better than EASA regs. And I only look at the lower end of the market anyway
Anyway, the point is to find the mechanic/CAMO that suits you and don’t rob you.

One thing is pilot education. Most new pilots see their first N-reg plane as a shiny Cirrus as they disembark their training horse (Robin, C150, you name it)
So they may think N-reg is something for the elite, until they learn the basics of Part91 by themselves (which they won’t get in their school/club).

OTOH, there are some VFR pilots who went to the US and got a 61.75, and would be interested in owning a simple N-reg plane.

Whether or not owning a “simple” certified plane instead of a microlight is masochism, I will let each of you think of

Last Edited by Jujupilote at 04 Oct 12:40
LFOU, France

Malibuflyer wrote:

In Germany the private owner market for low end airplanes (both N- and EASA-reg) has been almost completely replaced by microlight.

Microlights are usually 2 seats and massively weight restricted. The normal family capable spamcans need 4 seats to be of use. So I think these are different markets, which certainly overlap but to which both have their use. For fun flying alone or 2 up microlights may be a variant for some. The moment you want more seats or transport normally buit people, microlights are not an option.

Malibuflyer wrote:

Therefore air clubs and flight schools are the only ones left on the demand side of that market – and for both it is inconvenient to impossible to use n-regs.

I am not so sure about that.

I recall @boscomantico regularly reporting his flights with a club which has N-reg airplanes. Likewise, the Pilot und Flugzeug magazine operates two AA5’s for rent which are N-reg. Until recently, MFGZ had a Columbia which was N-reg. Only a few I’ve come across.

Personally I’ve never operated an N-Reg but I know some people who do, the primary reason they (or even clubs) do are the applicability of STC’s (some airplanes could not be registered EU without massive changes) and some maintenance concerns. (Recommended TBO, no CAMO necessary e.t.c.) Most of those have been migated by now by EASA but there may still be valid reasons to keep an existing N-reg that way.

When I get asked to assist in finding suitable airframes, I usually ask if N-reg may be considered or not. The reaction is about 60/40 who will consider N-regs and others who won’t.

Jujupilote wrote:

OTOH, there are some VFR pilots who went to the US and got a 61.75, and would be interested in owning a simple N-reg plane.

Exactly.

Last Edited by Mooney_Driver at 04 Oct 12:43
LSZH(work) LSZF (GA base), Switzerland

There is no primary PPL training in my club. Neither on the PuF Cheetahs. And very certainly not on the Columbia that MFGZ had.
So, yes, you can’t* use N-regs for primary PPL training in Germany. Might be possible in other countries, but that depends on the respective CAA.

*Maybe that changed with the advent of the DTO. After all, as a DTO, you merely declare the activity. And AFAIK, you don’t even have to list the regs of the AC used, only the types. But I don’t really think any flying school does it, as it would likely piss off the school’s authority if they found out. Plus you wouldn’t likely be able to do any flight tests in it.

Last Edited by boscomantico at 04 Oct 13:58
Mainz (EDFZ) & Egelsbach (EDFE), Germany

boscomantico wrote:

So, yes, you can’t* use N-regs for primary PPL training in Germany. Might be possible in other countries, but that depends on the respective CAA

AFAIK, you can’t use N-reg for FCL PPL training: according to FAR to solo N-reg you will need an FAA student certificate (and FAA medical), assuming someone who is doing FCL PPL does not have an FAA/FCL PPL or some sort Legacy/National license…

Also, it seems NAA will not allow skill-test on it unless the aircraft is special/vintage and you won’t find it in DTO/ATO on local reg (at least the case of France/UK)

On EASA reg, you can solo with medical only

Anyone knows why someone going N-reg would get a “VFR only” aircraft?

Last Edited by Ibra at 04 Oct 15:08
Paris/Essex, France/UK, United Kingdom

Certainly in the UK, if you’re going to be ‘VFR only’ it would seem a lot more practical to have a G-reg permit aircraft than N-reg certified (from both a licencing and maintenance perspective).

One thing that has intrigued me is here (in the IoM) our exemption to aero tow gliders in a permit aircraft explicitly says we can use a non-certified aircraft of any national registry…

Andreas IOM
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