Peter wrote:
Mode S is required only for IFR and even then only if you do it “big time” like across Germany and surroundings. Within say France you can do it with just Mode C for the most part AFAIK.
Mode S and 8.33 is standard in Europe these days.
Peter wrote:
VFR can be “hacked” with a Mode C in most places, adequately.
I know that for some reasons you appear to think that “stealth” operation by VFR is the answer which many people find to the UK’s rather harsh airspace violation rules. I also know that there are people who fly non transponder in dense airspace to avoid being caught on any airspace violations. Well, it will take ONE such stealth GA airplane to hit an airliner and you can imagine what the consequences will be, seeing what single Airprox have done. IMHO, a working transponder S with ADS-B is something which WILL become a mandate for anything which leaves the ground. There is no way around it. Particularly ADS-B will become the new standard. So trying to hide is going to disappear.
AdamFrisch wrote:
As you know, you can not own a N-reg unless you’re not an American citizen. And if your LLC owns it, and the owner of the LLC is not an American, then it can only fly 40% of its yearly hours abroad and you have to keep a record of every flight hour and send it in with each reg renewal.
I did not know that, but now I do, thanks! I will not be an American citizen shortly after I bring it over, so I guess I’ll be okay. My most immediate concern was whether I would even be able to keep it parcked at home for more than 30 days.
What is “yearly hours”? I wouldn’t know what 40% of that is without knowing what it is.
Mooney_Driver wrote:
It is a huge step however and shuts the door of ever returning there. Not my business of course, but I am usually not someone shutting doors permanently.
Some background, I’m an immigrant who escaped with my family from USSR back in 1989, and have been living in US ever since. We already have experience with major immigration, and a lot of us (my family, my parents, and a lot of my ex-USSR friends in US and Canada) are “escaping” again. It’s politics, so I won’t go into it other than we’re seeing similar worrying patterns. I’m also fairly well known in the Bitcoin space, so I fear if I stay I may become a target. From what I’m told, once I get a Portugese passport in 5 years, I’ll be free to return without needing a visa, should I want to, but there’s nothing really keeping me here.
Regarding the Mode C vs S stuff, I’m in DC area, which is all restricted airspace and requires Mode S with ADS-B (Mode E I think), so my airplane is set up for that. There’s a lot of traffic here too, and being able to see everyone on radar in my cockpit is a huge benefit. I’ve come close to planes I had to avoid that I never actually saw with my own eyes at least five times in the last 3 years. And from what I’m reading, Portugal, being on the coast, is entirely covered by radar, so going “stealth” isn’t going to be an option anyway. I take off from a towered airport after filing a mandatory flight plan, and then get tracked by radar to my destination. Only stealth option would be to file to some nearby untowered airport, swap my numbers on the tail and in the transponder, turn off my ADS-B, and pretend to fly as someone else (I have the performance of an SR22). But that seems like too much of a hassle for what may even turn out to be unnecessary. I suspect most of my trips may be between Lisbon and Lagos for the slightly warmer beaches, and majority will probably just be giving rides to locals to keep my engine oiled up. The longer trips I’ll figure out later, AFTER I figure out the parking/basing situation :D
AdamFrisch wrote:
As you know, you can not own a N-reg unless you’re not an American citizen. And if your LLC owns it, and the owner of the LLC is not an American, then it can only fly 40% of its yearly hours abroad and you have to keep a record of every flight hour and send it in with each reg renewal.
Oh, sorry, I think I figured it out. Did you mean you can not own a N-reg unless you ARE an American citizen, meaning once I drop my citizenship it all depends on my LLC, and with my LLC if I fly 100 hours total during the year, only 40 hours of that are allowed to be abroad?
@europaxs as you are up to date on this, perhaps you could update the permission-required matrix here. And if you know about ultralight privileges (which are similar but not identical) that is here. Many thanks 
Did you mean you can not own a N-reg unless you ARE an American citizen, meaning once I drop my citizenship it all depends on my LLC, and with my LLC if I fly 100 hours total during the year, only 40 hours of that are allowed to be abroad?
It seems that way (i.e. impractical for a Europe based owner) unless you put your N-reg int a trust like SAC.
Peter wrote:
perhaps you could update the permission-required matrix
If you intent to fly abroad, just do a thorough flight preparation (which I assume anyone does…) and e. g. for the Czech Republic I found this in their AIP within 5 minutes:
1.2.6 CONDITIONS FOR PERMISSION OF FLIGHTS
WITHIN THE AIRSPACE OF THE CZECH
REPUBLIC FOR FOREIGN AIRCRAFT WITH
THE LIMITED AIRWORTHINESS, INCLUDING
ULTRA LIGHT AIRCRAFT
1.2.6.1 A permission to enter into the airspace of the
Czech Republic (CR) is not required for aircraft with a
restricted certificate of airworthiness or a permit to fly issued
by the aviation authority of EU Member State in accordance
with Annex (Part 21) to Commission Regulation (EU) No 748/
2012 as amended, the validity of which is automatically
recognised within the meaning of Article 11 of Regulation
(EC) No 216/2008 of the European Parliament and of the
Council as amended. (…)
This guarantees, that you have the valid up to date information for the appropriate country. It’s no hassle or a “big damper”, really. If you fly abroad to certain countries more often, you should have the appropriate information in your memory anyway. In my case e. g. I know, that I don’t need a permission for all neighbor states of Germany, the UK, Sweden or Italy – all I can reach nonstop. If I don’t know it, I just look it up….
MTozoni wrote:
Oh, sorry, I think I figured it out. Did you mean you can not own a N-reg unless you ARE an American citizen, meaning once I drop my citizenship it all depends on my LLC, and with my LLC if I fly 100 hours total during the year, only 40 hours of that are allowed to be abroad?
Correct. So if you give up your citizenship, and the aircraft flies more than 40% abroad, your only option is to register it in a trust.
Welcome to the forum. One observation is that it appears there are a number of regulations which may not be stringently enforced until there is a need to “get” you. At which point you’re in trouble.
Just do as much research as you can and see what you’re comfortable with, there are some very knowledgeable people here who can offer useful insights.
One thing that I may note, is that I believe if you are moving over you can possibly avoid having to pay VAT on your aircraft if you say that it is your personal transportation (which it is). I know of this being the case and used in the UK. Worth checking if it is similar in Portugal.
I hate to say it, because it’s an eye catching machine, you’ve clearly put a lot of time and effort into it and it fits your mission profile. But it may be a whole lot easier for you to sell it in the states and buy a certified machine to bring over, like a bonanza, cirrus or whatever floats your boat.
Off_Field wrote:
But it may be a whole lot easier for you to sell it in the states and buy a certified machine to bring over, like a bonanza, cirrus or whatever floats your boat.
If he wants to do serious IFR travelling with it, I agee.
Anyone who comes to fly in Europe after the freedom for GA in the US is in for quite a change of climate… maybe it would be worth for him to just come over for a few weeks to see European GA for himself and decide if it is worth the hassle.
I’ll try again
MTozoni wrote:
I’ve learned that as an experimental, I will require permissions from every country that I overfly.
This is wrong. Only very few countries where you require explicit permission.
First, the only places you will get relevant information is with the Portuguese CAA and the Portuguese experimental/homebuilt community. On the internet you will just become confused, because these things are country dependent.
In Norway, you can simply import aircraft from the US, but there has to be a complete build log with pictures. Then you can operate it exactly as you would in the US. My impression is that the Portuguese rules are very similar to Norway, but only the CAA/homebuilt community know this for sure.
Hello all,
I am new to this forum and I like to add some information. First of all you should realise that Experimental and Ultralight aircraft are Not regulated by EASA. That means every country has its own rules for these type of aircraft. In many countries you can import an US homebuild but you have to import it and put it on an European register to use it. In a lot of European countries IFR flights with experimentals are not allowed. It is up to you of course if you stick to the rules or not.
I have imported an experimntal from the US to the Netherlands without any problems and I have build a Velocity in the Netherlands and flew it, with Dutch registration, throughout Europe without any problems but only VFR. An american over here with a Longeze was not allowed to keep his plane on US register and had to put it on Dutch register although he was only based for 2 years in the Neterlands. Portugal might be different but be aware that every country has its own ules.
