{"id":6861,"date":"2025-04-05T16:30:10","date_gmt":"2025-04-05T15:30:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pilot-hub.com\/?p=6861"},"modified":"2025-04-05T16:30:11","modified_gmt":"2025-04-05T15:30:11","slug":"n-registered-aircraft-in-easa-space-what-pilots-will-need-to-know-in-2025","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/pilot-hub.com\/en\/n-registrierte-flugzeuge-im-easa-raum-was-piloten-2025-wissen-muessen\/","title":{"rendered":"N-registered aircraft in EASA space: What pilots need to know in 2025"},"content":{"rendered":"<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What does \"N-registration\" mean?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You can find our detailed article on this topic in our Pilot Hub: <a href=\"https:\/\/pilot-hub.com\/en\/n-registered-aircraft-flying-in-easa-space\/\">https:\/\/pilot-hub.com\/n-registriertes-flugzeug-im-easa-raum-fliegen\/<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Every aircraft registered in the USA receives an aircraft registration number that begins with the letter <strong>\"N\"<\/strong> begins - determined by the <strong>Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)<\/strong>. The N-registration is therefore subject to US aviation law and allows the aircraft to be operated worldwide as long as the regulations of the respective country are observed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Why do pilots in Europe fly N-registered aircraft?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Despite the geographical distance to the FAA, many owners in Europe deliberately opt for US registration. There are many reasons for this:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Maintenance flexibility:<\/strong> FAA regulations are considered <strong>less bureaucratic and more cost-efficient<\/strong> than the EASA regulations.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Better international saleability:<\/strong> N-registered aircraft are easier to trade on the international second-hand market.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Independence from EASA regulations:<\/strong> Many operators find the FAA regulations more pragmatic.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Access to FAA licences:<\/strong> An FAA licence makes it possible to fly N-registered aircraft worldwide - albeit with restrictions in the EASA area.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Restrictions on FAA licences in the EU<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Since 2023, anyone living in Europe and wishing to fly an N-registered aircraft within the EASA area <strong>must convert his FAA licence into an EASA licence<\/strong>. The basis for this is the bilateral aviation agreement <strong>BASA (Bilateral Aviation Safety Agreement)<\/strong> between the EU and the USA and the associated <strong>TIP-L regulations (Technical Implementation Procedures for Licensing)<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Conversion of an FAA licence to an EASA licence<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Who wants a <strong>holds an FAA licence<\/strong>but lives in the EASA area must complete the following steps in order to legally fly their N-aircraft:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>EASA medical certificate<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>German radio licence<\/strong> (e.g. BZF or AZF - depending on the intended use)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Background check (Z\u00dcP)<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Practical examination<\/strong> by an EASA examiner<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Theory test (if less than 50 IFR hours)<\/strong> for instrument rating<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Special feature: If you have at least 50 hours of IFR experience, the theory test for the instrument rating can be omitted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">EASA licence holder with N-aircraft: validation or conversion?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Anyone who already holds an EASA licence and also has their own N-registered aircraft <strong>outside his home country<\/strong> who wants to fly in EASA space has two options:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Option 1: Conversion<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Conversion of the EASA licence into a full FAA licence<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Requires FAA medical, theory test and flight test (in the USA)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Advantage: <strong>FAA licence valid worldwide<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Option 2: Validation<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Linked recognition of the FAA licence based on the EASA licence<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Valid <strong>only in connection with the EASA licence<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>No theory test or flights required (except for IFR)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>FAA-PPL is bound to the validity of the EASA-PPL<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Step-by-step: this is how validation works<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>IACRA registration:<\/strong> Registration via the FAA portal <a class=\"\" href=\"https:\/\/iacra.faa.gov\">iacra.faa.gov<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Licence check:<\/strong> The FAA contacts the LBA (Germany) to verify the EASA licence<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>LoA (Letter of Authentication):<\/strong> Issued by the FSDO in the USA<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Theory test only required for IFR<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Flight Review (PPL) or IPC (IFR) with an FAA-certified flight instructor<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>On-site appointment in the USA:<\/strong> The examiner issues the FAA certificate<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Important: FCC radio licence<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Regardless of licence status, every pilot operating an N-registered aircraft in Europe requires a <strong>\"Radio Operator Permit - Limited Use\"<\/strong> the <strong>Federal Communications Commission (FCC)<\/strong>. This licence is mandatory for the operation of aeronautical radio stations outside the USA.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Further requirements for owning an N aircraft<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Ownership structure:<\/strong> Only US citizens or via a <strong>US Trust<\/strong> possible<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Radio Station Authorisation:<\/strong> Must be applied for with the FCC<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Insurance and maintenance rules:<\/strong> Must be FAA compliant<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Conclusion: N-registration is attractive - but complex<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The possibility of operating an N-registered aircraft in EASA space is still given - however <strong>no longer without restrictions<\/strong>. The stricter requirements since 2023 make careful planning and early licence adjustments necessary. At the same time, the <strong>Options for transcription and recognition<\/strong> flexible routes for both private and commercial pilots.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Anyone travelling with an N-aircraft within Europe should regularly inform themselves about <strong>Changes to the bilateral agreement (BASA)<\/strong> and the status of the respective licences. However, pilots who are not afraid of the effort can continue to benefit from the advantages of N-registration - be it in terms of costs, flexibility or the ability to operate internationally.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-dots\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Source references:<\/strong><br><a href=\"https:\/\/pilot-hub.com\/en\/n-registered-aircraft-flying-in-easa-space\/\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/www.fliegermagazin.de\/news\/fussball-em-2024-sorgt-fuer-zahlreiche-sperrgebiete-im-luftraum\/#:~:text=Drei%20Sicherheitsstufen%20w%C3%A4hrend%20der%20Fu%C3%9Fball%2DEM%20202&amp;text=Die%20Flugbeschr%C3%A4nkungsgebiete%20befinden%20sich%20immer,Luftraum%20vormittags%20normal%20nutzbar%20sein.\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Pilot Hub<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>In general aviation, interested parties are constantly coming across aircraft with a conspicuous \"N\" on the fuselage - a sign of registration in the USA. This topic will remain highly topical in 2025. This is because flying an N-registered aircraft within the EASA area, i.e. in Europe, is subject to a large number of legal and technical regulations. At the same time, however, it also offers interesting advantages. In this article, we explain in detail what N-registration is all about, the challenges involved and how pilots can navigate between FAA and EASA systems in a legally compliant manner.<\/p>","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":6862,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[56],"tags":[],"module":[],"class_list":["post-6861","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-pilot-hub"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/pilot-hub.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6861","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/pilot-hub.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/pilot-hub.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pilot-hub.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pilot-hub.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6861"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/pilot-hub.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6861\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6863,"href":"https:\/\/pilot-hub.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6861\/revisions\/6863"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pilot-hub.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/6862"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/pilot-hub.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6861"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pilot-hub.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6861"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pilot-hub.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6861"},{"taxonomy":"module","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pilot-hub.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/module?post=6861"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}