Buying a plane from Canada and delivering to the US?

alaskan9974

alaskan9974

Pre-takeoff checklist
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alaskan9974
Been browsing trade a plane for any deals, found one I was interested in, in Canada.

Curious how it works to bring one across? I found a few tips on sites but nothing recent.

It's paperwork is in order complete logs, and a Canadian annual was completed at the beginning of this year.

From what I understand, I can hire a Canadian ferry pilot to fly it over, since it is C registered aircraft my US license doesn't allow me to fly it in Canada.

Once it is here, I can deregister it with TC, put in the paperwork with the FAA, and have my IA go over it for AD compliance, and once that is complete a FAA DER will sign off on it, if the paperwork matches the modifications.

Not in a rush to get to flying, I have read it can take several months for the paperwork to go through, but it seems fairly straight forward. I had read what a hassle it was to bring an aircraft back, but with the US dollar strong against the Canadian it seems like there are some deals out there.
 
alaskan9974 said:
Been browsing trade a plane for any deals, found one I was interested in, in Canada.

Curious how it works to bring one across? I found a few tips on sites but nothing recent.

It's paperwork is in order complete logs, and a Canadian annual was completed at the beginning of this year.

From what I understand, I can hire a Canadian ferry pilot to fly it over, since it is C registered aircraft my US license doesn't allow me to fly it in Canada.

Once it is here, I can deregister it with TC, put in the paperwork with the FAA, and have my IA go over it for AD compliance, and once that is complete a FAA DER will sign off on it, if the paperwork matches the modifications.

Not in a rush to get to flying, I have read it can take several months for the paperwork to go through, but it seems fairly straight forward. I had read what a hassle it was to bring an aircraft back, but with the US dollar strong against the Canadian it seems like there are some deals out there.
Click to expand...

You could also get a Canadian pilot license issued on the basis of your FAA certificate, and fly the airplane yourself.
 
Once the aircraft is in the US this is needs to happen.
1. the AWC and a letter stating the aircraft has exported gets sent to Transport Canada.
2. request for a number is applied for and applied to the aircraft.
3. a A&P -IA must complete an annual. and part 39 must be completed
4. then a DAR or A Federal agent can issue a US AWC issued.

Be certain the aircraft is not one that can not imported (some pipers)
 
sarangan said:
You could also get a Canadian pilot license issued on the basis of your FAA certificate, and fly the airplane yourself.
Click to expand...
IS it much easier to have a Canadian pilot do it.
 
Tom-D said:
Once the aircraft is in the US this is needs to happen.
1. the AWC and a letter stating the aircraft has exported gets sent to Transport Canada.
2. request for a number is applied for and applied to the aircraft.
3. a A&P -IA must complete an annual. and part 39 must be completed
4. then a DAR or A Federal agent can issue a US AWC issued.

Be certain the aircraft is not one that can not imported (some pipers)
Click to expand...

Thanks, is there specific language I should put on the bill of sale, the last plane I bought I used AOPA's boilerplate one.

Does the owner need to do the TC letter, or can I stateside after the purchase?

My IA is onboard with the purchase, he reviewed the logs and what is written matches the various pictures of the plane, once I get a mechanic onsite to look at it for me I was ok with proceeding. I was pleasantly surprised that Canada requires SB to be completed.

Edit: I found this link after I google'd it. I didn't realize transponder had to be removed. Is there a way to clear the code or should I just remove it completely? I rarely venture into any towered or busy areas.

https://www.tc.gc.ca/en/services/av...raft/export-canadian-registered-aircraft.html
 
sarangan said:
You could also get a Canadian pilot license issued on the basis of your FAA certificate, and fly the airplane yourself.
Click to expand...

While it can be done (I did it), it takes an eternity and will require enough work (including a visit to TC) to not make it worth your while. TC drug their feet so long on my deal that it cost us a whole float season trying to get the airplane back to the states.
 
Do you want to fly the airplane or just look at it for months while you're waiting for the import process to be completed? While an import on a straightforward airplane isn't hard, they can sometimes take a lot more time than you bargain for. Especially when you're dealing with two countries worth of governments.
 
If the plane was once N registered, it's much easier. Otherwise, expect to wait 6+ months before you can fly it.
 
It was imported to Canada in the early 2000’s from the US.

I don’t mind it sitting. Unless my other plane’s engine decides to go kaput after I spend cash on this one, I think it’ll be ok.

I don’t mind it sitting if it saves a considerable amount through the currency difference.
 
wheaties said:
If the plane was once N registered, it's much easier. Otherwise, expect to wait 6+ months before you can fly it.
Click to expand...

Even when they have been N registered before it can take that long. This is part of what I was implying when I was speaking of having to deal with two governments. The last airplane I imported turned into a mess with Transport Canada claiming the airplane was deregistered but they kept sending inadequate documentation on it. A title company doing the legwork can help move things along but that isn't a sure thing.

I'm doing another one this summer so we'll see if things have improved.

What the previous N registry will buy you is the possibility to import without an export C of A. The Dornier I posted a picture of in another thread had never been in the US prior to our importation so that one required additional paperwork.
 
alaskan9974 said:
I don’t mind it sitting if it saves a considerable amount through the currency difference.
Click to expand...

This is the main reason we've imported some lately. But be warned, you win some and lose some when playing this game. If the plane has mods on it that are not approved in the US via STC be prepared for a hassle if it is not something easily field approved.
 
alaskan9974 said:
Thanks, is there specific language I should put on the bill of sale, the last plane I bought I used AOPA's boilerplate one.

Does the owner need to do the TC letter, or can I stateside after the purchase?

My IA is onboard with the purchase, he reviewed the logs and what is written matches the various pictures of the plane, once I get a mechanic onsite to look at it for me I was ok with proceeding. I was pleasantly surprised that Canada requires SB to be completed.

Edit: I found this link after I google'd it. I didn't realize transponder had to be removed. Is there a way to clear the code or should I just remove it completely? I rarely venture into any towered or busy areas.

https://www.tc.c.ca/en/services/aviation/registering-leasing-aircraft/export-canadian-registered-aircraft.html
Click to expand...
the transponder does not have to be removed, the aircraft code in a mode s transponder must be removed. the code is derived from the registration number, once a N number is granted to it, that code needs to be put into the transponder.
 
alaskan9974 said:
Thanks, is there specific language I should put on the bill of sale, the last plane I bought I used AOPA's boilerplate one.
Click to expand...
Transport Canada as a good one also. You can call they will e-mail one to you.

This is why you should have the aircraft in the US prior to any paper work.
What you need to do
Before Transport Canada can de-register your aircraft, you must:

  • remove the Canadian nationality and registration marks from your aircraft
  • remove the aircraft mark plate, if applicable
  • remove the aircraft mode “S” transponder address code, if applicable
  • apply for an export airworthiness certificate, if required*

If it doesn't have S mode don't worry about. (S mode can be changed)

Your IA should know how to do this.
 
Is an import broker necessary to complete the paperwork once it is back stateside? The guides I am finding online mainly center on dropping the registration in Canada, then picking up a temp cert with the FAA and flying it back to the states, which seems like a hassle that can be avoided if I just have it flown to the states with a ferry pilot and a C reg.
 
The FAA will not do anything until the Canadians are done deregistering, mean while you can get busy do the part 39 AD stuff, annual inspection.
 
Just remember you are now working with two different government agencies from two different countries.
with the current work and travel restrictions it will likely go even slower than normal government speed.
The last one I was aware took over a year to get the paperwork in order to register it in the US.
Brian
 
As far as ADs go, all FAA ADs that apply to that US-made airplane also apply in Canada unless there is a superseding Canadian AD (rare). I presume it's a US-made airplane. Most STCs are also US in origin.

Ferrying it might prove a hassle if one government or another deems it non-essential travel at this time. The border is mostly shut to all but essential supplies and so on. You might consider a border post like the one at Coutts, Alberta/Sweetgrass, Montana, where there's a grass runway that runs right along the border. Canadian pilot might drop it there, American pilot flies it south from there. License to fly the Canadian airplane would be necessary.

Whenever our CDN dollar tanks, a lot of airplanes go south. I remember the early '70s when our dollar was worth more than a US dollar; lots of airplanes came north.

Yes, importing an airplane can be fun. I did one in 2008, a 172SP, right when the subprime crisis hit. Took ten or 11 days to get the FAA to cancel the US registration on it. I had already arranged to register it in Canada, even had the new registration on the airplane, but couldn't leave with everything in limbo. There was some screwup with the escrow company's dealings with the FAA in OKC, and nobody seemed to care.
 
Dan Thomas said:
As far as ADs go, all FAA ADs that apply to that US-made airplane also apply in Canada unless there is a superseding Canadian AD (rare). I presume it's a US-made airplane. Most STCs are also US in origin.

Ferrying it might prove a hassle if one government or another deems it non-essential travel at this time. The border is mostly shut to all but essential supplies and so on. You might consider a border post like the one at Coutts, Alberta/Sweetgrass, Montana, where there's a grass runway that runs right along the border. Canadian pilot might drop it there, American pilot flies it south from there. License to fly the Canadian airplane would be necessary.

Yes, importing an airplane can be fun. I did one in 2008, a 172SP, right when the subprime crisis hit. Took ten or 11 days to get the FAA to cancel the US registration on it. I had already arranged to register it in Canada, even had the new registration on the airplane, but couldn't leave with everything in limbo. There was some screwup with the escrow company's dealings with the FAA in OKC, and nobody seemed to care.
Click to expand...

I posted on Barnstormers looking for a ferry pilot to drop it off in the US.

I had 7 responses in 2 hours so I took the ad down. A few of them are mighty busy flying planes south, the rest were just pilots looking for something to do during their downtime.

We are essential services in their words, even though it'd come across pt91. I don't think me flying a spam can is essential, but I guess in Alaska it could be framed that way.
 
alaskan9974 said:
I posted on Barnstormers looking for a ferry pilot to drop it off in the US.

I had 7 responses in 2 hours so I took the ad down. A few of them are mighty busy flying planes south, the rest were just pilots looking for something to do during their downtime.

We are essential services in their words, even though it'd come across pt91. I don't think me flying a spam can is essential, but I guess in Alaska it could be framed that way.
Click to expand...
you have a Canadian pilot that will fly it.. go for it.
 
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