Changing N Number

Hang 4

Hang 4

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Hang 4
My plane has an all numeric N number. It's kind of a pain to repeat every time I call ATC and I reserved an N Number that has some significance. My wife and I have the same initials (KS) and our anniversary is available so I forked over $10 to reserve the number. Got some points for that.

Question is, what's involved in changing over besides sending application and $$ to the FAA and physically changing the numbers on the fuselage? Any Gotcha's? Does the timing need to be carefully managed, like getting the new registration and changing it over right away? Anyone have some actual experience with a switch.
 
Hang 4 said:
My plane has an all numeric N number. It's kind of a pain to repeat every time I call ATC and I reserved an N Number that has some significance. My wife and I have the same initials (KS) and our anniversary is available so I forked over $10 to reserve the number. Got some points for that.

Question is, what's involved in changing over besides sending application and $$ to the FAA and physically changing the numbers on the fuselage? Any Gotcha's? Does the timing need to be carefully managed, like getting the new registration and changing it over right away? Anyone have some actual experience with a switch.
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Following.

As a question that I have on this subject:

How would you then change the broadcasted N number within the transponder?
 
In AR, your gonna have to explain to the state that you didn’t buy a new plane, just changed the number. They troll the FAA registrations monthly looking for money.
 
Hang 4 said:
My plane has an all numeric N number. It's kind of a pain to repeat every time I call ATC and I reserved an N Number that has some significance. My wife and I have the same initials (KS) and our anniversary is available so I forked over $10 to reserve the number. Got some points for that.

Question is, what's involved in changing over besides sending application and $$ to the FAA and physically changing the numbers on the fuselage? Any Gotcha's? Does the timing need to be carefully managed, like getting the new registration and changing it over right away? Anyone have some actual experience with a switch.
Click to expand...

I too have an all numeric n number (N33372, tree, tree, tree, seven, two) and I have been wanting to change it since the day I purchased the aircraft. I often miss calls from ATC because it does not stand out from all of the unrelated 'two's'. The local paint shop quoted me $2500 to change it. The rest is just paperwork as described. I am not sure I hate it $2500 worth. But maybe sometime in the future....
 
Here's the link to the FAA website that tells you how to do it. I can send you a word document for the letter I sent in to OKC for the approval if you want it as an example. I forgot how many days you have to get the AW certificate updated through the FSDO and new numbers applied, but it was a good period of time. I did mine while in the paint shop. It wasn't difficult, but took some time going through snail mail and waiting for them to process the paperwork.

https://www.faa.gov/licenses_certificates/aircraft_certification/aircraft_registry/special_nnumbers/

If you are ADSB compliant, you'll probably need an avionics shop to change the settings for you unless it can be done via a simpler method. Just depends on what you might have installed.

Cheers,
Brian
 
Morgan3820 said:
I too have an all numeric n number (N33372, tree, tree, tree, seven, two) and I have been wanting to change it since the day I purchased the aircraft. I often miss calls from ATC because it does not stand out from all of the unrelated 'two's'. The local paint shop quoted me $2500 to change it. The rest is just paperwork as described. I am not sure I hate it $2500 worth. But maybe sometime in the future....
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How about an aviation wrap for the N number? That could be cheaper.
 
It's really easy. Don't have the number handy right now but there's a number for some folks in Oklahoma where you just pay the ten bucks and they handle everything you get a temporary and then your new one comes in the mail eventually. It's super simple
 
BrianNC said:
How about an aviation wrap for the N number? That could be cheaper.
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Maybe I'd really don't know much about it. I know some aircraft get a wrap. But I thought it was a whole plain thing. And don't you have to takeoff the old paint first.?
 
Hang 4 said:
Question is, what's involved in changing over besides sending application and $$ to the FAA and physically changing the numbers on the fuselage? Any Gotcha's? Does the timing need to be carefully managed, like getting the new registration and changing it over right away? Anyone have some actual experience with a switch.
Click to expand...

I changed mine last year. Timing was important but not difficult. You can't have mismatched numbers on the AC and plane. I did have to make an appointment to meet with someone at the local FSDO office. They wanted to know why I wanted to change the number. I was there a total of maybe 15 minutes. The individual I met with was quite nice and the whole thing was pretty painless.
 
Hang 4 said:
My plane has an all numeric N number. It's kind of a pain to repeat every time I call ATC and I reserved an N Number that has some significance. My wife and I have the same initials (KS) and our anniversary is available so I forked over $10 to reserve the number. Got some points for that.

Question is, what's involved in changing over besides sending application and $$ to the FAA and physically changing the numbers on the fuselage? Any Gotcha's? Does the timing need to be carefully managed, like getting the new registration and changing it over right away? Anyone have some actual experience with a switch.
Click to expand...

We switched the club's R182 from N1710R to N271RG. The FAA link provided above is a good place to start. You need to apply for the new N number, have it put on the airplane, and actually interact with US Mail. Might want to Google how that works. ;)

Ryanb said:
As a question that I have on this subject:

How would you then change the broadcasted N number within the transponder?
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Theoretically you should have an avionics shop do it, but depending on your transponder model, Google may know how to do it too. It's a trivial change on something like a GTX 345 or 330ES, so even if you have a shop do it, it shouldn't cost much.

SkyDog58 said:
You will need to have your airworthiness certificate updated. The FSDO will do it for free.
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Yes, but they won't tell you to do it... And it is a separate process from getting the new N number approved. Don't forget.
 
Wow, thanks - lots of things I didn't think of. Trying to figure how to do this with minimal grounding time and also to not mess up my instrument practical with something being half done and plane having a paperwork issue that stops it before it starts.

Hadn't thought of;
Transponder
Greedy tax man
Airworthiness cert.

I think I have vinyl numbers on the plane now, should be able to peel them and get new matching ones. I expect the paint underneath might be a bit off color wise though from the existing numbers blocking UV. Will also be relocating to FL, so not sure if it's better to do this all in one big thing, or separate the change of address from change of N number.

Guess I'll wait til Instrument gets knocked off and try to do it during september when plane goes into annual.
 
flyingcheesehead said:
... The FAA link provided above is a good place to start.

...
Yes, but they won't tell you to do it... And it is a separate process from getting the new N number approved. Don't forget.
Click to expand...

Oh but the web page the link takes you to does tell you to do it.
 
Ryanb said:
How would you then change the broadcasted N number within the transponder?
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First, unless you have MODE S, your transponder doesn't have a clue what your N number is.
On a Mode S transponder, there are two things that need to be set. One is the Mode S identity code. That's an "installation time" setting. Depending on the transponder it's either coded in the tray or setup mode. In addition, there's the N-number. That's often settable from the front panel (it goes in the same field the airline flight number goes).
 
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