Importing an aircraft to US from Canada

[Flybo01]

Howdy fellas

just wondering who’s done it and what is the cost involved.....i know about the import CofR,CofA, de-Registratrion and re-register in US. Is it mandatory to have an anual inspection even if one has been done recently in Canada? If someone has done it will appreciate a ball park $$ of how much u spent.....will be nice to have an idea.....thnx

 

[mondtster]

The Stinson I just helped import cost $10k. I’m not sure what the final bill on the one before that was.

Regardless of the annual status in Canada the airplane will have to conform to US standards. Most of the time the DAR has the mechanic involved complete an annual inspection on it during the import process.

Before you buy anything from north of the border I would strongly suggest looking at the airplane and doing a thorough records review. Many things that may get approved up north will not necessarily get approved here or if it does get approved it will cost significant time and money.

 

[Bell206]

Is it mandatory to have an anual inspection even if one has been done recently in Canada?

If referring to a TCCA 12 month inspection there is no transfer to an FAA Annual inpection. The aircraft will require whatever inpection(s) the person signing the new AWC needs to determine airworthiness of the aircraft.

To add to the above, best course is select who will handle import and issue AWC and let them guide you in the process. As to cost it depends on a number of things and in my experience each import cost is specific to the aircraft. Best cases were less than $1k to worse over $25k.

 

[James331]

How close are you to Canada?

What about doing it the other way and converting your cert and having mx done over there with the exchange rate and all?

 

[Bell206]

converting your cert and having mx done over there with the exchange rate and all?

If talking about a C reg domiciled in the US, owned by a US citizen, and a non-commercial aircraft, not worth the hassle or cost regardless how close to the border they live. At least in my experience.

 

[James331]

If talking about a C reg domiciled in the US, owned by a US citizen, and a non-commercial aircraft, not worth the hassle or cost regardless how close to the border they live. At least in my experience.

What would the cost be?

A few folks up north that would spend a good chunk of time on both sides, I remember seeing a few GA planes with C on our side very often and vise versa.

 

[Bell206]

What would the cost be?

As I recall mainly a tax thing. The better "deal" was N reg in Canada for non-commercial. Regardless, unless you actually went through the process based on your specific situation, I've never seen it work out from a mx perspective in my experience.

 

[Jim_CAK]

I was just listening to a podcast and one of the hosts was bringing in an old warbird. I said the paperwork was much less complicated if the Canadian owner brings the plane to the US and the transaction takes place in the US. Apparently he flew up to Canada and rode back with the owner and did the transaction in the US. I am not sure what all it saved but you may look into it. The other thing he said was key was to hire a broker.

 

[Bell206]

I am not sure what all it saved

The required paperwork and people (DAR) flows easier when the aircraft enters the US under C reg. Reversing the process, if you can find a DAR who travels, etc., doesn't flow as easy or fast due to various reasons. But using a broker, DAR, or experienced import/export shop upfront prior to final sale is the best bet to insure the aircraft is eligible for import and usually keeps things above board and streamlined.

 

[GRG55]

... I am not sure what all it saved but you may look into it...

If the transaction is done in Canada, the Canadian registration is cancelled. An airworthiness inspection must then be completed by an FAA credentialed mechanic, an N number registration has to be secured and a ferry permit needed to fly the airplane across the border. And, unless the former Canadian owner has a US endorsement, they cannot then ferry the airplane for the buyer (if that is needed), as they cannot legally fly an N-registered airplane in US airspace.

Whether importing an N-registered airplane into Canada or a C-registered airplane into the USA it's always far less hassle and cost to fly the airplane to destination on the seller's registration and insurance before closing the transaction.

 

[mondtster]

If the transaction is done in Canada, the Canadian registration is cancelled. An airworthiness inspection must then be completed by an FAA credentialed mechanic, an N number registration has to be secured and a ferry permit needed to fly the airplane across the border. And, unless the former Canadian owner has a US endorsement, they cannot then ferry the airplane for the buyer (if that is needed), as they cannot legally fly an N-registered airplane in US airspace.

Whether importing an N-registered airplane into Canada or a C-registered airplane into the USA it's always far less hassle and cost to fly the airplane to destination on the seller's registration and insurance before closing the transaction.

It should be noted that the FAA can only issue a ferry permit for the airplane from the border to wherever you’re going in the US. You’d need to obtain a ferry permit from Transport Canada to move the airplane while it is in Canada.

On the Stinson I mentioned in an earlier post I tried to do it this way. We wanted to cut down the time needed to get it back in the air on an N registration and it was sitting for the winter up in Canada. After talking to a couple ASIs at the FSDO we decided against deregistering it while it sat in Canada because it didn’t look realistic to legally move the plane this way.

There are some shops near the border that do imports/exports on a regular basis. The easiest way to get an import done would be to involve one of those shops and have them handle all the details.

 

[GRG55]

It should be noted that the FAA can only issue a ferry permit for the airplane from the border to wherever you’re going in the US. You’d need to obtain a ferry permit from Transport Canada to move the airplane while it is in Canada...

Transport Canada and the FAA seem to have come to a reciprocal agreement on this. Once the aircraft is off the Canadian registry and registered with an N-number, has been inspected by an FAA authorized mechanic, and is being flown by an FAA licensed pilot on an FAA ferry permit (a single trip airworthiness authorization) Transport Canada treats it like any other N-numbered aircraft in Canadian airspace. It works exactly the same way in reverse going from the USA to Canada. I did that with the Husky I bought in Colorado last fall (due to certain extenuating circumstances). But it was still a total PITA and more expensive and time consuming than it should be.

Best to fly the airplane across the border on the seller's registration and insurance, then close the deal. That's what I did with the Aztec in 2012.

 

[Flybo01]

If the transaction is done in Canada, the Canadian registration is cancelled. An airworthiness inspection must then be completed by an FAA credentialed mechanic, an N number registration has to be secured and a ferry permit needed to fly the airplane across the border. And, unless the former Canadian owner has a US endorsement, they cannot then ferry the airplane for the buyer (if that is needed), as they cannot legally fly an N-registered airplane in US airspace.

Whether importing an N-registered airplane into Canada or a C-registered airplane into the USA it's always far less hassle and cost to fly the airplane to destination on the seller's registration and insurance before closing the transaction.

aircraft is only 50 mnts drive from the boarder and the seller will fly it to US to do all the logistics on the US side....

 

[Flybo01]

It should be noted that the FAA can only issue a ferry permit for the airplane from the border to wherever you’re going in the US. You’d need to obtain a ferry permit from Transport Canada to move the airplane while it is in Canada.

On the Stinson I mentioned in an earlier post I tried to do it this way. We wanted to cut down the time needed to get it back in the air on an N registration and it was sitting for the winter up in Canada. After talking to a couple ASIs at the FSDO we decided against deregistering it while it sat in Canada because it didn’t look realistic to legally move the plane this way.

There are some shops near the border that do imports/exports on a regular basis. The easiest way to get an import done would be to involve one of those shops and have them handle all the details.

any info on these shops? I am looking at something close to North Dakota