Physically changing the tail number

[SixPapaCharlie]

I registered a new tail number for my airplane and transferred it over to the buyer.

All bills of sale have been signed and the existing tail number is in the process of being registered to him.

Paperwork has been filed to re-register the plane under the new tail number and she said that is going to take about six weeks to go through.

Once that's done we transfer the old tail number back to me so I can put it on my next plane.

The question is, I physically have the new tail number printed in vinyl at my house. Can I go ahead and physically remove the old one, put the new one on the plane and the buyer fly under that tail number or does all that physical stuff have to happen in six weeks after the transition is complete?

He's a five-hour, student pilot that's not going to be making any trips anytime soon.

 

[Clip4]

If there is a registration serial number / N number mismatch I would say no.

 

[Morgan3820]

Don’t forget to get a new certificate of airworthiness. That bit my DPE a couple of years ago.

 

[Bell206]

Can I go ahead and physically remove the old one, put the new one on the plane and the buyer fly under that tail number or does all that physical stuff have to happen in six weeks after the transition is complete?

Until you receive and return the -64 form for the new N# you can't operate the aircraft under the new number. Technically you can't install the number either but previous work arounds were to install/paint/apply the new number then cover it with a decal of the old number to operate until the 64 form arrived.

 

[masloki]

Don’t forget a little placard of the new number for the instrument panel.

 

[MooneyDriver78]

Don’t forget a little placard of the new number for the instrument panel.

Is that required? If you own the plane, you hopefully don’t need a placard with the tail number.

 

[masloki]

Required, no. Student pilot bought the plane…every little bit helps.