The last four months in the private jet market have seen a significant decline in the inventory of some models of aircraft that are for sale. This is particularly true when searching for EASA certified or EASA capable aircraft. In some markets, there may not be any aircraft available that are EASA certified. As an EU based buyer who needs an EASA aircraft, how do you handle this new market dynamic?
Aircraft not currently registered in the EU are not precluded from being modified to be registered in the EU. As with all things aviation, with enough money and time, anything is possible. But in order to keep the costs and time investment reasonable, there are a few items to consider when looking at aircraft non EASA registered:
- Is your selected aircraft of a weight category to need certain avionics in order to obtain registration in the EU? Items such as the Flight Data Recorder and TCAS II are required over a certain weight threshold. If you are in the market for a light jet beneath the threshold, you would not need these to be installed and as a result can look at a larger number of possible aircraft. For aircraft over the weight threshold, these avionics will be needed and you would need to focus on aircraft that have the necessary items installed. Your aircraft broker will be able to assist and clarify these rules for you.
- Research past modifications made to the aircraft you are interested in. Modifications accepted by one authority may not always be automatically accepted by another authority. Have your broker or advisor research into modifications made to the plane to see if they will be accepted by your local EASA authority.
As markets continue to witness shrinking supply, the above two steps may become necessary in order to find a good option for an import into the EU. As the global market for private jets gets more active, the need to look further afield and go through an importation will become ever more necessary.
When discussing your aircraft acquisition with your aircraft broker, they will be able to guide you and inform you on the registration details and intricacies that can become costly or problematic. Buying non EASA registered aircraft is a definite possibility but will require a more comprehensive search process between you and your broker.
Articles are written from real world experience by Colibri Aircraft’s individuals. If you have any questions or comments about the topic of this blog, please feel free to contact us at enquiries@colibriaircraft.com
