Advice for buying & importing aircraft from Canada to the U.S.

Hello all, my name is Bryan and I'm brand new to this forum group! I am interested in purchasing my very first airplane...specifically an RV-8 airplane. After lots of research, I found one that I like, meets my criteria, and is within my financial budget. The only complicating factor is that the airplane is registered in Canada.

I've been referencing some information from the following AOPA website on some of the steps of importing aircraft from foreign countries:

https://www.aopa.org/training-and-s...ustification/importing-and-exporting-aircraft

Do any of you have any prior experience importing aircraft or additional advice that you can lend me to help make my purchasing process a lot smoother and without any big negative surprises?

I am currently at the very interested phase. But I'm leaning towards taking a trip up to see the plane in person and possibly get a pre-purchase inspection within the next couple months. I've already been in frequent communication with the owner and let him know that I'm very interested in buying his airplane. My biggest concern is that the airplane (which is registered in Canada) also meets all the current FAA airworthiness directives (ADs). Do any of you know how to check on this?

Thanks in advance!

I've certificated quite a few amateur-built aircraft that were built in Canada.
What you must be aware of is that for certification as experimental amateur-built in the U.S., you must be able to show proof that the aircraft meets our 51% rule. This can be done with a builder's log and statements from the original builder.
The process is the same as it would be for a newly built aircraft.

RV8er86 said:

Hello all
My biggest concern is that the airplane (which is registered in Canada) also meets all the current FAA airworthiness directives (ADs). Do any of you know how to check on this?

Thanks in advance!

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The FAA does not issue ADs against experimental aircraft.
You can check Vans Aircraft web site for factory recommended maintenance items (as close as you'll get to an AD).
You can also search the FAA web site for specific parts. For example, if the airplane uses a type certificated engine, you can look for ADs against that engine.

RV8

Check your pm.

RV8er86 said:

....... My biggest concern is that the airplane (which is registered in Canada) also meets all the current FAA airworthiness directives (ADs). Do any of you know how to check on this?

Thanks in advance!

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In general, doesn't Transport Canada simply pick up the US FAA-issued ADs?

az_gila said:

In general, doesn't Transport Canada simply pick up the US FAA-issued ADs?

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Yes.

Extra words to keep forum SW happy.

RV8er86 said:

My biggest concern is that the airplane (which is registered in Canada) also meets all the current FAA airworthiness directives (ADs).

Click to expand...

Strictly speaking there are no ADs for an amateur built aircraft as they only apply to specific certified aircraft.
But it's a good idea to check for engine AD compliance if you have a certified engine type.

I'll be bringing an RV-8 in from the UK shortly, which involves a bit more paperwork. At your first port of entry to the US you should provide all the import paperwork. I'll be using a customs agent (Deringer) to take care of that.

You also need Special Flight Authorisation for flying a foreign home-built in the US; that's relatively straightforward for a Canadian aircraft as there is a reciprocal arrangement between Canada and US.

PM Sent ---- TJ

Hey Brian, glad to see you here. Should be able to find someone here that will answer all your questions.

Hopefully we'll be flying together soon!

Mel said:

What you must be aware of is that for certification as experimental amateur-built in the U.S., you must be able to show proof that the aircraft meets our 51% rule. This can be done with a builder's log and statements from the original builder.

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In Canada, when importing a US amateur-built this is done based on the aircraft type, not documentation from construction... The assumption is that if it's an RV-8, it had to meet the 51% requirement when it was built and initially registered. I would have thought the FAA would act in a similar fashion.

Snowflake said:

In Canada, when importing a US amateur-built this is done based on the aircraft type, not documentation from construction... The assumption is that if it's an RV-8, it had to meet the 51% requirement when it was built and initially registered. I would have thought the FAA would act in a similar fashion.

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Hmmm, somewhere in a dusty corner of my brain there is the thought that here in Canada we have looser rules on WHO does the building - that we can use more professional help than a U.S. builder can. But maybe I dreamt that.

SMO said:

Hmmm, somewhere in a dusty corner of my brain there is the thought that here in Canada we have looser rules on WHO does the building - that we can use more professional help than a U.S. builder can. But maybe I dreamt that.

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I believe the rules are the same, but the enforcement may be a little less rigid when it comes to allowing builder-assist. Regardless, in the US, when you buy an amateur-built, it doesn't matter who built it... You don't get to maintain it (unless you're an AME, unless you're the original builder buying it back, etc.). It just seems silly to require proof that it was 51% built by amateurs once it's already a proven, flying airplane. Whoever built it, it's complete now, and it's flying.

That's the same reason we can import US aircraft to Canada, provided they have their 100 hours of flight, without requiring full MD-RA inspection of all internal cavities.

Snowflake said:

I believe the rules are the same, but the enforcement may be a little less rigid when it comes to allowing builder-assist. Regardless, in the US, when you buy an amateur-built, it doesn't matter who built it... You don't get to maintain it (unless you're an AME, unless you're the original builder buying it back, etc.). It just seems silly to require proof that it was 51% built by amateurs once it's already a proven, flying airplane. Whoever built it, it's complete now, and it's flying.
That's the same reason we can import US aircraft to Canada, provided they have their 100 hours of flight, without requiring full MD-RA inspection of all internal cavities.

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Anyone can maintain, repair, modify, etc. an experimental amateur-built aircraft in the U.S.
The repairman certificate only authorizes the holder to perform and sign-off the annual condition inspection.

Snowflake said:

I believe the rules are the same, but the enforcement may be a little less rigid when it comes to allowing builder-assist.

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In fact the rules are different. In Canada we can overtly hire a "professional" to build our amateur-built aircraft, as long as we can prove we exercised control over the process. In the US one cannot hire a "professional" to build the aircraft. Instead, credit for the 51% participation is given on a task-by-task basis. If there are two ailerons, the builder can build one of them and check off the box to say he has built ailerons. It's as a result of this task-by-task methodology that programs like Glasair's Two Weeks to Taxi program are fully approved by the FAA. The builder actually participates in 51% of the tasks.

The FAA position on importation of a Canadian amateur-built aircraft is aimed at validating the aircraft was indeed built by an amateur builder rather than a professional "hired gun". If this were not the case we would see hired guns in Canada assembling RV's and then selling them south across the border. The FAA clearly understands this would be in violation of the 51% rule, hence their insistence on proof the aircraft was built by an amateur.

Of note, the proof can be relatively simple. A hand-written builder's log often suffices.

Also of note, I am aware of an aircraft built in Canada using professional help which recently was rejected by the FAA as a candidate for import to the US. The rules are there for a reason and the FAA does enforce them, just as Transport Canada / MD-RA enforces the applicable rules for importation of a homebuilt aircraft from the US into Canada.

Mel said:

Anyone can maintain, repair, modify, etc. an experimental amateur-built aircraft in the U.S.
The repairman certificate only authorizes the holder to perform and sign-off the annual condition inspection.

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Yes! Darn, I keep forgetting that. I shouldn't, because i'm one of the first people to speak up when a certified owner says he can't do anything on his plane... When really he can, as long as it's under the supervision of his AME and the AME is willing to sign it off.

Canadian_JOY said:

In Canada we can overtly hire a "professional" to build our amateur-built aircraft, as long as we can prove we exercised control over the process.

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Officially, not since 2009, when the Exemption that allowed it was cancelled.

As I said, the rules are there, but not consistently enforced.

Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaat??????

Ok Rob, I was gonna say that we had all the smartest guys in the country commenting on this............., and here Mr. Google has actually come up with the confirmation of your statement, which I was TOTALLY unaware of!

http://www.tc.gc.ca/CivilAviation/Regserv/Affairs/exemptions/docs/en/1963.htm

ah yes, TC, taking the fun out, and replacing with bureaucratic clusterduck, one regulation at a time!!

( cancelled in '06, & 3 years for the ink to dry???!?!?)

Interesting indeed. Particularly so since MD-RA frequently makes reference to this (now cancelled) exemption. The key words seem to be 'non-commercial, non-production basis". Now how strictly that non-commercial term is applied is another question, particularly as there are at least two rivet bangers for hire in our local area and they never seem to be short of work.

Pick your DAR carefully!

One of our members imported a -9A to the US from Canada and the DAR he found was convinced that licensing it as an E-AB was the kiss of death. He was pushing the gut into the Experimental - Exhibition category.

I can't remember if he got another DAR or had another DAR intervene on his behalf. Either way, he eventually got it certified as an E-AB but it took a LOT longer than it should have.

N941WR said:

Pick your DAR carefully!
One of our members imported a -9A to the US from Canada and the DAR he found was convinced that licensing it as an E-AB was the kiss of death. He was pushing the guy into the Experimental - Exhibition category.
I can't remember if he got another DAR or had another DAR intervene on his behalf.

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That's scary. Experimental Exhibition is the very LAST place I would push anyone.
If you can show compliance with the 51% rule, amateur-built certification is as simple as if the aircraft were built in the U.S.