RV-9A from Brazil - possible to get N number?

Folks, I live in Brazil and will likely move permanently to the US next year. Any guidance on the possibility or who I should contact to evaluate if it is worth bringing the 9 along / documenting in the US? Thanks in advance! Bruno

If you intend to register it in the US you will have to first deregister it in Brazil, and then apply for Registration in the US. After that is accomplished you will have to apply for an Airworthiness Certification for Amateur-built aircraft, so make sure you have documents/build logs to prove that it was 51% built by amateurs. A local DAR in the area in which you intend to move in the US should be able to help you.

Vic

Does the US have a bilateral agreement with Brazil for the importation of homebuilts? They do with Canada so we can fly our airplanes in the US and register them across borders if certain conditions are met. I don't know if that is the case for aircraft from other countries. Do NOT deregister it in Brazil until you are very certain that you can meet the US requirements. Otherwise you will be stuck in no-man's land. This happened to me important into Canada, but fortunately we were able to sort it out. But it might have ended badly.

And you must be a "citizen of the United States" in order to register the aircraft with the FAA.

Jim Heekin
Orlando, FL

GatorJim said:

And you must be a "citizen of the United States" in order to register the aircraft with the FAA.

Jim Heekin
Orlando, FL

Click to expand...

To add to Jim's post. To register in your own name you must be a citizen or permanent resident.

Otherwise the easiest option is an ownership trust, which is relatively inexpensive or ask an eligible person to register in their name.
That second option comes with the caution that in the event of death/divorce... the aircraft will be deemed their property!

Operating a foreign registered aircraft in the US without a standard category C of A requires prior authorisation and will only be for a limited period other than the standard authorisation agreement between USA/Canada.

Going a little deeper.....

I believe there are quite a few RV-9's in Brazil that were built professionally.
If yours is one of these, it will be very difficult to get an experimental amateur built C of A for it here in the U.S.

Thanks - This RV9A will stay in Brazil...

Many thanks for the guidance. Pretty clear that the wisest choice is to sell it in Brazil... unfortunately... this bird was professionally built, and I will be on a non-permanent work visa for a couple years before applying for green card... thanks once again and guess I'll be building something pretty soon