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CTLSi PtF European version import to the USA


Jnowak

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I wondered if anyone has experience or could direct me to the source where I can get this information. I live in Europe and have CTLSi registered in Germany. The plane has EASA Permit to Fly (PtF) certificate. It is variable pitch constant speed prop version - it does not conform to US LSA specs. I am relocated to the USA for business reasons and I want to get (ship) the plane over here for a couple of months. I have both US and EASA PPL. Do you know if a plane under PtF is allowed to fly here and what additional paperwork is needed? Thanks in advance. Jack.

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If you have a private license with a complex endorsement I think the plane will fall in that category. The aircraft certification may be an issue however and the easiest may be to make it experimental. Your local FAA FSDO should have an answer for you. (This is only my opinion as I have not dealt with this issue.)

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Order 8900.2 defines it.

 

A complex airplane is defined as having a retractable landing gear, flaps, and a controllable pitch propeller, including airplanes equipped with an engine control system consisting of a digital computer and associated accessories for controlling the engine and propeller such as full-authority digital engine control (FADEC). In the case of a seaplane, “complex” means having flaps and a controllable pitch propeller, including seaplanes equipped with an engine control system consisting of a FADEC. If a person has not logged flight time as PIC of a complex airplane, before August 4, 1997, the pilot must have received and logged ground and flight training from an authorized instructor in a complex airplane, or in an FSTD that is representative of a complex airplane, and have been found proficient in the operation and systems of the airplane. Additionally, the person must have received a one-time endorsement in the pilot’s logbook from an authorized instructor who certifies the person is proficient to operate a complex airplane.

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That doesn't quite clarify it for me since "and" should mean that it is only complex if it has retractable gear, controllable pitch propeller and flaps. That would, according to the rules of logic and grammar mean that retractable gear alone would not be complex. Is this the case? (If you take it to mean "or" then any plane with flaps is complex.)

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Having all 3 is exactly what it means.

 

Have you flown a complex? There's a lot to manage, trust me. I can see why the endorsement became a thing. You have go fly one to get it. It's not just landing gear, but the fact that there's a lot to juggle at once.

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No, I have not. That is why I am asking the questions. For retractable only, do you need an endorsement? Yes, I certainly understand why the endorsement and the complexity of the system. I am just trying to understand the regs as the relate to retractable and constant speed props.

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For retractable only, do you need an endorsement?

No.

 

Complex requires all three items - retractable landing gear AND flaps AND controllable propellor.

 

Only have one or two of the three? By definition not complex and no endorsement needed.

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I wondered if anyone has experience or could direct me to the source where I can get this information. I live in Europe and have CTLSi registered in Germany. The plane has EASA Permit to Fly (PtF) certificate. It is variable pitch constant speed prop version - it does not conform to US LSA specs. I am relocated to the USA for business reasons and I want to get (ship) the plane over here for a couple of months. I have both US and EASA PPL. Do you know if a plane under PtF is allowed to fly here and what additional paperwork is needed? Thanks in advance. Jack.

 

You cannot fly the plane legally as a Sport Pilot in the USA.  But with a PPL you can fly it with no question.  It is not high performance and it does not have a retractable gear.  Check with a FSDO to get the rules on temporary use.

 

With such a short stay does it make econ sense to pay for shipping both ways (presuming you are not flying it here and back)?  Why not just rent planes.

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Thank you. That was not something I was familiar with and never had the occasion to ask.

 

You should try sometime. They aren't really hard to fly, but there's a lot of opportunity to do something very wrong with how much is juggled at once. Landing one is a constant knob, switch, and trim game. The constant speed prop is probably the thing that adds the most load, because if you change power settings in the wrong order, you will likely do a lot of engine damage.

 

If a CT were a complex, it would honestly be quite difficult to land since we're compounding the landing with their squirreliness in the wind.

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You cannot fly the plane legally as a Sport Pilot in the USA.  But with a PPL you can fly it with no question.  It is not high performance and it does not have a retractable gear.  Check with a FSDO to get the rules on temporary use.

 

With such a short stay does it make econ sense to pay for shipping both ways (presuming you are not flying it here and back)?  Why not just rent planes.

 

Thank you 100Hamburger, this make sense. I have PPL for complex planes and CTLS is certainly far from that even with constant speed prop. You are right with economics - that makes sense in case I stay longer - it was actualy intention of my question. My biggest issue is PtF - this is a weird sort of certifying planes in Europe - in fact I planned to have full certification (ELA - FD still managed to get restricted typ certificate for this plane in EU) but that was happening when FD was going under water and it was too risky. I will consult FSDO, thanks.

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