Looking for Original N Number

[Oddball]

where can I locate the original N reg number for Cessna 170B Serial number 26894?

Any forum source source for this info, or does someone have the list, or point me to the web page for this?

TX

[Bruce Fenstermacher]

Matt,

Assuming this 170B is in Africa if it had been exported right from Cessna it may never have been assigned a US registration number.

There is no data base specifically to find a US registration number that has been changed. How ever I have accumulated enough aircraft data from various databases for my work on the associations directory to figure out what the US registration number would have been (if it had one) by identifying registration numbers of adjacent serial numbered aircraft.

I will see what I can dig up in a few hours.

You may also be able to find the N number by doing some detective work yourself through the aircraft records. If the aircraft was registered in the US the records could be available from the FAA. Or if your lucky you may have the original W&B report for the aircraft from Cessna. This document created as the aircraft became airworthy and delivered originally will have the original registration number on it.

[Bruce Fenstermacher]

My research indicates that serial number 26894 would have been issued the US registration number of N2951D if it was ever issued a US registration. This particular number was at one time registered to a 1979 Piper but has been deregistered and is currently available again at this time.

[GAHorn]

Bruce's excellent work on our Assocn's Directory is very helpful in so many ways. I happened to notice that by the time Cessna had produced the serials in the 25XXX-26XXX range that tail numbers began an odd, almost random application. It was as if available N-number ranges were allocated in small groups rather than entire sequences as previously.
If it's being contemplated to return a foreign registered airplane to US registry, keep in mind that it will be necessary to EXPORT the airplane from the country-of-registry, and then accomplish a "conformity" inspection for airworthiness by a US-authorized airworthiness inspector, before it can be placed on the US registry.

[Brad Brady]

Bruce's excellent work on our Assocn's Directory is very helpful in so many ways. I happened to notice that by the time Cessna had produced the serials in the 25XXX-26XXX range that tail numbers began an odd, almost random application. It was as if available N-number ranges were allocated in small groups rather than entire sequences as previously.
If it's being contemplated to return a foreign registered airplane to US registry, keep in mind that it will be necessary to EXPORT the airplane from the country-of-registry, and then accomplish a "conformity" inspection for airworthiness by a US-authorized airworthiness inspector, before it can be placed on the US registry.

George that was an interesting post. Is it necessary to export the aircraft for conformity inspection, or just the mechanic? I know the guys in the Netherlands, group their aircraft and have a US mechanic annual the aircraft (although they have never changed from US registry). I have never done it...but aircraft coming in from Canada, also needs a conformity inspection. From what I understand the work is done in shop and paperwork sent to the feds......Of course the plane is exported to the US.....I was just wondering how fine I could split that hair ....

[GAHorn]

When a US registered airplane is exported to another country for registration in that country's CAA system, the aircraft must undergo a "conformity" inspection for the export authorization from the US state department (who has authority for exportation of certain, controlled, US mfr'd goods, including aircraft.)
The conformity inspection must be certified by either FAA (aviation authority of the exporting country) or their designee, such as a DAR. Only THEN may it be exported. (This is why some operators choose to keep their airplanes operated in foreign countries on the US registry. I recall some airplanes I've exported that had equipment not meeting the airworthiness requirements of the importing country, (i.e. unapproved equipment, mods, or installations, or sometimes simply missing documentation).

The consideration in that case is that only a US certificated pilot may operate a US registered airplane. (Explains why some foreigners have US certificates....they actually never operate over here, but they operate US registered airplanes "over there".)

(The reverse also must occur when re-importing a foreign registered aircraft to the US...even tho' it may have originally been mfr'd here. (My own N146YS went thru this excersize, and an obvious error was overlooked in the process...it had the wrong engine installed when it received it's first US airworthiness certificate. The FAA inspector misssed that detail.) I discovered it when I bought the airplane and subsequently "legitimatized" the installation by purchasing Ron Massicot's STC before he donated it to our Assoc'n.)

It's also the reason US/N-registered airplanes in foreign countries must undergo their inspections by US certificated repairmen/APs.

On a related matter, .... I sometimes hear potential buyers become very nervous when purchasing a foreign-registered US-mfrd aircraft for re-importation. They are usually worried about shoddy maintenance.

But my experience has been quite the opposite, expecially if the aircraft has been on a British-Commonwealth country registration. Their regs are so much more insistent on factory-authorized parts/service that usually those aircraft are in much better condition than similar US registered aircraft. In fact, if a US mfr'd aircraft is kept on the US registry while operating in the foreign country.... it's usually in order to avoid the more stringent maintenance issues of the foreign CAA. (A Pt 91 US registered airplane has considerable more options for mx practices than most foreign CARs, which commonly insist on the same rules for both private and commercially-operated aircraft.)

[hilltop170]

.......Is it necessary to export the aircraft for conformity inspection, or just the mechanic?.........

Unless the rules have changed since 1998, you can hire a US certified DAR to travel to the airplane and do the inspection in the foreign country where it is located before the plane is physically re-imported to the USA.

I bought a C-185 in Canada and a DAR from New York come over to Toronto to do the inspection and issue the US Airworthiness Certificate before the purchase was completed as per the purchase agreement. The purchase agreement stated the plane would be purchased with a US Cert. of Airworthiness.

I would not agree to buy a plane in a foreign country unless it has first been re-certified back to the USA. If you did and problems were found at the inspection once the plane is back in the USA, you would probably be out of luck in getting any help from the seller for the extra expenses. Caveat Emptor.