Warbird Information Exchange

is it possible to work in europe on an FAA A&P license? specifically the UK? has anybody ever converted/added on the european equilavent?

I was just thinking how cool it would be to work somewhere like Duxford as a semi-retirement thing.

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All I did was press this red button here...

but I have no idea of the legality etc of it. They are high demand pros and known well in the warbird circles.

if I recall, you can work on planes registered in Canada, and of course any US plane. and any country that has a agreement with the US.
if you can figure this out

§ 43.17 Maintenance, preventive maintenance, and alterations performed on U.S. aeronautical products by certain Canadian persons.
(a) Definitions . For purposes of this section:

Aeronautical product means any civil aircraft or airframe, aircraft engine, propeller, appliance, component, or part to be installed thereon.

Canadian aeronautical product means any aeronautical product under airworthiness regulation by Transport Canada Civil Aviation.

U.S. aeronautical product means any aeronautical product under airworthiness regulation by the FAA.

(b) Applicability. This section does not apply to any U.S. aeronautical products maintained or altered under any bilateral agreement made between Canada and any country other than the United States.

(c) Authorized persons . (1) A person holding a valid Transport Canada Civil Aviation Maintenance Engineer license and appropriate ratings may, with respect to a U.S.-registered aircraft located in Canada, perform maintenance, preventive maintenance, and alterations in accordance with the requirements of paragraph (d) of this section and approve the affected aircraft for return to service in accordance with the requirements of paragraph (e) of this section.

(2) A Transport Canada Civil Aviation Approved Maintenance Organization (AMO) holding appropriate ratings may, with respect to a U.S.-registered aircraft or other U.S. aeronautical products located in Canada, perform maintenance, preventive maintenance, and alterations in accordance with the requirements of paragraph (d) of this section and approve the affected products for return to service in accordance with the requirements of paragraph (e) of this section.

(d) Performance requirements . A person authorized in paragraph (c) of this section may perform maintenance (including any inspection required by Sec. 91.409 of this chapter, except an annual inspection), preventive maintenance, and alterations, provided—

(1) The person performing the work is authorized by Transport Canada Civil Aviation to perform the same type of work with respect to Canadian aeronautical products;

(2) The maintenance, preventive maintenance, or alteration is performed in accordance with a Bilateral Aviation Safety Agreement between the United States and Canada and associated Maintenance Implementation Procedures that provide a level of safety equivalent to that provided by the provisions of this chapter;

(3) The maintenance, preventive maintenance, or alteration is performed such that the affected product complies with the applicable requirements of part 36 of this chapter; and

(4) The maintenance, preventive maintenance, or alteration is recorded in accordance with a Bilateral Aviation Safety Agreement between the United States and Canada and associated Maintenance Implementation Procedures that provide a level of safety equivalent to that provided by the provisions of this chapter.

(e) Approval requirements. (1) To return an affected product to service, a person authorized in paragraph (c) of this section must approve (certify) maintenance, preventive maintenance, and alterations performed under this section, except that an Aircraft Maintenance Engineer may not approve a major repair or major alteration.

(2) An AMO whose system of quality control for the maintenance, preventive maintenance, alteration, and inspection of aeronautical products has been approved by Transport Canada Civil Aviation, or an authorized employee performing work for such an AMO, may approve (certify) a major repair or major alteration performed under this section if the work was performed in accordance with technical data approved by the FAA.

(f) No person may operate in air commerce an aircraft, airframe, aircraft engine, propeller, or appliance on which maintenance, preventive maintenance, or alteration has been performed under this section unless it has been approved for return to service by a person authorized in this section

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Matt Gunsch, A&P, IA, Warbird maint and restorations
Jack, You have Debauched my sloth !!!!!!
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Thanks Matt, I have been told in the past that it was not hard to get a Transport Canada license if you were an experienced American A&P. That might be a good way in the back door legally.

....The almighty "high demand pros" were pretty impressed with what I've done up to now so I think if I wanted there would maybe be a slight chance they would issue me a decoder ring.
I can wield a mallet as well as anybody else.

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All I did was press this red button here...

It is possible especially working on US registered aircraft in the UK. I believe that a number of warbirds operate there on US registrations.

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"I can't understand it, I cut it twice and it's still too short!" Robert F. Dupre' 1923-2010 Go With God.

I know that the EASA (the European FAA) licensed technicians go through a lot more to get their licenses than we do here in the States. I teach an aircaft maintenance course that is EASA approved and have dealt with EASA quite a bit.

They have an "A" license which is not an airframe license, it's just a basic license that says that you can work on aircaft under the supervisioin of a properly rated technican. In order to sign off anything you have to be rated on the aircraft. They have a B1 rating which covers airframe and engines, a B2 rating which covers avionics and a C license which is for managers who don't really turn wrenches. Our A&P license might convert to an "A" license but I'm not sure. To get a type rating on a particular airplane (like the pilot's do) a technician has to go through a properly authorized theoretical course and then do practical, hands on training usually 2 weeks, on the airplane.

For the corporate jet that I teach, it's a 4 week theoretical course and then they go back to Europe and do the practical training for 2 weeks.

Now for working on warbirds over there, it's probably a little easier. I would suggest contacting the Imperial War Musuem, Duxford and asking. I'll bet that they will let you come over there and work and they will have someone sign off you're work, similar to our repair station's here.

You can also check out the EASA reg, which interestingly enough is Part 66. Appendix III should tell you what you need to get a license over there. (Yup, I've read it, the joys of being an instructor)

I know a Canadian who works over in the U.K., I can ask him what's required for us North American's to work over there.

Probably more than you wanted to know sorry, just trying to help.

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Bill Gorin
Vintage Flying Museum
http://www.vintageflyingmuseum.org
https://www.facebook.com/#!/group.php?gid=57513906106

I'm certainly no expert, and I can't answer the question, but there's a couple of items here I'm pretty sure are wild geese...

Not any more, I understand, The CAA (FAA equivalent) clamped down on that in the 1990s, IIRC. (Happy to be corrected!)

The IWM doesn't operate an active aircraft at all. The flying aircraft at Duxford are all privately owned and operated by companies using the museum as a base. Therefore you won't get anything useful from the IWM except perhaps a referral. The organisations operating warbirds are the Fighter Collection, Old Flying Machine Co, Sally B Ltd, Historic Flying Ltd and the Aircraft Restoration Co among others. They may be interested in discussing options and what you or they can do to make it legal and viable.

In the absence of anyone who knows the answer here (so far) contact the Civil Aviation Authority, I understand they are the governing body in question.

http://www.caa.co.uk/

I think this page might help:
http://www.caa.co.uk/default.aspx?catid=137

Canada needs compatibility with the US due to proximity, trade, likewise across Europe there is a much greater standardisation. I have no idea, but I'd make no assumptions of Transatlantic compatibility.

Also:
http://www.alae.org/index.php?p=49&pp=0&title=About_Us

This may have some useful contacts /advice:
http://www.questonline.co.uk/articles/a ... neering__1

There may be spelling and vocab English tests for Americans (Most British engineers will know your lingo - they'll have terms that you'll probably not have encountered before, unless you've worked in an English-English environment). Don't ask to be paid in Dollars or Euros, they're very proud of trying to pile on their Pounds.

I suspect if you were working as an unpaid volunteer on warbirds, you'd not have signing authority anyway as a rule, but relevant experience would probably be of interest, and if there's a question of converting paper, to make you 'more useful', they'd be able to advise.

I'm sure someone better qualified can answer much better, but in the meantime I hope that helps!

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James K

"Switch on the underwater landing lights"
Emilio Largo, Thunderball.

www.VintageAeroWriter.com

When my company has a broken aircraft in Canada, we are required to buy a work permit to perfrom any work on the aircraft and also we have to show that there are no "qualified" engineers available to perform the work. Canadians are required to be licensed on each type of aircraft they work on. Americans are not. I have been told in the past that it is the same in Europe. The same works when they come down here to work on Air Canada aircraft.

Rick

Rick,
Read my first post, that is the current law, right off the FAA website. It spells out what can be done with Canada.

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Matt Gunsch, A&P, IA, Warbird maint and restorations
Jack, You have Debauched my sloth !!!!!!
We tried voting with the Ballot box, When do we start voting from the Ammo box, and am I allowed only one vote ?
Check out the Ercoupe Discussion Group on facebook

If you are not warbird specific you will find plenty of work in the UK and Europe. Many people including myself own light aircraft under the N-reg.
My A&P and IA friends can't cope with the amount of work they have.

Not many 'premier league' types (P-51, Spitfire etc) are on the N reg in the UK these days as the CAA had a big clamp down on Permit to Fly aircraft about ten years ago and forced them on to the G register.

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Warbird Colour - Authentic historic aircraft finishes http://www.warbirdcolour.co.uk

I know it's not England, but I believe all, or nearly all, of Red Bull's Warbirds are with an N number.

Gary