Glider Insurance for non-US residents

Hi all,

I'm planning a trip next summer to the USA from Australia, from May
through September, and I'm planning on buying a glider before I get
here and having a friend keep it for me until I arrive, then shipping
it out of the US at the end of the trip. I already have a specific
glider in mind. Can anyone advise on what insurance issues I might
face, and the best way around them?

I'd like to insure it for ground risks only until I arrive, but the
seller is concerned that it might be difficult to get insurance
without a US address. I could maybe use my friend's address but don't
want to bother him with having to forward paperwork etc.

One thought I had was that I could leave the insurance in his name,
and add me to the policy as a co-owner. This might work if I left the
current owner with a $1 share in the glider, perhaps?

Any suggestions or advice more than welcome. Thanks...
Al Barnes.

I'd contact Costello Insurance Co. They are very familiar with gliders
and write group insurance for SSA members and clubs.

Costello Insurance website:
http://www.gliderinsurance.com/

Join the SSA for the SSA group plan with Costello:
www.ssa.org

I've insured my gliders and towplanes with Pat Costello for decades.
Staff is very helpful. Located in Tempe, Arizona, near Phoenix.
USA toll free telephone: 800-528-6483
E-mail: insure"at"aviationi.com


Burt
Marfa Gliders Soaring Centre
West Texas
USA
www.flygliders.com

Here is some contact information;

Work: +1-480-968-7746
Fax: +1-480-967-3828
E-mail:
Website: http://www.gliderinsurance.com

On Jun 21, 10:01*pm, Mike wrote:
I'd contact Costello Insurance Co. They are very familiar with gliders
and write group insurance for SSA members and clubs.

Thanks Mike.

I think I might have hit a bigger hurdle, and that is the ownership
itself. It appears that a non-US Citizen can't own an 'N' registered
aircraft. I would have thought that there were plenty of glider owners
who didn't meet that criteria? I really wouldn't want to have to pay
an Australian sailplane engineer to come over to the US and re-
register it as an Australian aircraft - although it looks like that
might be the only option?

Go to this website (not an official FAA website) to see some questions
and answers about your situation:

http://www.faaregistrations.com/


Keep in mind you will need a US FAA pilot certificate to fly a US
registered "N" numbered aircraft in the USA, per FAR 61.3
Obtaining a US Restricted pilot certificate "based upon" your foreign
license take time.
See the info for foreign pilots on www.ssa.org

On Jun 21, 10:47*pm, Burt Compton - Marfa wrote:
Go to this website (not an official FAA website) to see some questions
and answers about your situation:

http://www.faaregistrations.com/

Keep in mind you will need a US FAA pilot certificate to fly a US
registered "N" numbered aircraft in the USA, per FAR 61.3
Obtaining a US Restricted pilot certificate "based upon" your foreign
license take time.
See the info for foreign pilots onwww.ssa.org

Thanks Burt, very helpful. You've taken a load off my mind.

On Jun 21, 5:34*am, Allan Barnes wrote:
On Jun 21, 10:01*pm, Mike wrote:

I'd contact Costello Insurance Co. They are very familiar with gliders
and write group insurance for SSA members and clubs.

Thanks Mike.

I think I might have hit a bigger hurdle, and that is the ownership
itself. It appears that a non-US Citizen can't own an 'N' registered
aircraft. I would have thought that there were plenty of glider owners
who didn't meet that criteria? I really wouldn't want to have to pay
an Australian sailplane engineer to come over to the US and re-
register it as an Australian aircraft - although it looks like that
might be the only option?

It's not actually true that a non US citizen cannot own an N
registered aircraft, but becoming a resident alien will be just a big
an obstacle for you. You can, however, be a member of a Limited
Liability Company and the company can own the aircraft. In US many
aircraft are owned by, and registered to, an LLC rather than the
individual partners themselves. The LLC allows a US national and a non
US national to co-own an aircraft.

In your situation the best solution may be to lease the glider from
the current owner until you are ready to leave US. You could be a
named insured on the owner's policy. When it's time to leave, compete
the purchase, and arrange for de-registration and export.


Andy

On Jun 21, 5:29*am, Burt Compton - Marfa wrote:
Costello Insurance website:http://www.gliderinsurance.com/

Join the SSA for the SSA group plan with Costello:www.ssa.org

I've insured my gliders and towplanes with Pat Costello for decades.
Staff is very helpful. *Located in Tempe, Arizona, near Phoenix.
USA toll free telephone: 800-528-6483
E-mail: *insure"at"aviationi.com

Burt
Marfa Gliders Soaring Centre
West Texas
USAwww.flygliders.com

A Canadian glider might also be a possibility. Not sure what the
import requirements are between Commonwealth countries.

Craig

On Jun 22, 12:47*am, Burt Compton - Marfa wrote:
Go to this website (not an official FAA website) to see some questions
and answers about your situation:

http://www.faaregistrations.com/

Keep in mind you will need a US FAA pilot certificate to fly a US
registered "N" numbered aircraft in the USA, per FAR 61.3
Obtaining a US Restricted pilot certificate "based upon" your foreign
license take time.
See the info for foreign pilots onwww.ssa.org

Last time I did it, it was very easy to fly solo as a student pilot,
while waiting for your US reciprocal license. You have to be "under
supervision" but, as with everywhere, that supervision can be pretty
loose and confined to discussing your intentions with an instructor
before takeoff. It certainly didn't prevent x-country flight.