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Thread: Kitfox Expired Registration and tail number

  1. #1

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    Default Kitfox Expired Registration and tail number

    Hey Guys, I am looking at buying a kitfox that has expired (like 5 years ago) tail number and reg. Can anyone give me an idea of what it would take to get this kitfox registered and legal? Is it going to be a nasty process?

    Thanks in advance!

    -Jason

  2. #2
    Senior Member 109JB's Avatar
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    Default Re: Kitfox Expired Registration and tail number

    Quote Originally Posted by Bundy View Post
    Hey Guys, I am looking at buying a kitfox that has expired (like 5 years ago) tail number and reg. Can anyone give me an idea of what it would take to get this kitfox registered and legal? Is it going to be a nasty process?

    Thanks in advance!

    -Jason
    Did you get an FAA bill of sale? If so not that big of a deal. If the n-number has not be reassigned then you can likely get the same one again. Worst case, you have to get a new number assigned and paint it on the airplane. Call your local FSDO and they can help you out.

    Now if you didn't get an FAA bill of sale from the owner of record then you have a problem. FAA wants a continuous trail from the birth of the airplane to you.

    You could also call the aircraft registration branch at Oklahoma City. You will likely be on hold for a long time but I find the ladies there are actually very friendly and very helpful. They get a bad rap, but its just they have the rules to follow. They can tell you what you need to have and what you need to do though so take note of what they say.
    John Brannen
    Morris, IL
    Sonerai IIL (Single Seat)
    Kitfox 3/4 1050 - Rotax 582 (Back Flying and sold)
    Kitfox IV 1050 - Rotax 582 (sold)
    Kitfox IV 1200 Speedster - Rotax 912 UL (project)
    Piper Twin Comanche (Sold)
    Glasair 1 FT (Waiting to start)

  3. #3
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    Default Re: Kitfox Expired Registration and tail number

    I would agree with John that the people in Oklahoma City will try to help you out. Just be sure you understand what they are asking for. Anything else will probably not work. If owner has died, the person who inherited it will probably have to do an heir at law form if the registration wasn't moved into their name. Really simple actually. What they are doing is attesting that they are the legal owner of the airplane and can there for sell it to you. If you can get the current owner to bring the registration up to date, that may be easier from the FAA's standpoint. the FAA doesn't want to end a registration if they can help it. I had a Kitfox 3 that was like that, husband died, registation expired, and not a valid trail of ownership from previous owner as well. We got it all worked out legally, and everything ended up good in the end. But like I said, understand what the people in OK are asking for, and then provide it. JImChuk

  4. #4

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    Default Re: Kitfox Expired Registration and tail number

    Thanks guys. I will def reach to the folks in OK. I haven't purchased it yet so I'm trying to figure out how this is going to happen. I'm a little concerned as the current owner says he has an FAA bill of sale from the previous owner (5-6 years ago) but did not follow through on registering the plane in his name.

  5. #5
    Senior Member 109JB's Avatar
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    Default Re: Kitfox Expired Registration and tail number

    Quote Originally Posted by Bundy View Post
    Thanks guys. I will def reach to the folks in OK. I haven't purchased it yet so I'm trying to figure out how this is going to happen. I'm a little concerned as the current owner says he has an FAA bill of sale from the previous owner (5-6 years ago) but did not follow through on registering the plane in his name.
    That is a big red flag. The bill of sale has to be the FAA bill of sale form and it has to be filled out EXACTLY how FAA wants it. If one block is wrong then the owner of record with the FAA will have to correct it. The Kitfox I bought last year was that way. The guy I bought it from sent in the bill of sale and there was something not right about it. FAA sent it back to him to correct and he never did. Online it showed as sale pending and I thought that it just had not been processed yet. found out later from the ladies at FAA that the guy I bought it from didn't own it in the FAAs eyes. I wound up having to track down the owner before the guy I bought it from and sending stuff back and forth to have him sign as well as the guy I bought it from to sign. Finally got it worked out but it was a huge PITA. If I had not been able track down the previous guy it would not have happened. If you proceed you need to make sure everything is in order with the paperwork, and I would also want to make sure I could reach the owner of record in case there are problems.
    John Brannen
    Morris, IL
    Sonerai IIL (Single Seat)
    Kitfox 3/4 1050 - Rotax 582 (Back Flying and sold)
    Kitfox IV 1050 - Rotax 582 (sold)
    Kitfox IV 1200 Speedster - Rotax 912 UL (project)
    Piper Twin Comanche (Sold)
    Glasair 1 FT (Waiting to start)

  6. #6

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    Default Re: Kitfox Expired Registration and tail number

    Quote Originally Posted by 109JB View Post
    That is a big red flag. The bill of sale has to be the FAA bill of sale form and it has to be filled out EXACTLY how FAA wants it. If one block is wrong then the owner of record with the FAA will have to correct it. The Kitfox I bought last year was that way. The guy I bought it from sent in the bill of sale and there was something not right about it. FAA sent it back to him to correct and he never did. Online it showed as sale pending and I thought that it just had not been processed yet. found out later from the ladies at FAA that the guy I bought it from didn't own it in the FAAs eyes. I wound up having to track down the owner before the guy I bought it from and sending stuff back and forth to have him sign as well as the guy I bought it from to sign. Finally got it worked out but it was a huge PITA. If I had not been able track down the previous guy it would not have happened. If you proceed you need to make sure everything is in order with the paperwork, and I would also want to make sure I could reach the owner of record in case there are problems.

    Thanks you so much for replying and giving me some direction and some things to consider. This is exactly why I wanted to discuss it here. I AM concerned and do not want a plane I'll never be able to fly.

  7. #7
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    Default Re: Kitfox Expired Registration and tail number

    I had something similar that John had with the Kitfox 3 I mentioned. When the second owner sold to third owner (who died), they just had a handwritten bill of sale. FAA wouldn't accept that. (I kind of get the impression that if I was never able to find that second owner them may have accepted it, but I had to show due diligence in trying to find him first.) I was able to track that second owner down, and he was happy to sign the filled out FAA bill of sale I mailed to him. Then the widow filled out the Heir at Law form, and so she was then able to legally sell it to me. My thoughts are not as dire as John's message implies. I would suggest looking the previous bill of sale over very carefully and determine it is all correct. One typical mistake is where the name and address of purchaser goes. FAA wants last name first, then first name, then middle initial. It's just natural to write out first name first. Don't panic. (and if you do, let me know where the plane is!!! :-) JImChuk

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