Do I need a Mexican license validation to fly a Mexican registered aircraft in Mexico or the US, or can I use my FAA license?

Karmutzen wrote:Do I need a Mexican license validation to fly a Mexican registered aircraft in Mexico or the US, or can I use my FAA license?

I don't know the answer to this off the top of my head (I *think* the answer is yes for Mexico and I have no idea for the US), but have several contacts in the DGAC that would know the Mexican part of it. If you don't get a prompt answer here we can ping them. I'll shoot you a PM with my email address.

To fly an Mexican registered plane legally you need to have a Mexican license, to get a Mexican license you have to be Mexican. Mexico will not issue licenses to foreigners. I lived in Mexico for about five years and tried, even tried using a facilitator and if Ben couldn't do it nobody can. However, nobody seemed to care when I flew my buddy's "xb" mauled.

Headoutdaplane wrote:To fly an Mexican registered plane legally you need to have a Mexican license, to get a Mexican license you have to be Mexican. Mexico will not issue licenses to foreigners.

Maybe you were trying to get a commercial license? Foreign private pilots can get one, here are the relevant portions of the code:

"Para el caso de la aviación privada no comercial, los pilotos extranjeros y nacionales podrán convalidar u obtener la licencia de piloto privado"

"La Autoridad Aeronáutica podrá convalidar licencias y certificados de capacidad o habilitaciones expedidos por alguna Autoridad de Aviación Civil, siempre y cuando exista reciprocidad real y efectiva con el Estado de que se trate"

"De conformidad con lo dispuesto en el segundo párrafo del artículo 38 de la Ley de Aviación Civil, la Autoridad Aeronáutica, podrá convalidar las licencias de piloto expedidas por Autoridades de Aviación Civil, a mexicanos por naturalización y Aextranjeros, únicamente por licencias de piloto privado, previo cumplimiento de los requisitos establecidos en el presente Reglamento y en las demás disposiciones aplicables a la materia."

I doubt you are interested, but I can send you those snippets in context. Or look at the Ley de Aviacion Civil or Reglamento de Licensies al Personal Tecnico Aeronautico.

Although I had a comm ticket at the time I was trying for a mex ppl, the regs also go on to say list out other reqirements, proof of visa, proof that you know the mex regs, Mexican medical, cfit training, presentation of an official translation of your logbook with a apostille and other stuff. I was on good relations with the local airport commandant and still was told not possible for us citizen. I came to believe that despite what the law says, in effect a foreigner can't get a Mexican license.

Poquito mas mordida.

Headoutdaplane wrote:Although I had a comm ticket at the time I was trying for a mex ppl, the regs also go on to say list out other reqirements, proof of visa, proof that you know the mex regs, Mexican medical, cfit training, presentation of an official translation of your logbook with a apostille and other stuff. I was on good relations with the local airport commandant and still was told not possible for us citizen. I came to believe that despite what the law says, in effect a foreigner can't get a Mexican license.

Gotcha. I am *shocked* that it might be difficult to navigate Mexican bureaucracy or that one might get different stories when talking with different people...

Seriously, my DGAC buddy is the one that sent the references to the appropriate places in the code, but I'm sadly unsurprised that your experience was different than those sections suggest it should have been. Our airport has been closed for three years for similar reasons...