Have a mechanic or inspection facility you trust—but they are located at another airport?
Ferry Flight USA provides professional annual inspection repositioning throughout the United States, helping aircraft owners, flight schools, flying clubs, brokers, dealers and aircraft management companies move airplanes to and from annual inspection facilities.
Whether your trusted IA is 100 miles away or several states from your home airport, we can help coordinate the aircraft’s transportation to the inspection facility and, once the aircraft is properly returned to service, bring it back home.
Our nationwide network supports qualifying:
Piston single-engine aircraft
Piston twins
Complex aircraft
High-performance aircraft
Selected turbine aircraft
Selected business aircraft
Pilot assignment depends on aircraft type, pilot qualifications, insurance requirements and mission details.
REQUEST AN ANNUAL INSPECTION FERRY QUOTE
Annual inspection repositioning is the movement of an aircraft from its current airport to another location specifically so the aircraft can receive its required annual inspection.
Aircraft owners often use repositioning services when:
Their preferred IA is at another airport
Their aircraft specialist is located in another city or state
Their home airport has limited maintenance availability
A local shop has a long scheduling backlog
The aircraft requires specialized make-and-model knowledge
The owner wants a second opinion
The airplane needs additional maintenance during the annual
A flight school needs to move multiple aircraft through inspections
The owner does not have time to personally drop off and retrieve the aircraft
Ferry Flight USA handles the transportation component so the owner can focus on choosing the right maintenance provider.
The closest mechanic is not always the mechanic you want inspecting your aircraft.
Many aircraft owners develop long-term relationships with specific:
A&P mechanics
Inspection Authorization holders
Aircraft type specialists
Manufacturer service centers
Independent maintenance facilities
An experienced technician who knows your aircraft’s history may identify issues more efficiently than a shop seeing it for the first time.
Other owners deliberately seek aircraft-specific expertise.
For example, the preferred annual facility may specialize in:
Piper aircraft
Cessna aircraft
Beechcraft
Cirrus
Mooney
Aerostar
Twin Cessnas
Vintage aircraft
Tailwheel aircraft
Pressurized piston aircraft
Experimental aircraft
Professional repositioning makes those facilities much easier to use.
For aircraft subject to the annual requirement, 14 CFR § 91.409 generally requires an annual inspection within the preceding 12 calendar months before the aircraft may be operated, unless a regulatory exception applies.
Annual inspections are performed or supervised by a mechanic holding an Inspection Authorization, subject to the applicable regulations.
The annual inspection is a comprehensive evaluation of the aircraft’s condition and applicable maintenance requirements.
Depending on the aircraft, the inspection can involve review of:
Airframe
Engine
Propeller
Flight controls
Landing gear
Brakes
Tires
Fuel system
Electrical system
Instruments
Avionics
Required inspections
Airworthiness directives
Aircraft records
Maintenance documentation
The exact scope depends on the aircraft and applicable maintenance requirements.
One of the strongest reasons to use an aircraft repositioning service is continuity of maintenance.
If your trusted IA is based at another airport, you do not have to switch shops simply because transportation is inconvenient.
Ferry Flight USA can coordinate:
Home Airport → Annual Inspection Facility
and, after the aircraft has been properly approved for return to service:
Annual Inspection Facility → Home Airport
This can turn a multi-day owner logistics problem into a much simpler process.
Dropping an airplane off for annual inspection can consume an entire day.
The owner may need to:
Fly the aircraft to the maintenance airport
Arrange a rental car
Find transportation
Purchase an airline ticket
Coordinate a second pilot
Ask a friend to follow in another aircraft
Stay overnight
A professional ferry pilot can perform the positioning flight instead.
That allows the owner to remain at work, at home or focused on other priorities.
Once the inspection and required maintenance are complete, the aircraft needs to come home.
Ferry Flight USA can also coordinate the return flight after the aircraft has been properly:
Inspected
Repaired as necessary
Documented
Approved for return to service
This eliminates the need for the owner to repeat the entire travel process simply to retrieve the aircraft.
This is an important distinction.
If an aircraft’s annual inspection has already expired, it generally cannot simply be flown normally to another airport for inspection.
The FAA specifically recognizes a Special Flight Permit, commonly called a ferry permit, as a potential means of flying an aircraft whose annual has expired to a location where the annual inspection can be accomplished.
A Special Flight Permit is not automatic.
The aircraft must qualify and be capable of safe flight under the circumstances and limitations established for the permit.
If your aircraft is already out of annual, tell us when requesting the ferry quote.
LEARN MORE ABOUT FERRY PERMIT FLIGHTS
Whenever possible, the simplest approach is to reposition the aircraft while its current annual inspection is still valid.
For example:
If your annual expires at the end of October and your preferred IA is located 300 miles away, planning the drop-off earlier in October may avoid the additional complications associated with an expired annual.
Good planning can help reduce:
Ferry permit requirements
Scheduling pressure
Last-minute pilot availability issues
Weather complications
Shop coordination problems
If you know where the annual will be performed, start planning the aircraft move before the expiration date.
Private owners commonly use Ferry Flight USA because of time and convenience.
You may want to use a particular IA because:
They have maintained the airplane for years
They know the aircraft’s history
They specialize in your make or model
They offer better pricing
They have better scheduling
You trust their work
They can handle repairs identified during inspection
Instead of allowing geography to dictate who maintains your aircraft, professional repositioning lets you select the shop that best fits your needs.
Flight schools operate aircraft on demanding schedules.
Annual inspections can create significant fleet-management challenges.
A school may need to coordinate:
Inspection dates
Student schedules
Instructor availability
Replacement aircraft
Maintenance downtime
Aircraft positioning
Using your CFIs to move aircraft can remove instructors from revenue-producing lessons.
Ferry Flight USA can help reposition qualifying training aircraft for annual inspections while instructors remain focused on students.
EXPLORE FLIGHT SCHOOL FLEET REPOSITIONING
Flying clubs frequently maintain aircraft away from their primary base.
A club may have a preferred:
IA
A&P
Engine specialist
Type-specific mechanic
Maintenance facility
Ferry Flight USA can help move club aircraft to and from annual inspections without requiring officers, instructors or members to dedicate entire days to positioning flights.
Dealers may require annual inspection before:
Marketing an aircraft
Completing a sale
Accepting a trade
Delivering inventory
Moving an aircraft to another location
If the dealer’s preferred inspection facility is located elsewhere, Ferry Flight USA can coordinate the repositioning.
Aircraft brokers may encounter transactions where an aircraft is approaching—or already due for—its annual inspection.
Depending on the transaction, an aircraft may need to move:
Before listing
Before closing
After a pre-buy
To correct discrepancies
To obtain a fresh annual
Before buyer delivery
Ferry Flight USA can provide an additional transportation resource during those transactions.
Aircraft management companies often coordinate maintenance across aircraft based at multiple locations.
Ferry Flight USA can support annual inspection movements involving:
Owner aircraft
Managed fleets
Remote bases
Seasonal aircraft
Maintenance centers
This allows internal pilots and crews to remain focused on normal operations.
Many owners use the annual inspection as the ideal time to complete other work.
The aircraft may remain at the facility for:
Engine repairs
Magneto service
Propeller work
Brake replacement
Tire replacement
Fuel-system work
Electrical repair
Avionics upgrades
Interior refurbishment
Corrosion treatment
Structural repair
If the annual uncovers discrepancies, the maintenance timeline may change.
The return ferry flight should therefore be scheduled with reasonable flexibility.
Some owners intentionally coordinate annual inspection and avionics upgrades during the same downtime.
Projects might include:
GPS navigator installation
Autopilot
Glass instruments
Engine monitor
ADS-B
Radios
Transponder
Audio panel
If the annual facility and avionics shop are at different airports, Ferry Flight USA can potentially coordinate multiple repositioning legs.
For example:
Home Airport → Annual Inspection Shop → Avionics Shop → Home Airport
EXPLORE AVIONICS SHOP FERRY FLIGHTS
A major annual can also be combined with an aircraft refurbishment project.
Possible sequence:
Home Airport → Annual Inspection Facility → Paint Shop → Home Airport
This may be particularly useful for owners undertaking a comprehensive aircraft restoration.
EXPLORE PAINT SHOP FERRY FLIGHTS
An annual inspection can uncover discrepancies.
Those might include:
Worn tires
Brake issues
Exhaust problems
Oil or fuel leaks
Engine discrepancies
Corrosion
Control-system issues
Electrical problems
Airworthiness directive compliance issues
Structural concerns
If the aircraft is not approved for return to service after the required inspection, the discrepancies must be addressed appropriately before normal operation resumes. FAA guidance also addresses situations in which an aircraft must be flown elsewhere for repairs, potentially requiring a Special Flight Permit.
The return ferry flight should only occur when the aircraft is legally and operationally ready.
Potentially.
Suppose an annual inspection reveals a problem requiring expertise that the current shop cannot provide.
The owner may want to move the aircraft to:
An engine specialist
Structural repair facility
Type-specific shop
Manufacturer service center
Another maintenance provider
If the aircraft is not normally airworthy, additional authorization such as a Special Flight Permit may be required before it can be moved.
FAA guidance specifically contemplates the use of such permits when an aircraft needs to be flown to another location for repairs.
Provide:
Aircraft make
Aircraft model
N-number
Current airport
Inspection facility airport
Annual expiration date
Desired drop-off date
Current maintenance status
Known discrepancies
Insurance requirements if known
We need to know whether the aircraft:
Is currently within annual
Is approaching expiration
Has already expired
Has known maintenance discrepancies
That distinction can materially affect how the aircraft can legally be moved.
Pilot selection may depend on:
Aircraft category
Aircraft class
Complex endorsement
High-performance endorsement
Tailwheel endorsement
Multi-engine rating
Pressurization
Turbine experience
Type rating
Insurance requirements
Useful information can include:
Shop name
IA or A&P contact
Airport
Hangar location
Arrival instructions
Appointment date
Shop operating hours
Key and aircraft-document handoff
The ferry pilot plans the mission based on:
Distance
Weather
Fuel
Aircraft range
Terrain
Airspace
Airport suitability
Aircraft condition
Daylight
Overnight requirements
The aircraft is delivered to the annual inspection facility according to the agreed instructions.
The inspection facility performs the annual and any agreed maintenance.
Ferry Flight USA does not control the duration or findings of the maintenance process.
Once the aircraft has been appropriately approved for return to service and is ready for flight, Ferry Flight USA can coordinate the return trip.
Pricing depends on the actual mission.
Variables can include:
Aircraft make and model
Distance
Aircraft cruise speed
Aircraft range
Pilot fee
Pilot travel
Number of flight days
Airline airfare
Ground transportation
Hotel
Insurance requirements
Pilot experience requirements
Ferry permit considerations
Weather
A 100-mile Cessna 172 annual repositioning flight will have a very different cost structure from moving a pressurized twin several states away.
For that reason, Ferry Flight USA provides mission-specific quotes.
VIEW THE AIRCRAFT FERRY COST GUIDE
Mission terms should be established before departure.
Potential operating expenses may include:
Fuel
Oil
Landing fees
Ramp fees
Parking
Pilot expenses may include:
Airline tickets
Rental vehicle
Rideshare
Hotels
Return transportation
Your quote or mission agreement should identify how expenses will be handled.
Insurance requirements should be reviewed before the ferry flight.
The pilot may need to meet minimum requirements involving:
Total time
Time in category
Time in class
Make-and-model time
Complex experience
High-performance experience
Multi-engine time
Retractable-gear time
Turbine experience
Type ratings
Recurrent training
Named-pilot approval
The applicable insurance requirements should be satisfied before departure.
LEARN MORE ABOUT AIRCRAFT INSURANCE REQUIREMENTS
Ferry Flight USA coordinates qualifying annual-inspection ferry flights throughout the United States.
Aircraft may be repositioned:
Within Florida
Florida to Georgia
Florida to North Carolina
Florida to Tennessee
Florida to Texas
Florida to the Midwest
Florida to the Northeast
Texas to Florida
California to Arizona
Northeast to the Southeast
And nationwide
The right IA does not have to be located at your home airport.
Maintenance relationships matter.
A mechanic who has maintained your aircraft over multiple years may understand:
Its maintenance history
Recurring issues
Previous repairs
Engine trends
Wear patterns
Aircraft-specific quirks
For some owners, that continuity is worth traveling for.
Aircraft repositioning allows you to maintain that relationship without personally making every drop-off and pickup flight.
We coordinate qualifying annual inspection flights across the United States.
Pilot selection takes aircraft requirements, qualifications and insurance into account.
We can coordinate both the trip to the annual facility and the return trip afterward.
We can work with the designated shop or contact regarding aircraft arrival and handoff.
We support private owners, flight schools, clubs, brokers, dealers and management companies.
An inspection deadline never overrides applicable operating requirements or safe flight decisions.
Can you ferry my aircraft to another airport for its annual inspection?
Yes. Ferry Flight USA coordinates qualifying aircraft repositioning flights to annual inspection facilities throughout the United States.
Can you bring the aircraft home after the annual?
Yes. Once the inspection and required maintenance are complete and the aircraft has been properly approved for return to service, a return ferry flight can be coordinated.
Can you ferry an airplane after its annual has expired?
Potentially, but generally not as a normal flight. An aircraft whose annual has expired may need an FAA Special Flight Permit to be flown to a location where the annual can be completed.
Should I move the aircraft before the annual expires?
Whenever practical, planning the positioning flight before expiration can simplify the process because the aircraft may still be legally operated under its current annual, assuming all other requirements are satisfied.
Can you ferry the aircraft to my regular IA?
Yes, assuming the airport and mission are suitable and the aircraft is legal and appropriate for the planned flight.
Can you ferry flight-school airplanes for annual inspections?
Yes. Flight schools can use Ferry Flight USA to reposition qualifying training aircraft for annual inspections and maintenance.
What happens if the annual finds major discrepancies?
The discrepancies need to be addressed appropriately before normal operation. Depending on the circumstances, moving the aircraft elsewhere for repairs may require additional maintenance action or a Special Flight Permit.
Can the aircraft go to an avionics shop after the annual?
Yes. Multiple repositioning legs can potentially be coordinated.
Does the ferry pilot need to be approved by my insurance?
Insurance requirements vary. Some policies require specific pilot experience or approval before the flight.
How much does annual inspection repositioning cost?
Cost depends on aircraft type, distance, pilot requirements, travel expenses and mission duration.
What information do you need for a quote?
Provide the aircraft make and model, N-number, current airport, annual-inspection airport, annual expiration date, desired timing and any known maintenance issues.
Do not let distance prevent you from using the maintenance facility or IA you trust.
Whether your annual shop is:
One airport away
Across Florida
Several states away
On the other side of the country
Ferry Flight USA can help coordinate the aircraft’s transportation.
What aircraft do you have?
Where is it now?
Where is the annual being performed?
When does the current annual expire?
We’ll use that information to evaluate the aircraft status, pilot requirements, route and expected ferry cost.
