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Moving to California šŸ˜¬

N834ST

Member
So, looks like we are moving to California with work, and want to reach out to all the Californians on here for advice on bringing my RV-7.

The office will be in Irvine, we havenā€™t decided on where to live yet, but would like to be somewhere less subdivisiony. Maybe Laguna Beach or something like that.

Now the aircraft part... Calling around, things are not at all like KYIP here in Michigan. Home of the B-24. I kind of abuse my hangar privilege, as not only does it house my plane, but I use it as a workshop for restoring motorcycles. I have a giant lathe, welding equipment, tools up the wazoo. Seems like I would only be allowed to keep a plane in a hangar, and to boot at KSNA itā€™s $1300/month for a 44ā€™ T-Hangar. I guess the airports are way stricter there which is fine I guess.

So, looking for recommendations for the aeroplane, where to keep it, other options.

Also, the tax I pay here in Michigan is literally $1/lb gross weight. So I feel like I will be suffering sticker shock when it comes to annual taxes in California. Looking online, it looks like you pay sales tax rates every year. Is this really the case? Would love to understand this a little more.

If it comes down to it, I might be leaving my plane here šŸ˜ž or worse still, selling it.

Thanks for any advice you can all give. Looking forward to moving there apart from this.

Mark
 
A lot of the close-in GA airports in SoCal have closed in the last 40-50 years. If you end up living in Mission Viejo or Capistrano, CRQ or Oceanside might be a possibility. If you are North of Irvine (Orange, Anaheim Hills, Yorba Linda) you have a lot of choices: Corona, Chino, Cable, Brackett and maybe Fullerton although hangars at Fullerton might be tight/expensive. You already have the skinny at SNA, but you might be able to find a buddy to keep your RV, especially if you can find a high wing to be roomies with.

Chino, Corona, Cable and Brackett are very tolerant of equipment and "stuff" besides your plane; KSNA and KFUL less so. I have no first hand knowledge about CRQ, but it has/had a strong EAA chapter.

I lived in Yorba Linda for 40 years, and hangared planes at POC and CCB.
 
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I'm grateful every day for my aviation-friendly environment. Cheap and available hangars with great service, and the annual registration for my RV-9A is about 25% of what it costs to annually register my truck.
 
I donā€™t know about aircraft but bringing cars into CA is very expensive. You might be better off selling them and buying when you arrive.
G
 
If it were me I'd check Chino and Riverside. Oceanside wouldn't be bad if you wind up in South OC but hangar space might be limited. Carlsbad sucks for GA.
 
Im in California and im looking to buy another RV. If you have a nice plane and think you wanna sell it reach out to me.
Andy
 
Hi Mark,

Tax is not so bad on CA aircraft...it's actually property tax that's payable to the county where the aircraft is hangared. I pay about $750 a year for my RV-9A, which I keep out at Cable (KCCB). Don't know the rules for bringing in an airplane from out of state.

As for the sales tax, it's a one-time deal when you build the plane. I sent that big check to the CA Board of Equalization when I finished the aircraft.

I live in Laguna Hills, so it's about a 1-hour drive from home to the airport in Upland. On the plus side, the T-hangar is $348/mo (I believe it's 40x30), it didn't take long to get one, and it's far enough inland that the marine layer doesn't ground me, as I'm VFR only. Cable is a very cool 1950s' throwback nontowered airport. A great vibe and always fun stuff to see on the field, like Stearmans and Ryan PT-22s.
 
First, taxes. If you have owned the airplane for a while (I think 6 months) you will not owe any sales tax. You will be assessed an annual property tax, about 1% of market value. If you rent a hangar from a municipal government, you will likely have to pay the property tax on that hangar.
Hangars in the So Cal area are hard to find, and expensive. Heavy metal airports like KSNA even more so. A -7 is relatively small, you may find someone willing to squeeze it into a corner.
Many airports ban welding (fire hazard) in hangars. Some allow non-airplane stuff but if theyā€™ve taken FAA money the primary purpose has to be to store an airplane.
 
People move to CA? I guess I didnā€™t know how good I have it. Bought a hangar for 32K. Annual taxes on hangar are $350. There is zero tax on the plane. Annual reg in MT is $25. Guess that might explain all the CA folks moving here. :cool:

Kurt
 
People move to CA? I guess I didnā€™t know how good I have it. Bought a hangar for 32K. Annual taxes on hangar are $350. There is zero tax on the plane. Annual reg in MT is $25. Guess that might explain all the CA folks moving here. :cool:

Kurt

We don't have cold weather or snow...
 
Regarding plane tax. Make sure you have been the registered owner for over a year and have documents to prove it. Otherwise they will try to stick you with sales tax. Regard KSNA, my son told me that the club plane he flys, that has been under a shade cover, had to be moved to a tie down area due to airport construction. You may want to invest a Bruce cover and expect it will be sitting outside for a while.
 
I just moved to Orange County with my RV-8 four months ago. I lucked out and found a box hangar to share at Fullerton airport. My share is $340/month, which is awesome for the location. Bonus: My hangar mate flies an RV-8A, so we're kindred spirits.

I live right next to SNA and drive by it all the time. They're not as strict about hangar contents as you might think... I see plenty of open hangers on the east side of the field that are full of junk, and some don't even have airplanes. But your odds of getting a hangar there are about the same as suffering a lightning strike and shark attack on the same day.

As someone mentioned before, if your plane is more than a year old you won't pay sales tax. Property tax is 1% of assessed value per year.

People love to bash CA so I'll tell you that one thing you'll love is you can fly VFR here almost every day of the year, in comfortable temps, and turbulence along the coast is rare.

Good luck with your move, and welcome to the OC!
 
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I'm grateful every day for my aviation-friendly environment. Cheap and available hangars with great service, and the annual registration for my RV-9A is about 25% of what it costs to annually register my truck.

Me too...I'm next door, home of EAA, after 5% sales tax, only a onetime registration fee of $50 for EAB.
 
Many airports ban welding (fire hazard) in hangars. Some allow non-airplane stuff but if theyā€™ve taken FAA money the primary purpose has to be to store an airplane.

And that aviation use can include tools and supplies and workbenches and desks and a refrigerator, etc. FAA itself said so.

The thing to keep in mind is that a lot of airports around here *do* turn a blind eye to non-aviation use, even when there are aviation users begging for hangars, so you may have to get, um, forceful with the airport management to get yourself a hangar. I know people who have been told "there's a waiting list" of N years for certain hangars, when nearly half of those hangars have cars, boats, recreational vehicles, furniture, or just s**t stored in them, and had to get pretty downright aggressive with the airport manager to have them removed so they could get a hangar for their *airplane* (including mentioning the possibility of going to the county aviation board and/or FSDO to put an end to the foot-dragging).

So don't just take "no" for an answer. Ask about any hangars that don't have airplanes in them. Go take a walk around the airport yourself. Talk to folks on the field.

(And yeah, no welding or open flame in a hangar...county rules, and IMO, a damned good idea, if you've ever seen a hangar fire).
 
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I retired from EAFB five years ago and moved in the other direction. If youā€™ve paid sales tax in Michigan, the MOST youā€™d have to pay would be the difference between CA and MI sales tax. If you trade your RV-7 for a ā€œhistoricā€ (30 or more years old IIRC) aircraft youā€™re exempt from the property tax as long as you show it 12 times a year. Many CA airports have monthly fly-ins to facilitate the showing.

Is your RV-7 the one I saw in the hangar with Yankee Lady the day the Yankee Air Force brought their new Tri-Motor home? If you do decide not to take your RV-7 with you for some reason Iā€™d be seriously interested. Iā€™m only about 25 miles northwest of KYIP at Brigton (45G). Good luck with your relocation!
 
I love to visit Southern California but living there wouldnā€™t be so great. Hangar my RV7A in El RENO, OK and it costs $200 for a nice t-hangar, fuel is $3:30/gallon and state annual registration is $26.50.

Gotta love the ā€œfly over zone.ā€
 
Mister 106

First you will love the weather in SoCal!!! The people in your general area of your work place may get under skin in a not so pleasant way. You maybe want to consider Corona, Ca as a home base as Aircraft Spruce home office is about 3 miles away. We have around 7 rvā€™s, 4 Thorp T-18 and number of big radial engined aircraft. Super friendly airport with of covered seating at Barnes bench near gas pumps with big numbered place cards if you have a desire to judge someoneā€™s landing and then thereā€™s is a pilot longe and cafe. Riverside county personal property tax is slightly over 1.1 tax per thousand. Chino, Riverside and Flabob air ports are a stone throw away.
 
Some good info in here, thanks guys. I built my 7 and I have had it flying since 2006. It has a Royal Navy Paint scheme, so you would know it if you saw it.

I sent an email to the Cable Airport to see what they have.

It might be a good thing for me to find some sort of shop space I can weld in. I need to make bike parts for my side line for RG500 Suzukis.

I really want my plane there in CA, as there are so many places to see within easy flying distance.

Looking forward to the weather!

Mark
 
re: Oceanside

A few things to consider about OKB (Oceanside). I was based there for a couple years while living in Laguna Niguel. It is very close to the coast, and so you'd better be IFR equipped and licensed. Otherwise you'll have days that you can't get out without scud running over suburbia.

Generally the cloud layer is less than 2000' and between 800' and 1800'. So not like you have "hard" IFR.

Secondly, being close to the ocean, it's a high moisture and hence corrosion environment.
 
My general experience has been that when you call or email, you get put on the list. If you show up and actually talk to the guys for more than 10 minutes, and they realize you are one of them, magically space appears. (Think about it, what would you do if someone like you showed up at your airport?)

Dennis
 
Some good info in here, thanks guys. I built my 7 and I have had it flying since 2006. It has a Royal Navy Paint scheme, so you would know it if you saw it.

Mark

Your scheme has been a favorite of mine since you initially posted pics! Have fun in your new home, and enjoy the weather and diverse flying opportunities you'll get to experience. That RN scheme will look great in front of a cobalt blue sky and mountainous backdrop!
 
Your scheme has been a favorite of mine since you initially posted pics! Have fun in your new home, and enjoy the weather and diverse flying opportunities you'll get to experience. That RN scheme will look great in front of a cobalt blue sky and mountainous backdrop!

Thanks Eddie!!
 
People (long time residence) are leaving in droves... good weather can only make up for so much.... but good luck. Add taxes, traffic, earth quake and crazy .... err politics... I left long ago. I like to visit friends and family from time to time.
 
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