PLT OF YS11 IS CONCERNED ABOUT FLYING MAINT FERRY FLT IN JAPAN WITHOUT AN LOA FROM A CHK AIRMAN IN LIEU OF THE CURRENCY REQUIREMENTS OF FAR 61 PT 58.

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I WAS REQUESTED TO BE THE PIC TO DO A MAINT FERRY FLT OF A UNITED STATES REGISTERED YS-11 ACFT LOCATED IN JAPAN ON WHICH I AM TYPE RATED AND EXPERIENCED. THE ACFT WAS GIVEN A 'SPECIAL AIRWORTHINESS CERTIFICATE' BY A UNITED STATES CERTIFIED DAR AND INSPECTED AND CERTIFIED BY A UNITED STATES CERTIFIED MECH. THE ACFT WAS IN AIRWORTHY; SAFE AND SVCABLE CONDITION FOR THE INTENDED FLT. I AM TYPE RATED IN THE YS-11; HAVE APPROX 1200 HOURS AS CAPT AND APPROX 500 HOURS AS A FO; ALL UNDER FAR 121 OR EQUIVALENT FOREIGN FLT OPS. I DID NOT HAVE THE FAR 61.58 CURRENCY IN THE YS-11 BEFORE I LEFT FOR JAPAN. I REQUESTED AN LOA FROM A FLT OP INSPECTOR FROM THE LOCAL FSDO TO MAKE THE FERRY FLT IN LIEU OF THE 61.58 CURRENCY; WHICH THEY SAID THEY COULD FAX TO ME. SINCE THIS ACFT IS IN A FOREIGN COUNTRY (JAPAN) AND THE ENTIRE FLT WOULD BE WITHIN JAPAN; I WAS TOLD BY THE FAA INSPECTOR SEVERAL DAYS AFTER REQUESTING THE LOA THAT THE FAA IS NOT SURE THAT THEY CAN ACTUALLY GIVE ME AN LOA FOR THE FLT. THEY ARE STILL RESEARCHING THAT POSSIBILITY FOR ALMOST A WK NOW. I HAD APPLIED FOR AND RECEIVED AN LOA ON OTHER OCCASIONS WHEN I NEEDED TO FERRY OR FLY OTHER LARGE TRANSPORT CATEGORY ACFT; SO I HAD NO REASON AT THE TIME TO CONSIDER THAT THE LOA MAY BE DELAYED OR MAY NEVER BE ISSUED. I STILL DO NOT KNOW IF THE FAA WOULD ISSUE AN LOA IN THIS CASE OR NOT. I WAS GIVEN PERMISSION TO FERRY THE ACFT AS THE PIC FROM THE HANEDA ARPT IN TOKYO; JAPAN TO THE FUKAMOTO ARPT IN FUKAMOTO; JAPAN WITH A JCAB APPROVED FLT CHK AIRMAN CERTIFIED IN THE YS-11 TO GIVE BOTH ME AND THE COPLT OUR 61.58 EQUIVALENT FLT PROFICIENCY CHK AND ALSO TO USE THE JCAB APPROVED YS-11 FLT SIMULATOR TO ACCOMPLISH THE INST COMPETENCY CHK AND THE YS-11 EMER PROCS AS PART OF THAT PLT PROFICIENCY CHK IN THE YS-11. BOTH THE COPLT AND I WERE GIVEN OUR CURRENCY AND PROFICIENCY CHKS IN JAPAN. THE FLT WAS SAFE AND UNEVENTFUL ON A VERY NICE DAY WITH NEARLY CLR SKIES FOR MOST OF THE FLT. FLT SAFETY WAS NOT COMPROMISED AT ANY TIME BY OR DURING THIS FLT. ALL REQUIRED CONDITIONS OF THE FERRY FLT WERE MET EXCEPT FOR THE 'GRAY AREA' OF THE CURRENCY/LOA WITH THE FAA. THEREFORE; I AM FILING THIS NASA FORM.