A PLT CONDUCTED A U-21 (UTE-KING AIR) FERRY FLT FOR A WING SPAR REPLACEMENT WITHOUT A FERRY PERMIT.

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I UNKNOWINGLY FERRIED AN ACFT FROM BRIDGEWATER; VA; TO MEXIA; TX; WHICH REQUIRED A FERRY PERMIT. MY PERSONAL UNDERSTANDING WAS THAT THE ACFT WAS IN AN AIRWORTHY CONDITION FOR THE FERRY; EVEN THOUGH I HAD THE KNOWLEDGE THAT THE ACFT WAS INDICATING A CRACK IN THE SPAR. I WAS ASKED TO FERRY THE ACFT TO TEXAS. NOTHING WAS SAID TO ME ABOUT A PERMIT BY FLT OR MAINT PERSONNEL; SO I ASSUMED THAT THE ACFT WAS IN AN AIRWORTHY CONDITION FOR THE FLT. I BELIEVE THAT BETTER COM WOULD LEAD TO THIS NEVER HAPPENING AGAIN IN THE FUTURE. POLICIES MUST BE INSTITUTED THAT AN ACFT NOT BE RELEASED FOR FLT UNLESS THE APPROPRIATE PERSONS ARE NOTIFIED AND GIVE CONSENT. THERE WAS A RUSH INVOLVED IN THIS JOB BOTH FROM THE PLT END TO GET THE JOB DONE AND GET BACK HOME AND A MAINT END TO GET THE ACFT FLOWN DURING THE WINDOW OF TIME A PLT WOULD BE PRESENT. FROM A PERSONAL STANDPOINT; I WILL LOOK CLOSER AT MAINT RECORDS BEFORE I TAKE PIC RESPONSIBILITY OF AN ACFT. I SEE A NEED FOR MORE COM BTWN FLT AND MAINT PERSONNEL. AN ACFT THAT IS UNAIRWORTHY MUST BE INDICATED SO IN AN APPROPRIATE FASHION AND NOT ALLOWED TO HAVE THAT STATUS REMOVED UNTIL THE APPROPRIATE PERSON REMOVES IT. I WAS NOT EDUCATED AT ALL ON FERRY PERMITS IN MY COMMERCIAL PLT CERTIFICATION AND THESE MAINT/FLT ISSUES MIGHT BE SOMETHING TO INCLUDE IN COMMERCIAL PLT CURRICULUM.