Worked out in your browser from the definition quoted below. Nothing is sent or stored. Take the figures from your aircraft's type certificate data sheet or flight manual, not a brochure: a modification can change the certified mass.
The rule, word for word
The occurrences you must report are listed in Implementing Regulation (EU) 2015/1018, whose annexes were replaced by Implementing Regulation (EU) 2026/1821. Annex I is the list for the operation of manned aircraft. Annex V is the separate list for everything that is not complex, and it opens with the definition that decides:
“Aircraft other-than complex motor-powered aircraft” means any aircraft other than that defined in point (129) in Annex I to Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/1020; Annex V (a)
Point (129) sits in Annex I, the definitions, of the Air Operations Regulation, (EU) No 965/2012. Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/1020 added it there, which is why 2026/1821 names that act. It reads, with the indent dashes of the Official Journal shown as bullets:
“complex motor-powered aircraft” shall mean:
(a) an aeroplane:
- with a maximum certificated take-off mass exceeding 5 700 kg, or
- certificated for a maximum passenger seating configuration of more than nineteen, or
- certificated for operation with a minimum crew of at least two pilots, or
- equipped with (a) turbojet engine(s) or more than one turboprop engine, or
(b) a helicopter certificated:
(i) for a maximum take-off mass exceeding 3 175 kg, or
(ii) for a maximum passenger seating configuration of more than nine, or
(iii) for operation with a minimum crew of at least two pilots, or(c) a tilt rotor aircraft; 965/2012 Annex I (129)
Any one line is enough. The same words were Article 3(j) of Regulation (EC) No 216/2008, which the 2015 version of the list pointed to, so the test has not changed. Regulation (EU) No 376/2014, the reporting regulation, uses the term without defining it: it asks for "a separate list classifying occurrences applicable to aircraft other than complex motor-powered aircraft" Art 4(5).
Not complex? Then one of three sections of Annex V
| Section | Heading in the rule | What falls in it |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Manned aircraft other-than complex motor-powered aircraft excluding sailplanes and lighter-than-air vehicles | Aeroplanes and helicopters, piston or turbine, that pass none of the tests above |
| 2 | Sailplanes (gliders) | A sailplane is "a heavier-than-air aircraft which is supported in flight by the dynamic reaction of the air against its fixed lifting surfaces, the free flight of which does not depend on an engine, including also hang gliders, paragliders and other comparable craft" Reg (EU) 923/2012 Art 2(117). Powered sailplanes are in it too: the section lists "an engine failure during take-off" of a powered sailplane 2.1(4), and Part-FCL calls a touring motor glider "a specific class of powered sailplanes" Reg (EU) 1178/2011, FCL.010. |
| 3 | Lighter-than-air vehicles (balloons and airships) | "Balloons and ‘airships’ that rely on hot air or on lighter-than-air gases such as helium or hydrogen for their lift" Dir 2009/43/EC, ML10 |
An organisation that flies both kinds uses both lists, aircraft by aircraft. Technical and maintenance occurrences on complex aircraft are in Annex II; Annex V has its own technical items for the rest. The items themselves, with examples, are in our guide to what must be reported.
Six results that surprise people
- One turboprop is not complex. A PC-12 at 4 740 kg with nine passengers, a Grand Caravan and a TBM all report against Annex V section 1. The engine test catches only more than one turboprop.
- Two turboprops are complex at any mass. A BN2T Islander can be certified at 2 994 kg and is complex. The piston BN2B at the same mass is not. A King Air flown under Part-NCO stays complex.
- Every jet is complex. The Cirrus Vision Jet has one engine, 2 722 kg and one pilot, and it is complex because of that one engine.
- A twin-engine helicopter can be not complex. For helicopters the engines do not count. An H135 at 3 100 kg reports against Annex V section 1; an EC145 at 3 585 kg against Annex I.
- On the line is under it. The rule says "exceeding", so an AW109SP at exactly 3 175 kg is not complex. A Bell 429 is 3 175 kg with internal loads and 3 629 kg with an external load; EASA's rating list marks it not complex.
- Balloons and airships are never complex. A 5 000 kg Ultramagic N-600 and a Zeppelin NT with three engines and 15 passenger seats both report against Annex V section 3.
Sources: Regulation (EU) 2026/1821, Regulation (EU) 2023/1020, Regulation (EU) No 965/2012, Regulation (EU) No 376/2014, Regulation (EU) No 923/2012, Regulation (EU) No 1178/2011, Directive 2009/43/EC, 14 CFR 61.1 and EASA's class and type rating lists, all read in November 2026.
Forty common types, from their EASA data sheets
Types that European flying schools, clubs, small operators and HEMS fly, with the figures as the current EASA type certificate data sheet gives them, read on 8 November 2026. Where variants of a type differ, the row names the variant. A data sheet does not show supplemental type certificates or other changes on your own aircraft: check its flight manual.
| Type | Max take-off mass | Passenger seats | Min crew | Engines | List | Data sheet |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trainers and piston singles | ||||||
| Diamond DA20-C1 | 800 kg | 1 | 1 | 1 piston, IO-240-B | Annex V section 1 no test met | EASA.IM.A.223 issue 06 |
| Tecnam P2008 JC | 630 kg; 650 kg with a mass modification | 1 | 1 | 1 piston, Rotax 912 S2 | Annex V section 1 no test met | EASA.A.583 issue 14 |
| Pipistrel Velis Electro Virus SW 128 | 600 kg | 1 | 1 | 1 electric, E-811 | Annex V section 1 no test met | EASA.A.573 issue 13 |
| Cessna 172S Skyhawk | 1 157 kg (1 156.66) | 4, pilot's seat included | 1 | 1 piston, IO-360-L2A | Annex V section 1 no test met | EASA.IM.A.051 issue 11 |
| Piper PA-28-181 Archer III | 1 157 kg | 3; 2 with G3X avionics | 1 | 1 piston, O-360 or IO-360 | Annex V section 1 no test met | EASA.IM.A.234 issue 8 |
| Diamond DA40 NG | 1 280 kg; 1 310 kg per Note 8 | 3 | 1 | 1 piston (diesel), Austro E4 | Annex V section 1 no test met | EASA.IM.A.022 issue 24 |
| Piston twins | ||||||
| Piper PA-44-180 Seminole | 1 724 kg | 3 | 1 | 2 piston, O-360 or IO-360 | Annex V section 1 two engines, but piston | EASA.IM.A.232 issue 06 |
| Diamond DA42 NG | 1 900 kg; up to 2 001 kg with modifications (item 13, Note 12) | 3 | 1 | 2 piston (diesel), Austro E4 | Annex V section 1 two engines, but piston; EASA list: not complex | EASA.A.005 issue 44 |
| Tecnam P2012 Traveller | 3 600 kg; 3 680 kg with MOD2012/017 | 9 | 1 | 2 piston, TEO-540-C1A or GTSIO-520-S | Annex V section 1 two engines, but piston | EASA.A.637 issue 14 |
| Britten-Norman Islander, piston BN2B-20, -21, -26, -27 | 2 994 kg | 9 | 1 | 2 piston, O-540 or IO-540 | Annex V section 1 same airframe as the BN2T below, piston engines | EASA.IM.A.388 issue 4 |
| Single turboprops | ||||||
| Pilatus PC-12 PC-12/47E and PC-12/47G; earlier models lighter | 4 740 kg | 9, pilots not counted | 1 | 1 turboprop, PT6A-67P or PT6E-67XP | Annex V section 1 one turboprop is not a test; EASA list: not complex | EASA.A.089 issue 11 |
| Cessna 208B Grand Caravan Section 2.1 of the sheet | 3 969 kg (3 968.9) | 9 positions; 12 in the 14-seat option | 1 | 1 turboprop, PT6A-114 or -114A | Annex V section 1 one turboprop is not a test; EASA list (as 208): not complex | EASA.IM.A.226 issue 15 |
| Daher TBM TBM700 N, sold as TBM 850 to TBM 980 | 3 354 kg; 3 454 kg with MOD70-0680-10 (TBM 960, 980) | 5 | 1 | 1 turboprop, PT6A-66D or PT6E-66XT | Annex V section 1 one turboprop is not a test; EASA list: not complex | EASA.A.010 issue 22 |
| Twin turboprops | ||||||
| Beechcraft King Air C90GTi | 4 581 kg | 13, pilot and co-pilot included | 1 | 2 turboprop, PT6A-135A | Annex I two turboprops; EASA list: complex | EASA.IM.A.503 issue 9 |
| Beechcraft King Air B200GT | 5 670 kg (5 669.9) | 15, crew included | 1 | 2 turboprop, PT6A-52 | Annex I two turboprops; EASA list: complex | EASA.IM.A.277 issue 22 |
| Britten-Norman Islander, turbine BN2T, BN2T-2, -2R, -4R, -4S | BN2T 2 994 or 3 175 kg; the others 3 855 kg; BN2T-4S 4 048 kg with NB-2175 | 9 | 1 | 2 turboprop, Allison 250-B17 | Annex I two turboprops, at any of these masses; EASA list: complex | EASA.IM.A.388 issue 4 |
| De Havilland DHC-6 Twin Otter Series 400 | 5 670 kg | 19 | 1 | 2 turboprop, PT6A-34 or -27 | Annex I two turboprops, under the mass and seat limits; EASA list: complex | EASA.IM.A.575 issue 6 |
| Dornier 228-212 | 6 400 kg | 19, plus 2 crew seats | 1 | 2 turboprop, TPE 331 | Annex I two turboprops and above 5 700 kg; EASA list: complex | EASA.A.359 issue 08 |
| Light jets | ||||||
| Cirrus Vision Jet SF50 | 2 722 kg | 7 maximum | 1 | 1 turbofan, FJ33-5A | Annex I jet engine, whatever the mass; EASA list: complex | EASA.IM.A.615 issue 6 |
| Cessna Citation Mustang 510 | 3 921 kg | 6, two crew included | 1 with listed equipment, or 2 | 2 turbofan, PW615F-A | Annex I jet engines; EASA list: complex | EASA.IM.A.502 issue 03 |
| Embraer Phenom 100 EMB-500 | 4 750 kg; 4 800 or 4 855 kg with modifications | 6 | 1 with listed equipment, or 2 | 2 turbofan, PW617F-E | Annex I jet engines; EASA list: complex | EASA.IM.A.157 issue 09 |
| Pilatus PC-24 | 8 005 to 8 500 kg by serial number | 8 executive; 10 commuter | 1 | 2 turbofan, FJ44-4A-QPM | Annex I jet engines and above 5 700 kg; the sheet says so itself (Note 12); EASA list: complex | EASA.A.594 issue 08 |
| Single-engine helicopters | ||||||
| Robinson R22 Beta II | 621 kg | 1 | 1 | 1 piston, O-360-J2A | Annex V section 1 no test met; EASA list: not complex | EASA.IM.R.120 issue 8 |
| Guimbal Cabri G2 | 700 kg | 1 | 1 | 1 piston, O-360-J2A | Annex V section 1 no test met; EASA list: not complex | EASA.R.145 issue 8 |
| Robinson R44 Raven II | 1 134 kg | 3 | 1 | 1 piston, IO-540-AE1A5 | Annex V section 1 no test met; EASA list: not complex | EASA.IM.R.121 issue 07 |
| Robinson R66 | 1 225 kg; 1 315 kg with external load | 4 | 1 | 1 turbine, 250-C300/A1 | Annex V section 1 no test met; EASA list: not complex | EASA.IM.R.507 issue 4 |
| Bell 505 | 1 669 kg; 2 030 kg with external load | 4 | 1 | 1 turboshaft, Arrius 2R | Annex V section 1 no test met; EASA list: not complex | EASA.IM.R.520 issue 4 |
| Airbus H125 AS 350 B3 | 2 250 kg; 2 370 kg with OP 3369 | 5; 6 with the forward two-place seat | 1 | 1 turboshaft, Arriel 2B, 2B1 or 2D | Annex V section 1 no test met; EASA list: not complex | EASA.R.008 issue 19 |
| Twin-engine helicopters | ||||||
| Airbus H135 EC135 P3, P3H, T3, T3H | 2 980 kg; P3H and T3H 3 100 kg as alternative mass | 7 | 1 | 2 turbine, PW 206B3 or Arrius 2B2 | Annex V section 1 two engines do not count for helicopters; EASA list: not complex | EASA.R.009 issue 21 |
| Leonardo AW109SP GrandNew | 3 175 kg | 7 | 1 | 2 PW207C | Annex V section 1 exactly 3 175 kg does not exceed the limit; EASA list: not complex | EASA.R.005 issue 26 |
| Bell 429 | 3 175 kg internal load 3 629 kg with external load | 7 | 1 | 2 turbine, PW207D1 or D2 | Annex V section 1 on the line for internal loads; EASA list: not complex | EASA.IM.R.506 issue 5 |
| Airbus H145 and EC145 MBB-BK117 C-2, D-2, D-3 | C-2 3 585 kg; D-2 3 650 kg (alternatives to 3 800 kg); D-3 3 800 kg | 9; C-2 10 with kit | 1 | 2 turbine, Arriel 1E2 or 2E | Annex I above 3 175 kg; EASA list: complex | EASA.R.010 issue 22 |
| Leonardo AW169 | 4 600 kg; 4 800 kg with kit or skids | 10 in the cabin, plus 1 in the cockpit with one pilot | 1; for NVG 2 pilots, or 1 and a crew member | 2 PW210A or A1 | Annex I above 3 175 kg and more than nine passengers; EASA list: complex | EASA.R.509 issue 15 |
| Leonardo AW139 | 6 400 kg; 6 800 or 7 000 kg with kits | 15 | 1 VFR day; 2 VFR night and IFR | 2 turboshaft, PT6C-67C or C1 | Annex I above 3 175 kg and more than nine passengers; EASA list: complex | EASA.R.006 issue 27 |
| Sailplanes and powered sailplanes | ||||||
| Schleicher ASK 21 | 600 kg | 2 seats | 1 | None | Annex V section 2 sailplane | EASA.A.221 issue 06 |
| Schempp-Hirth Duo Discus T | 700 kg; 750 kg per AV.9, AV.10 | 2 seats | Not stated | 1, SOLO 2350 D | Annex V section 2 non-self-launching powered sailplane | EASA.A.074 issue 06 |
| Grob G 109B | 850 kg | 1 | 1 | 1; six engine models listed | Annex V section 2 self-launching motorglider, a powered sailplane | EASA.A.249 issue 02 |
| Balloons and airships | ||||||
| Cameron Z-105 hot air balloon | 952 kg | No number; see the flight manual | 1 | None (burners) | Annex V section 3 balloon | EASA.IM.BA.013 issue 27 |
| Ultramagic N-600 hot air balloon | 5 000 kg | Not stated | 1 | None (burners) | Annex V section 3 balloon, however heavy | EASA.BA.014 issue 34 |
| Zeppelin NT LZ N07-101 | Not stated in the sheet | 15, plus 2 pilot seats | 1 | 3, IO-360-C1G6 | Annex V section 3 airship: three engines and 15 passengers do not make it complex; EASA list: not complex | EASA.AS.001 issue 10 |
Seats are as the data sheet prints them: most give passengers, a few count the pilots, and the row says so where the sheet does. Masses are the maximum take-off mass of the named variant, with the condition where a modification or external load changes it. Where a sheet names only the engine model, the kind shown follows from that model and its fuel or power unit. "EASA list" is EASA's class and type rating list (aeroplanes 12 February 2026 with its Appendix 2, helicopters 4 May 2025, airships 28 July 2025); it agrees with every row it covers. Data sheets: EASA type certificates library.
Questions we hear
Is a single-engine turboprop complex?
Not because of its engine. The definition catches "(a) turbojet engine(s) or more than one turboprop engine". A single turboprop is complex only if it is certified above 5 700 kg, for more than 19 passenger seats or for a minimum crew of two pilots. A PC-12, Caravan or TBM reports against Annex V section 1.
Is a twin-engine helicopter complex?
Not because of its engines. For helicopters only three things count: a maximum take-off mass above 3 175 kg, more than nine passenger seats, or a minimum crew of two pilots. An H135 at 2 980 or 3 100 kg is not complex; an EC145 at 3 585 kg or an H145 at 3 650 kg or more is.
Our light twin turboprop flies under Part-NCO. Which list?
Annex I. Regulation (EU) No 965/2012 lets non-commercial operators and training organisations fly "complex motor-powered aeroplanes with a maximum certificated take-off mass (MCTOM) at or below 5 700 kg, equipped with turboprop engines" under Part-NCO Art 6(8), (9). The aeroplane stays complex, and the occurrence list follows the aircraft.
Is this the same as an FAA complex airplane?
No. In the US rules a complex airplane "has a retractable landing gear, flaps, and a controllable pitch propeller" 14 CFR 61.1, a pilot training term. A single piston aeroplane with retractable gear is not complex motor-powered, and reports against Annex V section 1.
What about microlights and other aircraft outside EASA rules?
Regulation (EU) No 376/2014 applies to occurrences involving civil aircraft to which Regulation (EU) 2018/1139 applies. "Member States may decide to apply this Regulation also to" the others Art 3(2). Ask your authority or your association whether yours did.
The mass sits right on the line. Is it complex?
Not by mass. The rule says "exceeding": an aeroplane certified at exactly 5 700 kg or a helicopter at exactly 3 175 kg is not complex by mass. Where a data sheet gives a higher mass for a modification or for external loads, see the notes in the table. If in doubt, ask your authority and report the occurrence anyway: one that turns out not to be mandatory counts as a voluntary report.