41968 Federal Register / Vol. 75, No. 138 / Tuesday, July 20, 2010 / Rules and Regulations 

Subpart B [Reserved] 

Subpart C [Reserved] 

Signed in Washington, DC on July 14, 

2010. 

Jonathan W. Coppess, 

Executive Vice President, Commodity Credit 

Corporation. 

[FR Doc. 2010–17636 Filed 7–19–10; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3410–05–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Aviation Administration 

14 CFR Parts 13, 47, and 91 

[Docket No. FAA–2008–0188; Amendment 

Nos. 13–34, 47–29, 91–318] 

RIN 2120–AI89 

Re-Registration and Renewal of 

Aircraft Registration 

AGENCY: Federal Aviation 

Administration (FAA), DOT. 

ACTION: Final rule. 

SUMMARY: This final rule amends the 

FAA’s regulations concerning aircraft 

registration. Over a 3-year period, this 

rule will terminate the registration of all 

aircraft registered before October 1, 

2010, and will require the re-registration 

of each aircraft to retain U.S. civil 

aircraft status. These amendments also 

establish a system for a 3-year recurrent 

expiration and renewal of registration 

for all aircraft issued registration 

certificates on or after October 1, 2010. 

This final rule amends the FAA’s 

regulations to provide standards for the 

timely cancellation of registration 

numbers (N-numbers) for unregistered 

aircraft. This final rule makes other 

minor changes to establish consistency 

and ensure the regulations conform to 

statute or current Registry practices. 

These amendments will improve the 

accuracy of the Civil Aviation Registry 

database and will ensure that aircraft 

owners provide information to maintain 

accurate registration records. These 

amendments respond to the concerns of 

law enforcement and other government 

agencies to provide more accurate, upto-date aircraft registration information. 

DATES: These amendments become 

effective October 1, 2010. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For 

technical questions concerning this final 

rule contact John Bent, Civil Aviation 

Registry, AFS–700, FAA Mike 

Monroney Aeronautical Center, 6500 

South MacArthur Boulevard, Oklahoma 

City, OK 73169; Telephone (405) 954– 

4331; e-mail john.g.bent@faa.gov. For 

legal questions concerning this final 

rule contact Robert Hawks, Office of 

Chief Counsel, (AGC–240); Federal 

Aviation Administration, 800 

Independence Avenue, SW., 

Washington, DC 20591; Telephone: 

(202) 267–7143; e-mail 

rob.hawks@faa.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Authority for This Rulemaking 

The FAA’s authority to issue rules 

regarding aviation safety is found in 

Title 49 of the United States Code. 

Subtitle I, Section 106 describes the 

authority of the FAA Administrator. 

Subtitle VII, Aviation Programs, 

describes in more detail the scope of the 

agency’s authority. 

This rulemaking is promulgated 

under the authority described in 

Subtitle VII, Part A, Subpart III, Chapter 

441, Section 44111. Under that section, 

the FAA is charged with prescribing 

regulations considered necessary to 

carry out this part. In that section, 

Congress mandated the Administrator 

modify the system for registering and 

recording aircraft necessary to make the 

system more effective in serving the 

needs of its users. The modifications 

described in this amendment include 

measures to ensure positive, verifiable, 

and timely identification of the true 

owners of aircraft operated in the 

national airspace system. Thus, these 

changes are within the scope of the 

FAA’s statutory authority and are a 

necessary and reasonable exercise of 

that authority. 

Table of Contents 

I. Executive Summary of the Final Rule 

II. Background 

III. Summary of Comments 

IV. Discussion of Final Rule 

A. Aircraft Re-Registration and Periodic 

Renewal of Registration 

B. Reminder Notice, Extended Filing 

Timeframes, and Online Access 

C. Triennial Aircraft Registration Report 

No Longer Required 

D. Time Limits for Aircraft in Sale 

Reported and Registration Pending 

Status 

E. Conforming Amendments 

V. Miscellaneous Comments 

A. Re-Registration and Renewal 

B. Risks and Disruption 

C. Fees, User Fees, New Taxes 

D. Alternatives Suggested by Commenters 

VI. Regulatory Notices and Analyses 

A. Paperwork Reduction Act 

B. International Compatibility 

C. Regulatory Evaluation, Regulatory 

Flexibility Determination, International 

Trade Impact Assessment, and Unfunded 

Mandates Assessment 

D. Executive Order 13132, Federalism 

E. Environmental Analysis 

F. Regulations that Significantly Affect 

Energy Supply, Distribution, or Use 

G. Availability of Rulemaking Documents 

H. Small Business Regulatory Enforcement 

Fairness Act 

I. Executive Summary 

The FAA estimates that 

approximately one-third of the 357,000 

registered aircraft records it maintains 

are inaccurate and that many aircraft 

associated with those records are likely 

ineligible for United States registration. 

The inaccuracies result from failures in 

the voluntary compliance based system. 

Although aircraft owners are required to 

report the sale of an aircraft, death of an 

owner, scrapping or destruction of an 

aircraft, and changes in mailing address; 

many have not. Without owner initiated 

action, there has been no means to 

correct those records. The FAA has been 

asked by government and law 

enforcement agencies to provide more 

accurate and up-to-date aircraft 

registration information. This rule is 

intended to support the needs of our 

system users. 

The changes made by this Final Rule 

provide the FAA Aircraft Registry the 

tools to improve the currency and 

accuracy of the Civil Aircraft Registry 

database and maintain the improvement 

into the future. Re-registration of all 

U.S. civil aircraft over a three year 

period will redraw the Civil Aircraft 

Register with current data derived from 

recent contact with aircraft owners. 

Additionally, the FAA is enabled to 

cancel the registrations of those aircraft 

that are not re-registered. These 

amendments will also ensure that 

aircraft owners refresh that data by 

providing information on the status of 

their aircraft at least once every three 

years when registration is renewed. The 

expected reduction in registration data 

error provided by this rule and the 

corresponding cost of implementation is 

shown in the table below with estimates 

for alternate renewal intervals that were 

considered. 

This rule also eliminates the present 

Triennial Aircraft Registration Report 

Program, provides clear time limits and 

standards for canceling aircraft with 

registrations that have ended and for 

which no new registration application 

has been made or completed. It also 

makes several administrative changes to 

conform the regulation to statute and 

current registration practices. 

An NPRM was published in the 

Federal Register on February 28, 2008 

(73 FR 10701), requesting input on these 

goals and the proposed procedures to 

achieve them. Significant comments 

addressed concern that the proposed fee 

for registration renewal, which occurs 

every third year, would be increased 

and used as a device to raise revenue: 


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that the recurrent nature of renewal 

would create excessive opportunities for 

administrative failure that would 

interfere with revenue flights; and that 

the rule would cause significant new 

costs for owners, operators and 

financiers that work with multiple 

aircraft that had not been accounted for 

in estimates of the cost of the proposed 

rule. This final rule is responsive to 

these and other comments as addressed 

in the discussion that follows. 

SUMMARY OF COSTS AND BENEFITS IN MILLIONS OF 2007 DOLLARS

[Over 20 years] 

Cost Present value 

of cost Benefit 

Re-registration and 3-Year Renewal (Triennial Eliminated) .......................... $29.9 $16.3 Reduction in Error Rate by 31%. 

Re-registration lowers the error rate 

from 36.5% to 5.7% for an improvement 

of 31%. 

Renewal every third year maintains 

this improvement. 

II. Background 

The Aircraft Registration Branch (the 

‘‘Registry’’) is responsible for 

developing, maintaining, and 

administering national programs for the 

registration of United States civil 

aircraft. First among these 

responsibilities is maintaining the 

registration database. The database 

identifies each registered aircraft by its 

registration number (N-number), its 

complete description, and the name and 

address of its registered owner. 

Registration is a prerequisite for 

obtaining an airworthiness certificate, 

and together a registration certificate 

and airworthiness certificate enable 

operation of an aircraft in U.S. and 

foreign airspace. The FAA uses the 

information collected at the time of 

registration to communicate safetyrelated information such as 

Airworthiness Directives to aircraft 

owners. Similarly, aircraft 

manufacturers use this information to 

send out safety notices and other 

information. The FAA relies on the 

registration database when responding 

to an overdue flight or downed aircraft 

report and when enforcing its 

regulations. Law enforcement agencies 

rely on the registration database when 

investigating improper activities such as 

drug smuggling. The registration 

database is used to identify aircraft that 

could be used by U.S. armed forces. It 

also is a resource for buyers and sellers 

of aircraft and for banks that may 

finance those transactions. 

The FAA and other government 

agencies are increasingly developing 

sophisticated uses that are enabled by 

progressing technology. An example is 

Automatic Detection and Processing 

Terminal or ADAPT, a program 

developed by the FAA Strategic 

Operations Security with the 

Transportation Security Administration 

(TSA). (See 70 FR 73323, December 9, 

2005.) This program continuously draws 

registration information for combination 

with other data, satellite feeds, and 

radar to develop a display of the 

national airspace complete with the 

registration status of each aircraft that is 

operating on a filed flight plan. Using 

this information, appropriate safety, 

security, and law enforcement actions 

can be initiated. The development of the 

ADAPT program and other safety- and 

security-related programs demand an 

accurate database. 

Today, approximately one-third of the 

357,000 registered aircraft have 

questionable registrations. There are 

many causes for this large number of 

potentially inaccurate aircraft records. 

Failure to re-register an aircraft after a 

sale to a new owner, failure to report the 

death of an owner, failure to report 

scrapping or destruction of aircraft, and 

failure to report changes of address 

erode the accuracy of the records. A 

requirement for registered owners to 

notify the Registry of these and other 

registration-related changes has been 

part of the registration regulations for 

many years. The number of questionable 

records in the registration database 

grows annually despite these 

requirements. 

In 1988, the FAA mission was 

expanded to include providing 

assistance to law enforcement agencies 

through the passage of the FAA Drug 

Enforcement Assistance Act of 1988 (the 

Act) (partially codified at 49 U.S.C. 

44111). The Act charged the FAA with 

making specific modifications to the 

registration database to more effectively 

serve the needs of buyers and sellers of 

aircraft, law enforcement officials, and 

other users of the system. The FAA has 

addressed most of the issues identified 

in the Act and improved service to users 

through administrative modifications, 

technology upgrades, and focused 

enforcement programs. Access to 

aircraft data and most individual aircraft 

records is easy and routine. 

Although the FAA has worked to keep 

the registration database accurate and 

current, the Registry’s ability to get 

timely updates of registration changes 

from aircraft owners is limited. From 

March 1970 through January 1978, 

registered owners were required to file 

an annual report. Beginning in April 

1980, the Triennial Aircraft Registration 

program required a report from 

registered owners when 3 years passed 

without the occurrence of certain 

aircraft registration activities. Under 

both programs, failure to send in the 

required report subjected the aircraft’s 

registration certificate to revocation 

under 14 CFR part 13. 

While a large portion of aircraft 

owners have and continue to report 

changes both independently and in 

response to a report notice, a significant 

portion of reports continue to be 

returned as undeliverable or not 

returned at all. Many orders revoking 

the prior owner’s certificate of 

registration are returned as 

undeliverable. Because the new aircraft 

owner could be operating the aircraft on 

an ineffective and revoked certificate, 

the aircraft are kept in the system to 

prevent reassignment of the N-number 

to a second active aircraft. 

Notwithstanding administrative 

modifications to the registration system, 

and enforcement efforts, there is an 

increasing number of registered aircraft 

whose status is in question or whose 

owner cannot be contacted. With 

approximately one-third of registered 

aircraft assigned a questionable 

registration status, the present system of 

indefinite-duration registration 

certificates does not achieve the 

necessary accuracy and currency of 

aircraft registration data. Modifications 

to the aircraft registration system must 

be made to achieve a level of 

registration data reliability that meets 

the current and evolving needs of users. 

The FAA has determined that the most 

effective method for increasing the 

accuracy of its records is the 

establishment of limited-duration 

aircraft registration with clear standards 

for canceling N-number assignments 

when a registration expires or otherwise 

ends. The 3-year re-registration period 

will clear the registration database of 

aircraft with questionable registration. 


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Recurrent renewal at regular intervals 

will maintain the improved accuracy. 

The NPRM published in the Federal 

Register on February 28, 2008 (73 FR 

10701) proposed: 

• Expiration of registration for all 

currently registered aircraft and their reregistration as scheduled over a 3-year 

period; 

• Recurrent expiration and renewal 

on a 3-year interval of all aircraft 

registrations issued after the effective 

date of the proposed rule with a 

registration renewal process; 

• Elimination of the present Triennial 

Aircraft Registration Report program; 

• A 6-month limit on the time an 

aircraft may remain in the sale reported 

category without an application being 

made for registration before its 

N-number assignment is canceled; 

• A 12-month limit on the time an 

applicant or successive applicants for 

registration have to complete the 

registration process, and provisions for 

reserving the aircraft’s N-number if the 

aircraft is not registered at the end of 

this time; and, 

• Cancellation of the N-number of an 

aircraft registered under a Dealer’s 

Aircraft Registration Certificate (Dealer’s 

Certificate), if the Dealer’s Certificate 

has expired and application for 

registration has not been made under 

§ 47.31. 

The public comment period closed on 

May 28, 2008. Late-filed comments 

posted through June 30, 2008 were 

accepted for consideration. 

III. Summary of Comments 

The FAA received 94 comments on 

the NPRM. The commenters consisted 

of aviation industry associations, air 

carriers, banks, finance companies, law 

firms, and individuals. Most 

commenters expressed multiple 

opinions, concerns, and suggestions, 

which were often repeated by others. 

Common areas of concern are grouped 

by subject for response. 

IV. Discussion of the Final Rule 

A. Aircraft Re-Registration and Periodic 

Renewal of Registration 

As proposed in the NPRM, this rule 

adopts the expiration and re-registration 

of all registered aircraft over a 3-year 

period, followed by the expiration and 

renewal of aircraft registration at 3-year 

intervals. This rule establishes the 

expiration of registration for all aircraft 

registered before October 1, 2010, and 

provides for the re-registration of all 

aircraft over a 3-year period according to 

the schedule provided in § 47.40(a)(1). It 

also establishes the recurrent expiration 

and renewal of registration at 3-year 

intervals for all aircraft issued 

registration on or after October 1, 2010, 

in § 47.40(c). The expiration date 

printed on the registration certificate of 

aircraft registered or re-registered after 

October 1, 2010, will be 3 years from the 

last day of the month in which 

registration or re-registration occurred 

as provided in § 47.40(a) and (b). A 

renewed aircraft registration will expire 

3 years from the previous expiration 

date in accordance with § 47.40(c). 

Replacement registration certificates 

issued on or after October 1, 2010, will 

display the same expiration date that 

was shown on the replaced registration 

certificate. If the replaced registration 

certificate did not display an expiration 

date, the replacement certificate will 

display the expiration date indicated in 

§ 47.40 based on the month of issue of 

the replaced registration certificate. 

Replacement certificates are issued after 

an address update, an N-number 

change, or the report of a lost or 

mutilated certificate. A replacement 

does not constitute re-registration or 

renewal. 

Several commenters, particularly 

aircraft operators and aviation financing 

and leasing companies, expressed 

concern over the re-registration and 

periodic renewal of registration. Some 

commenters preferred, as an alternative 

to the proposal, updating the triennial 

program by ‘‘putting teeth’’ into its 

enforcement. This would include 

enforcing the requirement to return the 

triennial report even when no change 

has occurred and imposing fines or 

canceling registration when there is no 

compliance. The FAA has considered 

these alternatives and has determined 

they would not resolve the issues 

addressed by this rule. The ‘‘teeth’’ 

suggested (such as fines or cancellation 

for an owner not replying to the 

triennial) are the same options available 

to the FAA today. In appropriate cases, 

the FAA has and will continue to 

pursue enforcement actions as provided 

for in 14 CFR part 13. However, the 

purpose of this final rule is to maintain 

an accurate registry database, and the 

FAA has determined that re-registration 

and renewal of all aircraft registrations 

is the most efficient way to accomplish 

that purpose. 

Existing § 47.51 requires the return of 

the triennial reports without changes. 

However, without an effective way of 

dealing with reports that were not 

returned or returned as undeliverable, 

the requirement became an unnecessary 

expenditure of resources for both the 

FAA and the public. Consequently, the 

instructions on the triennial report 

stated that return was unnecessary if no 

change had occurred. The FAA has 

concluded that recurrent registration 

expiration and renewal is the only way 

to ensure a regular validation of aircraft 

registration status and owner contact 

information. Therefore, as proposed, 

§ 47.51 is removed. 

Commercial commenters contended 

that the FAA underestimated the costs 

to some aircraft owners because aircraft 

registration often involves multiple 

parties. A high percentage of 

commercial and corporate aircraft, and 

a large number of general aviation 

aircraft, are leased to third parties and 

may be subject to financing agreements. 

These commenters stated they would 

need to implement systems to monitor 

the status of aircraft registrations for reregistration and renewal purposes. They 

also stated the costs of developing and 

maintaining such systems would be 

significant. The costs would include the 

need to hire an aviation professional to 

advise on, prepare, and file registration 

documents. They stated that outside 

counsel (engaged at a minimum of $350 

per hour) would be required to review 

filings. Also, significant time would be 

spent by the various parties 

communicating with each other and 

with the FAA. Finally, they stated that 

an appropriate employee (such as a 

mechanic) must place and document the 

placement of the registration certificate 

in the aircraft. The commenters 

contended the costs associated with 

taking the actions necessary to comply 

with the regulations can be substantial 

for owners, operators, and financial 

institutions dealing with large aircraft 

fleets and should have been included in 

the regulatory evaluation. 

The FAA agrees that for certain 

aircraft owners, the cost in the NPRM 

was underestimated. The FAA has 

revised its estimates of recurrent costs to 

include the time needed to fill out the 

re-registration or renewal application 

form, time for a legal review before the 

owner signs the application, time for the 

owner to receive a registration 

certificate and forward it to the aircraft 

operator, and time for the operator to 

receive and place the registration 

certificate in the aircraft. The FAA also 

has included one-time, start-up costs for 

documenting in-house re-registration 

and renewal procedures and the training 

of key personnel. 

Costs for actions not directly imposed 

by the rule, such as actions a party 

might take for their own convenience or 

preference, were not included. Among 

these were costs for hiring outside 

personnel to interpret the new rule or 

assist with re-registration and renewal 

processing and costs for establishing 

tracking systems. These were classified 

as optional tools to assure compliance 


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that are chosen by the owner or other 

parties but not directly required by the 

rule. Many operations already have a 

tracking system for maintenance or 

scheduling aircraft. These systems could 

be modified or adapted to help maintain 

aircraft registration by those who choose 

to use this method. New registration 

certificates will have the expiration 

dates printed on them to inform the 

pilot of the approaching expiration. The 

Registry Web site also will show the 

expiration date for individual aircraft 

and list aircraft that are pending reregistration or renewal. Most 

importantly, aircraft owners who keep 

their registration address current will 

receive two timely reminder notices 

before the scheduled expiration date of 

their aircraft’s registration. 

The FAA recalculated the three 20- 

year scenarios presented in the NPRM to 

include the additional operating and 

start-up cost addressed in the previous 

paragraph. Each scenario starts with the 

3-year re-registration followed by 3-, 

5-, and 7-year renewal cycles without a 

triennial program. The chart that 

follows shows the comparative costs 

and error rates achieved by these 

scenarios. 

ESTIMATED COSTS AND ERROR RATES FOR RE-REGISTRATION AND RENEWAL

[Over 20 years] 

Options Cost Present value 

cost 

Error rate 

(percent) 

Inaccurately 

registered 

aircraft 

Current Program .............................................................................................. $8,361,100 $4,428,900 36.5 132,100 

Re-registration and 7-Year Renewal (Triennial Eliminated) ............................ 7,498,100 5,564,300 21.7 68,900 

Re-registration and 5-Year Renewal (Triennial Eliminated) ............................ 13,806,600 8,512,700 12.5 37,600 

Re-registration and 3-Year Renewal (Triennial Eliminated) ............................ 29,946,000 16,264,900 5.7 18,800 

After comparing the results of these 

scenarios, the FAA has determined the 

best balance between cost and improved 

accuracy is provided by the 3-year reregistration followed by 3-year renewal 

cycles and no triennial program. 

Overall, questionable or erroneous 

registrations are expected to change 

from the current total error of 

approximately 36.5% to a projected 

total error of approximately 5.7%. While 

the alternative options cost less, the 

projected total error rate for each is 

significantly higher than the 3-year 

renewal option. The Regulatory 

Evaluation contains a detailed 

discussion of how costs were 

determined with an explanation of the 

calculations behind these scenarios. 

Re-registration of all aircraft and 

periodic renewal of registration will 

result in a more accurate database that 

will benefit all users. Law enforcement 

and security agencies will have access 

to more accurate registration records, 

which should increase their 

effectiveness in accomplishing their 

missions. The FAA and manufacturers 

will realize cost savings when mailing 

emergency airworthiness directives, 

safety notices, and surveys to aircraft 

owners. More reliable notification 

regarding safety issues should improve 

aviation safety. 

Commenters expressed concern over 

the opportunity re-registration and 

periodic renewal creates for 

administrative error that could ground 

an aircraft. They believe a renewal 

interval of 3 years increases this risk. 

Some commenters suggested a 5-year 

interval to coincide with fractional 

contracts or to match Uniform 

Commercial Code continuation filing. 

Another commenter suggested a 7-year 

interval to align with aging aircraft 

inspections. 

The FAA has considered the 

recommended renewal intervals. 

However, these events do not relate to, 

or further the goal of, improving the 

accuracy of registration information. It 

is impractical to tie the renewal term to 

financial events over which the FAA 

has no control or scheduled inspections 

that may vary be aircraft. However, the 

FAA does recognize that regular 

renewal creates a regulatory obligation 

that, if missed, could lead to the 

temporary grounding of an aircraft. To 

reduce the potential for these events to 

occur, the FAA is implementing several 

procedural safeguards introduced in the 

following discussion. 

B. Reminder Notices, Extended Filing 

Timeframes, and Online Access 

The Registry will send owners two 

reminder notices rather than a single 

reminder as proposed in the NPRM. The 

first reminder notice will be sent 180 

days before a registration is scheduled 

to expire. This is 60 days earlier than 

the 120 days proposed in the NPRM. 

The reminder will provide basic 

instructions and identify the aircraft, its 

expiration date, and the 3-month filing 

window during which a registration or 

renewal application should be 

submitted. Filing the application within 

the assigned window will enable the 

new registration certificate to arrive 

before the old certificate expires. The 

second reminder notice will be sent at 

the end of the filing window to owners 

who have not yet re-registered or 

renewed registration. The filing window 

will close 2 months prior to the 

scheduled expiration date to allow for 

processing the applications and mailing 

the new certificates. Applications sent 

after the filing window closes will still 

be processed; however, due to 

processing and mailing times, the 

aircraft may be without authorization to 

operate until registration is completed. 

Section 47.40(a)(1) contains a chart with 

the schedule established for reregistration. The Registry will post lists 

on its Web site showing aircraft as they 

move through the various stages of reregistration and renewal. These changes 

should help owners keep their aircraft 

continuously registered and help keep 

other interested parties informed about 

the registration status of those aircraft. 

In the NPRM, the FAA proposed 

extending expiration dates past the 

regulatory expiration date if the FAA or 

applicant were unable to complete the 

renewal process in a timely manner. 

The FAA has concluded that this 

process would be complicated and 

costly for both aircraft owners and the 

Registry. The FAA has determined that 

moving the first reminder notice and the 

filing window forward by 2 months and 

using this additional time for 

application processing and certificate 

delivery is a better solution. The earlier 

filing and additional 2 months for 

processing provides adequate time for a 

timely applicant to receive a new 

registration certificate. The process 

adopted by this final rule will reduce 

the uncertainty about registration 

certificate arrival and the potential 

burden of coordinating extensions that 

the proposed process would have 

created. 

The earlier reminder notice and 

additional processing time also respond 


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to requests from a few commenters who 

suggested a temporary operating 

authority for use with re-registration 

and renewal applications. The FAA 

permits temporary operation through 

the use of the second or ‘‘Pink Copy’’ of 

the application for registration for a 

reasonable period of time following a 

transfer of ownership. Because of 

statutory limitations, this type of 

temporary authority cannot be used for 

re-registration and renewal because 

these events are not part of a transfer of 

ownership. Provided an owner files an 

application for re-registration or renewal 

in a timely manner during the reregistration and renewal window, an 

interval of not less than two months will 

remain on the old certificate. This is 

sufficient time for an application to be 

processed and a certificate issued and 

delivered. 

The FAA planned to use the Aircraft 

Registration Application, AC Form 

8050–1 as the application form for 

aircraft re-registration. To avoid 

confusion between the normal 

registration process with its temporary 

operating authority and the reregistration process, the Aircraft 

Registration Application, AC Form 

8050–1 will not be used for reregistration. A separate application form 

has been developed and will be 

available from the Registry at its Web 

site, http://registry.faa.gov/ 

renewregistration. Proposed regulatory 

language has been changed to keep the 

two processes separate. 

The FAA proposed to require paper 

forms for all re-registration and to allow 

online renewal application when no 

changes were necessary. Several 

commenters called attention to the 

convenience and savings that could be 

achieved with both online reregistration and renewal. One 

commenter believed that completing the 

application electronically could save 

about 25 minutes, providing 

convenience for owners. Others pointed 

out the savings in time and costs for the 

FAA if applications could be processed 

electronically. 

The FAA agrees that online reregistration and electronic processing 

could reduce costs, but only when there 

are no changes to be made to the current 

registration information. Accordingly, 

the rule provides for both online reregistration and renewal when no 

changes are required. Extending the 

online option to those aircraft with 

information changes to report would be 

convenient for owners. However, the 

FAA currently cannot process these 

information updates electronically. 

Therefore, at this time, re-registration or 

renewal applications with updates 

cannot be made online. However, future 

online submission is not prohibited by 

the regulatory text, and we are exploring 

options for future acceptance of 

registration information electronically. 

Regardless of whether information is 

received electronically or through a 

paper-based method, address updates 

and other changes also require review 

and action by an examiner, so cost 

savings to the Government in these 

situations would be minimal or 

nonexistent. 

The changes from the proposed rule 

discussed to this point extend the 

timeframes and simplify the procedures 

of the re-registration and renewal 

process to the benefit of owners, 

operators, and the FAA. When these 

elements of the rule are pulled together 

re-registration and renewal will operate 

similarly to the following example. 

For the purpose of re-registration, an 

aircraft registration certificate that does 

not contain an expiration date and was 

issued in March of any year has an 

assigned expiration date of March 31, 

2011, as described in § 47.40 of this 

rule. This example also applies to 

renewal of an aircraft registration 

certificate issued with an expiration 

date of March 31st . On or about October 

1, the first reminder notice will be sent 

to the aircraft owner at the address of 

record. The notice will remind the 

owner of the pending expiration and 

announce that the 3-month filing 

window will run from November 1st 

through the last day of January. The 

notice will include a unique passcode 

for use with online filing that will be 

valid until the close of the assigned 

filing window. It will also provide 

information for both online and paper 

form filing. A printable form will be 

available online and from the Registry. 

The additional 2 months provided for 

application processing and certificate 

delivery run from February 1st through 

March 31st. Timely applications, 

meaning those received at the Registry 

during the filing window, will be 

processed and issued with sufficient 

time for the registration certificate to 

arrive well before expiration on the last 

day of March. Re-registration and 

renewal applications that report updates 

to registration information or are filed 

after the filing window closes must be 

made using the paper application. Filing 

after the end of the 3-month window 

creates the possibility the new 

certificate will arrive after the old 

certificate expires. An owner who has 

allowed registration to expire may apply 

for registration in accord with § 47.31, 

by submitting an Aircraft Registration 

Application, AC Form 8050–1 and the 

registration fee identified in § 47.17. 

A correct address on file will ensure 

that the reminder letters will be sent to 

the aircraft owner and avoid delays and 

possible loss of registration. There is no 

fee for updating an address or other 

information, like a name change, and it 

can be done at any time during or 

independent of the registration process. 

C. Triennial Aircraft Registration Report 

No Longer Required 

In the NPRM, the FAA proposed to 

remove § 47.51 and eliminate the 

requirement for aircraft owners to 

complete and return a Triennial Aircraft 

Registration Report. This proposal is 

adopted without modification in this 

final rule. The re-registration and 

renewal requirements adopted in this 

final rule eliminate the need for the 

triennial program. 

D. Time Limits for Aircraft in Sale 

Reported and Registration Pending 

Status 

Accuracy and usability of the 

database require eliminating aircraft 

from questionable registration statuses 

such as ‘‘Sale Reported’’ or ‘‘Registration 

Pending.’’ Approximately 17,000 aircraft 

are reported as sold and have remained 

in a ‘‘Sale Reported’’ status for more than 

6 months. Their registration has ended, 

but without standards for canceling the 

assignment of an aircraft registration 

number, the aircraft remain in the 

database. With a registration number 

still assigned, ‘‘Sale Reported’’ aircraft 

could operate under ‘‘Pink Copy’’ 

temporary authority at any time if an 

application for registration is made. Due 

to normal processing delays, it cannot 

be known to a system user what the 

actual status is. Accordingly, ‘‘Sale 

Reported’’ aircraft are in a perpetually 

questionable status. 

The FAA proposed to implement 

clear standards for the cancellation of 

registration number assignments from 

aircraft with ineffective registration. The 

basis for these standards is underscored 

in proposed § 47.15(i). When the 

ownership of an aircraft is transferred, 

its registration is no longer effective, 

and the FAA may cancel the 

corresponding assignment of 

registration number. To establish clear 

time periods in which to complete the 

registration of a transferred aircraft, 

proposed § 47.15(i) set forth timelines 

for cancellation of the assignment of 

registration number in three ownership 

transfer scenarios. The FAA will cancel 

the assignment of registration number if 

6 months have passed since notification 

to the FAA of transfer and no 

application for registration has been 

filed. The FAA will cancel the 

assignment of registration number if 1 


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1The Registry has a status it assigns to aircraft 

records that have had mail returned as 

undeliverable. 

year has passed since the application for 

registration was made, but the applicant 

or successive applicants have failed to 

meet the registration requirements of 

this part. The FAA will cancel the 

assignment of registration number if 6 

months have passed since an aircraft 

dealer filed evidence of ownership in 

accord with § 47.67 that did not meet 

registration requirements, and these 

requirements have remained unmet. 

Section 47.15(i) is adopted as proposed 

in the NPRM without change. 

Several commenters thought that 

automatic cancellation of registration 

numbers for failing to renew or reregister is a severe penalty. These 

commenters suggested that the system 

should accommodate the retention of Nnumbers without the complication of an 

application or fees because it is 

expensive to put a new N-number on an 

aircraft. 

Section 47.15(i) as adopted provides 

for the cancellation of an N-number 

assignment to an aircraft when 

registration ends. However, the 

cancellation process is not an automatic 

action as commenters suggest. When 

aircraft registration ends, the Registry 

will wait 30 days to ensure that any 

recently received requests from the 

owner have been processed. The 

Registry will then send a letter about the 

pending cancellation if a good address 

for an owner is on file.1 The letter will 

inform the owner that the owner may 

reserve the N-number as provided for in 

newly adopted § 47.15(j) or register the 

aircraft under § 47.31 within 60 days 

from the date of the letter. If a reply is 

not received within 60 days, the aircraft 

record will be placed in a work packet 

and then in queue for an examiner to 

complete cancellation. If a good address 

for the aircraft owner is not on file, Nnumber cancellation will be scheduled 

for no sooner than 90 days from the date 

of expiration. During this time, the 

aircraft will appear on the Registry’s 

webpage list of aircraft pending 

cancellation. Once cancellation is 

complete, the N-number will be 

unavailable for assignment for a period 

of 5 years in accord with § 47.15(j). 

The 5-year hold is related to both 

safety and customer service. Many 

aircraft that may be canceled from the 

registration database belong to owners 

who have been out of contact with the 

Registry. These aircraft may be in use or 

may return to operational status during 

the next few years. It would be unwise 

to release an N-number for use on a 

second aircraft when there is a chance 

the first aircraft is still operating. The 5- 

year hold also is responsive to requests 

from law enforcement agencies. 

Removing the N-numbers of 

unregistered aircraft from service for a 

few years helps them identify and 

evaluate operating aircraft. 

One commenter asked whether the 

requirement to return expired 

registration certificates could be 

modified. The costs to gather and return 

these certificates could be excessive for 

owners or operators with large or 

international fleets. The FAA agrees 

with this comment and has changed the 

language of proposed § 47.41(b). Instead 

of returning an expired registration 

certificate, the holder must destroy it. 

A commenter asked why a limit of 

120 days was established for use of the 

copy of a completed and returned 

Assignment of Special Registration 

Numbers, AC Form 8050–64. This 

commenter suggested a period of 180 

days instead. 

This form is issued as authority to 

place a special N-number on a specific 

aircraft during the next 12 months. 

Within 5 days of painting the N-number 

on the aircraft, the form is to be 

completed with the painting date, 

signed by the owner, and returned to the 

Registry. The records will then be 

updated and a new aircraft registration 

certificate issued. While waiting for the 

new certificate, the owner is to keep a 

copy of the form with the old certificate 

as authorization to operate with the new 

N-number. The new certificate should 

arrive in 60 to 90 days at which time the 

copy of the form loses its authority. The 

12-month and 120-day terms are 

imposed to establish a specific time 

limit in response to requests from law 

enforcement agencies. The FAA chose 

120 days to allow response time for the 

occasional undelivered certificate. 

Given the time periods required to 

submit the appropriate documentation 

and the standard processing time, 180 

days is excessive. 

E. Conforming Amendments 

Since this rule eliminates § 47.51, the 

rule includes conforming amendments 

to §§ 13.19 and 13.27 to remove the 

references to § 47.51. This rule also 

includes a conforming amendment to 

§ 91.203(a)(2) to eliminate the reference 

to the ‘‘pink copy’’ of the Aircraft 

Registration Application. 

V. Miscellaneous Comments 

A. Re-Registration and Renewal 

One commenter suggested sending 

additional notices to an aircraft’s lessee, 

secured party, or operator as known 

parties that could ensure re-registration 

or renewal is accomplished in a timely 

manner. 

The aircraft registration regulations 

identify the aircraft owner as the 

responsible party to which the Registry 

directs any communication. The FAA 

cannot justify modifying the current 

system to maintain addresses for parties 

other than the registered aircraft owner. 

Identifying these other interested parties 

might require the FAA to perform a title 

review of each aircraft’s records, which 

contradicts the registered owner’s duty 

to comply with all obligations it may 

have under leases, security agreements, 

or other contracts. Additionally, a 

system of secondary addresses would 

create a maintenance burden to keep 

these addresses current. 

One commenter stated that it is not 

clear how this proposal would create a 

net time savings for any party as the 

cost/benefit analysis claims. 

Neither the discussion in the NPRM 

nor the cost/benefit analysis claimed 

that there would be a net time savings 

for any party. 

One commenter suggested that the 

FAA review the proposal and analyze 

its impact on foreign airlines and for 

conformity with other registration 

requirements and commitments, such as 

the Cape Town Convention on 

International Interests in Mobile 

Equipment. 

The FAA agrees that U.S. civil aircraft 

operated internationally must comply 

with FAA as well as foreign operational 

standards. Leases often state that the 

lessee will comply with applicable 

regulations and laws present and future. 

The U.S. aircraft registration certificate 

conforms to the model certificate 

provided by the International Civil 

Aviation Organization. The addition of 

an expiration date is an enhancement 

over the basic requirement. This 

difference provides more confidence to 

foreign officials that the aircraft is 

properly registered. Validating 

registration and placing a renewal 

certificate in a U.S. registered aircraft 

operated in another country has little 

chance of conflicting with international 

commitments. This rule has no effect on 

the Cape Town Convention. 

B. Risks and Disruption 

Many commenters expressed concern 

with the time, personnel, and 

administrative costs associated with 

implementing the rule as proposed. 

These commenters thought the increase 

in workload at the Registry would result 

in critical backlogs that would 

negatively affect both normal and rulerelated work. 

The FAA understands that confidence 

in the success of this final rule rests on 


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the ability of the Registry to perform 

without excessive backlogs. A portion of 

the new work will be offset by the 

elimination of the triennial report 

program. Recent staffing changes and 

upgrades to the electronic documents 

processing systems will help streamline 

the new workload. Additionally, online 

‘‘no-change’’ re-registration application 

filing and fee payments will be 

available. No critical backlogs in reregistration, renewal, or normal 

workload are expected as a result of this 

final rule. 

Several lessees commented that 

lenders might modify contract 

covenants to require additional reports 

and assurances, or possibly withdraw 

from lending due to the real or 

perceived increase in uncertainty 

created by the proposed rule. 

This final rule creates certainty in the 

registry database. Lenders, insurers, and 

other interested parties will now be able 

to verify whether the aircraft owner is 

complying with any registration terms 

and conditions contained in those 

private contracts. The FAA believes this 

rule will not be a factor in lenders 

deciding whether to finance aircraft 

transactions. Verifying or demonstrating 

successful re-registration or renewal 

may be done using the searchable 

aircraft information feature on the FAA 

Web site. The display for each aircraft 

will show the issue date for its 

certificate as well as the next expiration 

date. Owners can download the 

registration database and create reports 

or populate their own fleet management 

databases. Reports could then be 

transmitted to a lender. With this 

information available on the Web site, 

and the 180-day and 60-day notices of 

expiration sent to the aircraft owner, 

investor confidence in the U.S. aviation 

industry should remain essentially 

unchanged by the implementation of 

this final rule. 

Several commenters stated that 

expired registration could result in 

litigation because the ownership of the 

aircraft could be questioned. 

Specifically, these commenters were 

concerned that security interests filed 

against the aircraft could be held invalid 

or subordinate, thus exposing banks and 

other lenders to economic losses. 

The FAA has determined this final 

rule will have no impact on priorities 

established by recording those interests 

at the FAA’s Aircraft Registry. The 

United States ratified the Cape Town 

Convention which, in addition to other 

items, established an International 

Registry for registering covered interests 

in most commercial-sized aircraft. 

Article 29 of the Cape Town Convention 

firmly establishes that ‘‘a registered 

interest has priority over any other 

interest subsequently registered and 

over an unregistered interest.’’ The 

continued priority of an interest 

established by registering that interest 

with the International Registry is not 

dependent upon continued United 

States civil aircraft registration. For 

aircraft not covered by the Cape Town 

Convention, security interests properly 

filed and recorded at the FAA’s Aircraft 

Registry are arguably provided 

perpetual validity without further 

recording. Registration expiration does 

not change the ownership or otherwise 

affect interests in an aircraft, but private 

contract terms may affect those 

interests. The records for all aircraft that 

are currently on, or have been on, the 

United States aircraft registry are 

permanent records and will remain 

available for review regardless of 

registration status. 

Several commenters stated that 

expired registration could leave an 

aircraft without insurance coverage 

protecting its owner, lenders, lessee, 

and passengers. Commenters suggest 

that if an aircraft registration 

inadvertently expires, the insurance 

company might take the position that all 

or some coverage does not apply. 

The FAA is aware that the renewal 

requirements of the final rule create a 

recurring event with which an aircraft 

owner may fail to comply. The 

additional reminder notice and 

enhanced registration information 

available on the Registry Web site 

should reduce the likelihood of an 

inadvertent failure to maintain 

registration. Aircraft owners who keep 

their addresses up-to-date, respond 

promptly to the reminder notices, and 

alert their pilots not to operate aircraft 

with expired certificates should avoid 

operating without current registration. 

A large number of commenters 

thought that a lessor, particularly a 

‘passive’ owner-trustee lessor for 

multiple aircraft, could become liable to 

the lessee and investors if the lessor 

failed to obtain renewal certificates and 

provide them to a lessee in time to place 

them into the aircraft before expiration. 

The lessor also might have difficulty 

collecting any renewal fees fronted for 

its lessee. 

As stated in 49 U.S.C. chapter 441, 

only the owner of an aircraft is eligible 

to apply for registration. An owner’s 

choice to assume a passive role does not 

relieve it of its duties to comply with all 

applicable registration regulations. The 

FAA cannot justify tailoring the 

registration regulations to accommodate 

owners who choose to assume a passive 

role. As discussed previously, the FAA 

has modified this final rule so an owner 

will have sufficient time to obtain a reregistration or renewal certificate and 

forward it to the lessee for placement in 

the aircraft before the old certificate 

expires. 

C. Fees, User Fees, New Taxes 

Several commenters saw this 

rulemaking as an excuse to collect a 

recurring user fee or tax. Others 

acknowledged that the current $5 

registration fee is too low. Some 

contended the $45 and $130 fees 

proposed in the FAA Reauthorization 

bill were too high, arguing that an 

equitable fee would be lower. Some 

express concern the $130 fee would 

apply every 3 years, claiming that fee is 

too burdensome. One commenter saw 

the registration fee as a penalty for those 

who are late in meeting the deadline for 

re-registration. Another commenter 

offered that the full costs of aviation 

need to be assumed by those rich 

enough to buy and fly planes, not the 

general taxpayers. 

The NPRM proposed a $5.00 reregistration and renewal fee. This is a 

new and recurring fee which matches 

the current registration fee, even though 

it is less than the estimated direct cost 

of processing re-registration and 

renewal actions. The Federal Aviation 

Administration Reauthorization bill 

(H.R. 915), if enacted as passed by the 

House of Representatives on May 21, 

2009, will provide the authority to 

increase registration-related fees. The 

projected fees are higher than current 

fees but reflect only the direct and 

applicable indirect unit costs of the 

FAA Registry’s Aircraft Registration 

Branch. The $130 registration fee 

projected in the legislation would not 

apply as the fee for re-registration or 

renewal. If estimated by the same 

method used for the reauthorization bill, 

the fee for re-registration and renewal 

would be about $45. Neither the 

reauthorization bill, nor the NPRM, 

proposed a registration fee that includes 

a tax, user fee, or charge to generate 

revenue for purposes other than 

maintaining an accurate aircraft 

registration database. 

Two commenters contended the 

increase in registration and renewal fees 

might raise the cost of learning to fly 

beyond the means of some students or 

otherwise discourage individuals from 

flying. 

The FAA does not believe that these 

higher fees would cause students not to 

be able to learn to fly. Because this fee 

would be paid by aircraft owners, the 

costs could be prorated among flight 

instruction sessions. Costs for each 

student pilot would then be negligible. 


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One commenter proposed a sliding 

scale for people who have more than 

one aircraft. Another mentioned that 

these fees would affect general aviation 

more severely than airlines. This same 

commenter notes that the registration 

fee for cars is reduced as the car ages. 

Another requested the registration fee be 

tied to the aircraft’s certificated gross 

weight or type certification. 

The fees discussed are based on the 

costs to process aircraft registration, reregistration, or renewal. These costs are 

the same for all aircraft. Therefore, the 

use of sliding scales, number of aircraft 

owned, weight, type, age, or value of an 

aircraft to determine a fee would be 

inconsistent with the cost recovery 

nature of the fee. 

Many commenters characterized the 

proposed rule as, ‘‘penalizing the law 

abiding citizens who provide the 

information required by the 

Government.’’ They suggest that the 

FAA penalize those who do not comply 

and raise revenue through punitive 

actions focusing on the noncompliant 

parties. 

The FAA does not seek to penalize 

the innocent and appreciates those 

aircraft owners who have made a 

conscientious effort to promptly report 

any changes in their addresses or the 

statuses of their aircraft. As discussed 

earlier, many changes go unreported 

each year. In light of the arguments 

presented in the NPRM and this final 

rule, recurrent expiration and renewal 

of aircraft registration is the only 

identified option that can clear 

accumulated error from the registration 

records and maintain it at an acceptable 

level. 

D. Alternatives Suggested by 

Commenters 

Several commenters suggested that 

registration is or can be inspected as 

part of an aircraft’s annual inspection. 

Only the aircraft owner has the 

knowledge sufficient to review, update, 

and affirm the validity of an aircraft’s 

registration information. Therefore, the 

FAA has concluded that it is 

inappropriate to include verification of 

registration as part of an annual 

inspection, which may not involve the 

participation of the aircraft owner. 

One commenter suggested a one-stop 

FAA address change program, and 

another suggested that the time given to 

report an address change be extended 

from 30 to 90 days. 

The FAA processes multiple address 

change requests when these requests 

indicate the offices that need to be 

notified. For example, if a pilot provides 

an address update and indicates that it 

also affects a specific aircraft that the 

pilot owns, the FAA updates both the 

airmen and aircraft databases. Similarly, 

the Web page for Airmen Certification 

address updates has a reminder message 

for pilots to also update any affected 

aircraft records with a link to 

instructions on how to do this. The 

Registry accepts and processes address 

updates whenever they are reported. 

Extending the timeframe from 30 to 90 

days would not lower the incidence of 

bad addresses on file. It could however, 

lower the perception that it is important 

to promptly report address and other 

registration changes. 

Several commenters suggested the 

FAA should capture address changes 

from maintenance forms, DOT Form 

6410, the State Registries, the Airmen 

database, and from spot checks 

conducted by Airworthiness Inspectors. 

The Registry has routinely made use 

of alternate resources to locate possible 

current addresses. A few of these 

include the Airmen Certification files, 

the U.S. Postal Service Change of 

Address database, returned surveys, and 

airworthiness directive forms. The 

Registry uses addresses from these 

alternate sources to contact aircraft 

owners and ask them to verify the 

correct registration address. It should be 

noted that while the FAA may be able 

to locate an aircraft’s registered owner, 

changes to the registration information 

maintained on their aircraft can be 

authorized only by the owner. 

A few commenters suggested that a 

title system for aircraft would provide 

better information. 

The commenters did not offer any 

insight into how a title system would 

provide better information than the 

existing Certificate of Registration 

system as modified by this final rule. 

The FAA is authorized to modify its 

system to include a system of titling 

aircraft. (See 49 U.S.C. 44111(c)(1).) 

However, the costs of converting to a 

titling system would likely far outweigh 

any benefits that would be derived. 

Even with a titling system, some form of 

initial and periodic updating of 

information would still be necessary to 

obtain and maintain the level of 

accuracy this final rule will provide. 

Several commenters suggested 

exempting aircraft documented on Parts 

121 and 135 maintenance certificates or 

operated by Fractional or Flight 

Department Operations. 

Exempting any class of registered 

aircraft would reduce the effectiveness 

of this rule. All categories of aircraft 

contribute to the registration errors this 

rule seeks to correct and prevent from 

accumulating in the future. Exempting 

any group of registered aircraft would 

also require the FAA to operate dual 

registries, which is operationally 

impractical. 

There were a few suggestions that 

proposed exempting general aviation 

aircraft, because ‘‘they are too small to 

be a security risk’’ or ‘‘terrorists use big 

airplanes.’’ 

The FAA does not agree. Large aircraft 

are operated as general aviation aircraft 

and all aircraft, regardless of size, are 

important enough to be furnished 

current safety information. Also, many 

small and medium-sized aircraft have 

been found suitable for drug running 

and similar activities of interest to law 

enforcement agencies. 

Two commenters requested flexibility 

in choosing renewal dates. 

This suggestion was not accepted. 

Allowing the choice of renewal date 

would unnecessarily complicate both 

the workflow of registration renewal 

and the overall management of the 

program. Keeping renewal dates linked 

to an aircraft’s registration date ensures 

that the Registry’s workload will occur 

evenly through the year eliminating 

potential recurring seasonal backlogs. 

One commenter asked the FAA to 

drop enforcement of the recent change 

to Section 47.41(b)(3), which requires 

return of registration certificates within 

21 days of termination of registration. 

This requirement creates a laborintensive chore when a fleet of aircraft 

changes hands. 

The FAA rejects the commenter’s 

suggestion. The 21 days allowed for the 

return of an ineffective registration 

certificate provides a definite and 

reasonable timeframe to take this action. 

However, to avoid creating any 

additional burden, this final rule has 

changed § 47.41(b)(3) to direct the 

holder to destroy an expired registration 

certificate rather than return it to the 

FAA. 

One commenter suggested moving the 

‘‘Sale Reported’’ time limit from 

§ 47.15(i)(4) to § 47.35, Aircraft Last 

Previously Registered in the United 

States. This would enable a new owner 

to see at a glance what their certificate 

requirements are. 

The FAA has determined that 

§ 47.15(i), which addresses the 6-month 

interval between filing an aircraft ‘‘Sale 

Reported’’ notice and N-number 

cancellation, is in the appropriate 

location. Section 47.35 refers the reader 

to § 47.15 and other sections with which 

the new owner must comply. Owners 

are encouraged to review all of part 47 

to ensure compliance with registration 

regulations. 

One commenter suggested that an Nnumber assignment for aircraft entering 

or re-entering the U.S. registration 

system should be valid for 180 days 


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instead of the 90 days presently 

allowed. 

The FAA does not agree. These 

assignments are made to aircraft that are 

entering the U.S. registration system and 

need an N-number to place on their 

application and supporting 

documentation. Time is needed only for 

entering the N-number on their 

documents, delivering them to the 

Registry, and for registration processing 

time. If a delay arises that is out of the 

applicant’s control, the applicant may 

apply for an extension. Because these 

aircraft may not operate until a 

registration certificate is issued, these 

applications receive priority processing. 

If a longer lead time is needed, the 

owner is encouraged to reserve an 

N-number and make application for 

assignment at the appropriate time. 

One commenter, both a pilot and air 

traffic controller, cautions that under no 

circumstances should a controller be 

concerned with Part 47, nor should an 

aircraft in flight be denied air traffic 

service and support. 

This rule concerns re-registration, 

registration, and renewal of aircraft 

registration certificates. It is not 

intended to address air traffic control 

issues. 

Several commenters suggested the 

FAA should require re-registration and 

renewal applicants to report total 

airframe flight hours from a specific 

date with an estimated breakdown of 

that time by primary mission areas or 

types of operation. The data collected 

would enhance safety research and 

measurement of safety improvement. 

This suggestion is beyond the scope of 

this final rule. 

One commenter, an aviation parts 

provider and Supplemental Type 

Certificate holder, requests that a 

primary key be assigned to aircraft 

records available for download from the 

Registry’s Web site. This would enable 

data users to track individual records 

through successive downloads even if 

N-numbers, model names, or serial 

numbers change and track which of 

their products are in use on these 

aircraft. Similar benefits would be 

available to manufacturers, government, 

and law enforcement agencies 

depending on their applications. 

Although this suggestion is beyond 

the scope of this final rule, it will be 

forwarded to the appropriate FAA 

organization for consideration. 

One commenter proposed revising 

§ 47.33(a)(2) to allow use of an invoice 

from a kit manufacturer as evidence of 

ownership equal to a bill of sale. 

This proposal is beyond the scope of 

this rule. Section 47.33(b) provides an 

alternative method of establishing 

aircraft ownership. 

One commenter proposed replacing 

the annual inspection requirement for 

noncommercial aircraft with an 

inspection requirement based on a 

combination of flight hours and time 

since last inspection. The longest 

interval before inspection would be 3 

years. This would save time and money 

for the many aircraft owners of low use 

aircraft without affecting safety. 

This proposal is beyond the scope of 

this rule. The commenter may submit 

this proposal as its own project in 

accord with CFR 14 Part 11 Basic 

Rulemaking Procedures. 

One commenter representing a 

finance company disagreed with the 

need for additional disclosures in 

financing documents. The current level 

of required exposure allows competitors 

to undercut each others deals, reducing 

income margins for finance companies. 

This proposal is beyond the scope of 

this rule. 

VI. Rulemaking Notices and Analyses 

A. Paperwork Reduction Act 

As required by the Paperwork 

Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 

3507(d)), the FAA submitted a copy of 

the new information collection 

requirements in this final rule to the 

Office of Management and Budget 

(OMB) for its review. OMB assigned 

OMB Control Number 2120–0729. An 

agency may not collect or sponsor the 

collection of information, nor may it 

impose an information collection 

requirement unless it displays a 

currently valid Office of Management 

and Budget (OMB) control number. 

A description of the annual burden is 

shown below. 

Description of Respondents: The 

likely respondents to the information 

requirements in this final rule are all 

aircraft owners who want to continue 

registration past the expiration date on 

their Certificate. The FAA estimates the 

number of renewals will be 65,719 

annually; however, the number of 

aircraft owners and the signature 

requirements for each aircraft vary 

depending on the registration type (e.g., 

individual, partnership, government, or 

co-ownership). 

Estimated Burden: Over 20 years, the 

FAA estimates 1,308,873 forms will be 

processed. Of these forms, 191,652 will 

be for re-registration and 1,117,221 will 

be for renewal. As described in the 

Regulatory Evaluation, the FAA 

estimates its own processing costs will 

be $9.10 and $5.82, respectively, per 

form. Over 20 years, these costs sum to 

$8,246,259.42 (calculation: 191,652 

times $9.10 plus 1,117,221 times $5.82), 

for an annual cost of $412,312.97 

(calculation: $8,246,259.42 divided by 

20). The FAA estimates that it will take 

0.185 hours to process each reregistration form and 0.122 hours to 

process each renewal form. This 

difference comes from the FAA’s 

assumption that the percentage of 

owners making application on the 

Internet will increase in later years, 

lowering the processing time for 

renewals. Over 20 years, the time to 

process all the re-registration and the 

renewals forms equals 35,455.62 

(35,455.62 = .185 × 191,652) hours and 

136,300.98 (136,300.98 = .122 × 

1,117,221) hours respectively, for a total 

burden of 171,756.60 hours, and an 

average annual burden of 8,587.83 

hours. 

B. International Compatibility 

In keeping with U.S. obligations 

under the Convention on International 

Civil Aviation, it is FAA policy to 

conform to International Civil Aviation 

Organization (ICAO) Standards and 

Recommended Practices to the 

maximum extent practicable. The FAA 

has reviewed the corresponding ICAO 

Standards and Recommended Practices. 

ICAO Standards set forth a model 

registration certificate. The FAA’s 

certificate of registration will exceed the 

standards in that model because it will 

include an expiration date. 

C. Regulatory Evaluation, Regulatory 

Flexibility Determination, International 

Trade Impact Assessment, and 

Unfunded Mandates Assessment 

Regulatory Flexibility Determination 

Changes to Federal regulations must 

undergo several economic analyses. 

First, Executive Order 12866 directs that 

each Federal agency shall propose or 

adopt a regulation only upon a reasoned 

determination that the benefits of the 

intended regulation justify its costs. 

Second, the Regulatory Flexibility Act 

of 1980 (Pub. L. 96–354) requires 

agencies to analyze the economic 

impact of regulatory changes on small 

entities. Third, the Trade Agreements 

Act (Pub. L. 96–39) prohibits agencies 

from setting standards that create 

unnecessary obstacles to the foreign 

commerce of the United States. In 

developing U.S. standards, this Trade 

Act requires agencies to consider 

international standards and, where 

appropriate, that they be the basis of 

U.S. standards. Fourth, the Unfunded 

Mandates Reform Act of 1995 (Pub. L. 

104–4) requires agencies to prepare a 

written assessment of the costs, benefits, 

and other effects of proposed or final 


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rules that include a Federal mandate 

likely to result in the expenditure by 

State, local, or tribal governments, in the 

aggregate, or by the private sector, of 

$100 million or more annually (adjusted 

for inflation with base year of 1995). 

This portion of the preamble 

summarizes the FAA’s analysis of the 

economic impacts of this final rule. We 

suggest readers seeking greater detail 

read the full regulatory evaluation, a 

copy of which we have placed in the 

docket for this rulemaking. 

In conducting these analyses, FAA 

has determined that this rule: (1) Has 

benefits that justify its costs, (2) is not 

an ‘‘economically significant regulatory 

action’’ but is a ‘‘significant regulatory 

action’’ for other reasons as defined in 

section 3(f) of Executive Order 12866, 

(3) is ‘‘significant’’ as defined in DOT’s 

Regulatory Policies and Procedures; (4) 

will not have a significant economic 

impact on a substantial number of small 

entities; (5) will not create unnecessary 

obstacles to the foreign commerce of the 

United States; and (6) will not impose 

an unfunded mandate on state, local, or 

tribal governments, or on the private 

sector by exceeding the threshold 

identified above. These analyses are 

summarized below. 

Summary 

Total Costs and Benefits of this 

Rulemaking 

SUMMARY OF COSTS AND BENEFITS IN MILLIONS OF 2007 DOLLARS

[Over 20 years] 

Cost Present value 

of cost Benefit 

Re-registration and 3-Year Renewal (Triennial Eliminated) .......................... $29.9 $16.3 Reduction in Error Rate by 31%. 

This rule will mandate that all aircraft 

owners reregister their aircraft over a 

3-year period, and then renew these 

registrations on a 3-year basis. Total 

estimated costs, over 20 years is $29.9 

million ($16.3 million, present value). 

These costs include both the costs to 

aircraft owners as well as processing 

costs for the Civil Aircraft Registry and 

include costs savings from the 

elimination of the Triennial Program. 

The primary benefit of this 

rulemaking will be the increased 

accuracy of the records within the 

Aircraft Registry. Currently, 

approximately one third of registered 

aircraft information is incorrect. The 

FAA has concluded that the level of 

accuracy in the system of records must 

be significantly improved in order to 

better serve the needs of the users of the 

system as well as support its own 

operations. Benefits will accrue from 

improving the database as well as 

improving the data collection process. 

Who is potentially affected by this 

rulemaking? 

Private Sector 

There are currently about 357,000 

registered aircraft, of which about 

241,000 are active aircraft. The FAA 

expects about 245,000 aircraft to 

reregister and then, every 3 years, renew 

their certificate. The FAA also expects 

between an additional 3,424 new 

aircraft to register each year. 

Government 

This rule will increase the workload 

on the Civil Aviation Registry, which 

will have to process an additional 1.3 

million renewal and registration 

certificates over a 20-year period. 

However, this additional work will be 

partially offset by the elimination of the 

Triennial Aircraft Registration Program. 

Our Cost Assumptions and Sources of 

Information 

• Discount rate—7%; 

• Period of analysis—2010 through 

2029; 

• All monetary values are expressed 

in 2007 dollars; 

• The FAA based projections on a 

1.4% annual growth rate 

• The FAA will use the following 

unit costs: 

(a) $5—fee per aircraft for both reregistration and renewal 

(b) $37.20—hourly rate of an aircraft 

owner’s time 

(c) $9.10—FAA processing costs for 

re-registration per applicant 

(d) $5.82—FAA processing costs for 

renewal per applicant 

(e) $1.63—FAA processing costs for 

the Triennial Program for each notice 

sent 

(f) $16.80—FAA processing costs for 

the Triennial Program per reply 

Benefits of This Rulemaking 

The primary benefit of this 

rulemaking will be the increased 

accuracy of the records within the 

Aircraft Registry. Currently, over one 

third of registered aircraft information is 

incorrect. Inaccurate records have many 

negative consequences. For example, 

FAA uses aircraft records to identify 

owners of specific aircraft so that safety 

related information, such as 

airworthiness directives (ADs), can be 

delivered to those owners, but because 

of inaccuracies, many safety-related 

mailings are returned without delivery. 

Aircraft manufacturers also use aircraft 

records for the same reasons, to send out 

safety-related information. Law 

enforcement and security agencies rely 

upon FAA’s aircraft records to identify 

and locate owners of aircraft. 

The FAA has concluded that the level 

of accuracy in the system of records 

must be significantly improved in order 

to better serve the needs of the users of 

the system as well as support its own 

operations. Specifically, benefits will 

accrue from improving the database as 

well as improving the data collection 

process. The benefits from improving 

the Registry database include cost 

savings, better service for aircraft 

owners, and help with law enforcement. 

The benefits to be realized by improving 

the data collection process also include 

cost savings as well as a more accurate 

response rate. 

Costs of This Rulemaking 

This rulemaking requires that all 

aircraft owners will have to re-register 

their aircraft during a 3-year period, that 

all aircraft registrations will need to be 

renewed every 3 years, and that the 

present Triennial Program is eliminated 

in its entirety. 

The FAA estimates that 

approximately 244,600 aircraft will each 

go through the re-registration process, 

and so will be issued a new registration 

certificate. Following re-registration 

aircraft will renew their registration 

every 3 years. In calculating the costs of 

the rule, the FAA counts the number of 

aircraft transactions that result from 

either re-registration or renewal. 

Moreover, FAA did not include the cost 

of normal course of business 

registrations and the $5 fee because the 

fee is an economic transfer. These costs 

are recognized in a separate section in 

the rule but are not included in the total 

cost of the rule. 


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The FAA estimates that over 20 years 

the Registry will process 1.3 million 

certificate actions, composed of reregistration and renewal. However, the 

Registry will achieve cost savings with 

the elimination of the Triennial 

Program. Over 20 years, the rule 

replaces the current system with a 3- 

year re-registration program, followed 

by a 3-year renewal cycle that is 

estimated to cost $29.9 million ($16.3 

million, present value). 

Final Regulatory Flexibility 

Determination 

The Regulatory Flexibility Act of 1980 

(Pub. L. 96–354) (RFA) establishes ‘‘as a 

principle of regulatory issuance that 

agencies shall endeavor, consistent with 

the objectives of the rule and of 

applicable statutes, to fit regulatory and 

informational requirements to the scale 

of the businesses, organizations, and 

governmental jurisdictions subject to 

regulation. To achieve this principle, 

agencies are required to solicit and 

consider flexible regulatory proposals 

and to explain the rationale for their 

actions to assure that such proposals are 

given serious consideration.’’ The RFA 

covers a wide range of small entities, 

including small businesses, not-forprofit organizations, and small 

governmental jurisdictions. 

Agencies must perform a review to 

determine whether a rule will have a 

significant economic impact on a 

substantial number of small entities. If 

the agency determines that it will, the 

agency must prepare a regulatory 

flexibility analysis as described in the 

RFA. 

However, if an agency determines that 

a rule is not expected to have a 

significant economic impact on a 

substantial number of small entities, 

section 605(b) of the RFA provides that 

the head of the agency may so certify 

and a regulatory flexibility analysis is 

not required. The certification must 

include a statement providing the 

factual basis for this determination, and 

the reasoning should be clear. 

This final rule will affect all aircraft 

owners, through part 47, as all aircraft 

owners will be required to reregister and 

then periodically renew their aircraft. 

There will be a substantial number of 

small entities. However, the cost to 

small entities will be negligible. The 

total cost per certificate to an aircraft 

owner is about $24, which includes the 

value of time to complete the form plus 

the $5 registration fee. An aircraft owner 

will renew his or her certificate, on 

average, six more times over a 20-year 

period for a total of seven certificate 

actions. Seven certificate actions will 

result in costs of $168 over 20 years for 

an average cost of $8 per year. In 

addition, the FAA did not receive 

comments on the regulatory flexibility 

analysis. Therefore, as Administrator of 

the FAA, I certify that this final rule will 

not have a significant economic impact 

on a substantial number of small 

entities. 

International Trade Analysis 

The Trade Agreements Act of 1979 

(Pub. L. 96–39), as amended by the 

Uruguay Round Agreements Act (Pub. 

L. 103–465), prohibits Federal agencies 

from establishing standards or engaging 

in related activities that create 

unnecessary obstacles to the foreign 

commerce of the United States. 

Pursuant to these Acts, the 

establishment of standards is not 

considered an unnecessary obstacle to 

the foreign commerce of the United 

States, so long as the standard has a 

legitimate domestic objective, such as 

the protection of safety, and does not 

operate in a manner that excludes 

imports that meet this objective. The 

statute also requires consideration of 

international standards and, where 

appropriate, that they be the basis for 

U.S. standards. The FAA has assessed 

the potential effect of this final rule and 

determined that it will have only a 

domestic impact and therefore will not 

create unnecessary obstacles to the 

foreign commerce of the United States. 

Unfunded Mandates Assessment 

Title II of the Unfunded Mandates 

Reform Act of 1995 (the Act) requires 

each Federal agency to prepare a written 

statement assessing the effects of any 

Federal mandate in a proposed or final 

agency rule that may result in an 

expenditure of $100 million or more 

(adjusted annually for inflation) in any 

one year by State, local, and tribal 

governments, in the aggregate, or by the 

private sector; such a mandate is 

deemed to be a ‘‘significant regulatory 

action.’’ The FAA currently uses an 

inflation-adjusted value of $143.1 

million in lieu of $100 million. 

This rule does not contain such a 

mandate. The requirements of Title II do 

not apply. 

D. Executive Order 13132, Federalism 

The FAA has analyzed this final rule 

under the principles and criteria of 

Executive Order 13132, Federalism. The 

FAA has determined that this action 

will not have a substantial direct effect 

on the States, or the relationship 

between the Federal Government and 

the States, or on the distribution of 

power and responsibilities among the 

various levels of government, and, 

therefore, does not have federalism 

implications. 

E. Environmental Analysis 

FAA Order 1050.1E identifies FAA 

actions that are categorically excluded 

from preparation of an environmental 

assessment or environmental impact 

statement under the National 

Environmental Policy Act in the 

absence of extraordinary circumstances. 

The FAA has determined this 

rulemaking action qualifies for the 

categorical exclusion identified in 

paragraph 312(d) and involves no 

extraordinary circumstances. 

F. Regulations That Significantly Affect 

Energy Supply, Distribution, or Use 

The FAA has analyzed this final rule 

under Executive Order 13211, Actions 

Concerning Regulations That 

Significantly Affect Energy Supply, 

Distribution, or Use (May 18, 2001). The 

FAA has determined that it is not a 

‘‘significant regulatory action’’ under the 

executive order because, while a 

‘‘significant regulatory action’’ under 

Executive Order 12866, and DOT’s 

Regulatory Policies and Procedures, it is 

not likely to have a significant adverse 

effect on the supply, distribution, or use 

of energy. 

G. Availability of Rulemaking 

Documents 

You can get an electronic copy of 

rulemaking documents using the 

Internet by— 

1. Searching the Federal eRulemaking 

Portal (http://www.regulations.gov); 

2. Visiting the FAA’s Regulations and 

Policies Web page at http:// 

www.faa.gov/regulations_policies/; or 

3. Accessing the Government Printing 

Office’s Web page at http:// 

www.gpoaccess.gov/fr/index.html. 

You can also get a copy by sending a 

request to the Federal Aviation 

Administration, Office of Rulemaking, 

ARM–1, 800 Independence Avenue, 

SW., Washington, DC 20591, or by 

calling (202) 267–9680. Make sure to 

identify the amendment number or 

docket number of this rulemaking. 

Anyone is able to search the 

electronic form of all comments 

received into any of the FAA’s dockets 

by the name of the individual 

submitting the comment (or signing the 

comment, if submitted on behalf of an 

association, business, labor union, etc.). 

You may review DOT’s complete 

Privacy Act statement in the Federal 

Register published on April 11, 2000 

(Volume 65, Number 70; Pages 19477– 

78) or you may visit http:// 

DocketsInfo.dot.gov. 


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H. Small Business Regulatory 

Enforcement Fairness Act 

The Small Business Regulatory 

Enforcement Fairness Act (SBREFA) of 

1996 requires the FAA to comply with 

small entity requests for information or 

advice about compliance with statutes 

and regulations within its jurisdiction. If 

you are a small entity and you have a 

question regarding this document, you 

may contact your local FAA official, or 

the person listed under the FOR FURTHER

INFORMATION CONTACT heading at the 

beginning of the preamble. You can find 

out more about SBREFA on the Internet 

at http://www.faa.gov/ 

regulations_policies/rulemaking/ 

sbre_act/. 

List of Subjects 

14 CFR Part 13 

Administrative practice and 

procedure, air transportation, 

Investigations, Law enforcement, 

Penalties. 

14 CFR Part 47 

Aircraft, Reporting and recordkeeping 

requirements. 

14 CFR Part 91 

Aircraft. 

The Amendment 

■ In consideration of the foregoing, the 

Federal Aviation Administration 

amends Chapter I of Title 14, Code of 

Federal Regulations as follows: 

PART 13—INVESTIGATIVE AND 

ENFORCEMENT PROCEDURES 

■ 1. The authority citation for part 13 

continues to read as follows: 

Authority: 18 U.S.C. 6002; 28 U.S.C. 2461 

(note); 49 U.S.C. 106(g), 5121–5128, 40113– 

40114, 44103–44106, 44702–44703, 44709– 

44710, 44713, 46101–46111, 46301, 46302 

(for a violation of 49 U.S.C. 46504), 46304– 

46316, 46318, 46501–46502, 46504–46507, 

47106, 47107, 47111, 47122, 47306, 47531– 

47532; 49 CFR 1.47. 

■ 2. Revise the fourth sentence of 

paragraph (b) of § 13.19 to read as 

follows: 

§ 13.19 Certificate action. 

* * * * * 

(b) * * * If the Administrator finds 

that any aircraft registered under Part 47 

of this chapter is ineligible for 

registration, the Administrator issues an 

order suspending or revoking that 

certificate. * * * 

* * * * * 

■ 3. Revise paragraph (a) of § 13.27 to 

read as follows: 

§ 13.27 Final order of Hearing Officer in 

certificate of aircraft registration 

proceedings. 

(a) If, in proceedings under section 

501(b) of the Federal Aviation Act of 

1958 (49 U.S.C. 1401), the Hearing 

Officer determines that the aircraft is 

ineligible for a Certificate of Aircraft 

Registration, the Hearing Officer shall 

suspend or revoke the respondent’s 

certificate, as proposed in the notice of 

proposed certificate action. 

* * * * * 

PART 47—AIRCRAFT REGISTRATION 

■ 4. The authority citation for part 47 

continues to read as follows: 

Authority: 4 U.S.T. 1830; Pub. L. 108–297, 

118 Stat. 1095 (49 U.S.C. 40101 note, 49 

U.S.C. 44101 note); 49 U.S.C. 106(g), 40113– 

40114, 44101–44108, 44110–44113, 44703– 

44704, 44713, 45302, 46104, 46301. 

Part 47—[Nomenclature change] 

■ 5. Amend 14 CFR part 47 by removing 

the words ‘‘FAA Aircraft Registry’’ and 

‘‘FAA Registry’’ wherever they appear 

and adding, in their place, the word 

‘‘Registry’’. 

§§ 47.5, 47.7, 47.9, 47.11, 47.35, and 47.37 

[Amended] 

■ 6. Amend 14 CFR part 47 by removing 

the words ‘‘Application for Aircraft 

Registration’’ and ‘‘application’’ and 

adding, in their place, the words 

‘‘Aircraft Registration Application, AC 

Form 8050–1’’ in the following places: 

■ a. § 47.5(a) 

■ b. § 47.7(a) 

■ c. § 47.9(a) introductory text 

■ d. § 47.11 (introductory text) 

■ e. § 47.35(a) introductory text 

■ f. § 47.37(a)(2) 

§§ 47.5, 47.7, and 47.11 [Amended] 

■ 7. Amend 14 CFR part 47 by removing 

the words ‘‘Application for Aircraft 

Registration’’ and ‘‘application’’ and 

adding, in their place, the words 

‘‘Aircraft Registration Application’’ in 

the following places: 

■ a. § 47.5(c) 

■ b. § 47.7(c)(2) introductory text 

■ c. § 47.11(h) 

§§ 47.5, 47.7, 47.8, 47.11, 47.31, and 47.43 

[Amended] 

■ 8. Amend 14 CFR part 47 by removing 

the words ‘‘Certificate of Aircraft 

Registration’’ and ‘‘registration 

certificate’’ and adding in their place, 

the words ‘‘Certificate of Aircraft 

Registration, AC Form 8050–3’’ in the 

following places: 

■ a. § 47.5(c) 

■ b. § 47.7(d) introductory text 

■ c. § 47.8(c) 

■ d. § 47.11(e) 

■ e. § 47.31(a) introductory text 

■ f. § 47.43 (b) 

§§ 47.9, 47.33, and 47.35 [Amended] 

■ 9. Amend 14 CFR part 47 by removing 

the word ‘‘Administrator’’ and adding, in 

its place, the word ‘‘FAA’’ in the 

following places: 

■ a. § 47.9(e) 

■ b. § 47.33(b) and 47.33(d) 

■ c. § 47.35(b) 

■ 10. Revise § 47.1 to read as follows: 

§ 47.1 Applicability. 

This part prescribes the requirements 

for registering aircraft under 49 U.S.C. 

44101–44104. Subpart B applies to each 

applicant for, and holder of, a Certificate 

of Aircraft Registration, AC Form 

8050–3. Subpart C applies to each 

applicant for, and holder of, a Dealer’s 

Aircraft Registration Certificate, AC 

Form 8050–6. 

■ 11. Amend § 47.2 by adding the 

definition of ‘‘Registry’’ in alphabetical 

order and by revising paragraphs (2) and 

(3) of the definition of ‘‘U.S. citizen’’ to 

read as follows: 

§ 47.2 Definitions. 

* * * * * 

Registry means the FAA, Civil 

Aviation Registry, Aircraft Registration 

Branch. 

* * * * * 

U.S. citizen * * * 

(2) A partnership each of whose 

partners is an individual who is a 

citizen of the United States. 

(3) A corporation or association 

organized under the laws of the United 

States or a State, the District of 

Columbia, or a territory or possession of 

the United States, of which the 

president and at least two-thirds of the 

board of directors and other managing 

officers are citizens of the United States, 

which is under the actual control of 

citizens of the United States, and in 

which at least 75 percent of the voting 

interest is owned or controlled by 

persons that are citizens of the United 

States. 

■ 12. Amend § 47.3 by: 

■ a. Removing the citation ‘‘§ 47.31(b)’’ 

where it appears in paragraph (b)(2) and 

adding in its place the citation 

‘‘§ 47.31(c)’’; and 

■ b. Revising paragraph (a) to read as 

follows: 

§ 47.3 Registration required. 

(a) An aircraft may be registered 

under 49 U.S.C. 44103 only when the 

aircraft is not registered under the laws 

of a foreign country and is— 

(1) Owned by a citizen of the United 

States; 

(2) Owned by an individual citizen of 

a foreign country lawfully admitted for 


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permanent residence in the United 

States; 

(3) Owned by a corporation not a 

citizen of the United States when the 

corporation is organized and doing 

business under the laws of the United 

States or a State within the United 

States, and the aircraft is based and 

primarily used in the United States; or 

(4) An aircraft of— 

(i) The United States Government; or 

(ii) A State, the District of Columbia, 

a territory or possession of the United 

States, or a political subdivision of a 

State, territory, or possession. 

* * * * * 

■ 13. Revise the first sentence of 

§ 47.7(d) introductory text to read as 

follows: 

§ 47.7 United States citizens and resident 

aliens. 

* * * * * 

(d) Partnerships. A partnership may 

apply for a Certificate of Aircraft 

Registration, AC Form 8050–3, under 49 

U.S.C. 44102 only if each partner, 

whether a general or limited partner, is 

an individual who is a citizen of the 

United States. * * * 

* * * * * 

§ 47.8 [Amended] 

■ 14. Amend § 47.8(c) by removing the 

citation ‘‘§ 47.41(a)(5)’’ and adding, in its 

place, the citation ‘‘§ 47.41(a)(3)’’. 

§ 47.11 [Amended] 

■ 15. Amend § 47.11(b)(1) by removing 

the words ‘‘certificate of repossession on 

FAA Form 8050–4’’ and adding, in its 

place, the words ‘‘Certificate of 

Repossession of Encumbered Aircraft, 

FAA Form 8050–4’’. 

■ 16. Amend § 47.13 by revising 

paragraphs (a) through (f) to read as 

follows: 

§ 47.13 Signatures and instruments made 

by representatives. 

(a) Each person signing an Aircraft 

Registration Application, AC Form 

8050–1, or a document submitted as 

supporting evidence under this part, 

must sign in ink or by other means 

acceptable to the FAA. If signed in ink, 

the Aircraft Registration Application 

must also have the typed or legibly 

printed name of each signer in the 

signature block. 

(b) When one or more persons doing 

business under a trade name submits an 

Aircraft Registration Application, a 

document submitted as supporting 

evidence under this part, or a request for 

cancellation of a Certificate of Aircraft 

Registration, AC Form 8050–3, the 

application, document, or request must 

be signed by, or on behalf of, each 

person who shares title to the aircraft. 

(c) When an agent submits an Aircraft 

Registration Application, a document 

submitted as supporting evidence under 

this part, or a request for cancellation of 

a Certificate of Aircraft Registration, on 

behalf of the owner, that agent must— 

(1) State the name of the owner on the 

application, document, or request; 

(2) Sign as agent or attorney-in-fact on 

the application, document, or request; 

and 

(3) Submit a signed power of attorney, 

or a true copy thereof certified under 

§ 49.21 of this chapter, with the 

application, document, or request. 

(d) When a corporation submits an 

Aircraft Registration Application, a 

document submitted as supporting 

evidence under this part, or a request for 

cancellation of a Certificate of Aircraft 

Registration, it must— 

(1) Have an authorized person sign, by 

means acceptable to the FAA, the 

application, document, or request; 

(2) Show the title of the signer’s office 

on the application, document, or 

request; and 

(3) Submit a copy of the authorization 

from the board of directors to sign for 

the corporation, certified as true under 

§ 49.21 of this chapter by a corporate 

officer or other person in a managerial 

position therein, with the application, 

document, or request, unless— 

(i) The signer of the application, 

document, or request is a corporate 

officer or other person in a managerial 

position in the corporation and the title 

of his office is stated in connection with 

his signature; or 

(ii) A valid authorization to sign is on 

file at the Registry. 

(4) The provisions of paragraph (d)(3) 

of this section do not apply to an 

irrevocable deregistration and export 

request authorization when an 

irrevocable deregistration and export 

request authorization under the Cape 

Town Treaty is signed by a corporate 

officer and is filed with the Registry. 

(e) When a partnership submits an 

Aircraft Registration Application, a 

document submitted as supporting 

evidence under this part, or a request for 

cancellation of a Certificate of Aircraft 

Registration, it must— 

(1) State the full name of the 

partnership on the application, 

document, or request; 

(2) State the name of each general 

partner on the application, document, or 

request; and 

(3) Have a general partner sign the 

application, document, or request. 

(f) When co-owners, who are not 

engaged in business as partners, submit 

an Aircraft Registration Application, a 

document submitted as supporting 

evidence under this part, or a request for 

cancellation of a Certificate of Aircraft 

Registration, each person who shares 

title to the aircraft under the 

arrangement must sign the application, 

document, or request. 

* * * * * 

■ 17. Amend § 47.15 by: 

■ a. Removing the word ‘‘identification’’ 

wherever it appears, including the 

section heading, and adding, in its place 

the word ‘‘registration’’; 

■ b. Revising paragraphs (a) 

introductory text, (a)(2), (c), the first 

sentence of paragraph (d), and (f); 

■ c. Redesignating the undesignated 

paragraph following paragraph (a)(3) as 

(a)(4) and revising it; and 

■ d. Adding paragraphs (i) and (j) to 

read as set forth below. 

§ 47.15 Registration number. 

(a) Number required. An applicant for 

aircraft registration must place a U.S. 

registration number (registration mark) 

on the Aircraft Registration Application, 

AC Form 8050–1, and on any evidence 

submitted with the application. There is 

no charge for the assignment of numbers 

provided in this paragraph. This 

paragraph does not apply to an aircraft 

manufacturer who applies for a group of 

U.S. registration numbers under 

paragraph (c) of this section; a person 

who applies for a special registration 

number under paragraphs (d) through (f) 

of this section; or a holder of a Dealer’s 

Aircraft Registration Certificate, AC 

Form 8050–6, who applies for a 

temporary registration number under 

47.16. 

* * * * * 

(2) Aircraft last previously registered 

in the United States. Unless the 

applicant applies for a different number 

under paragraphs (d) through (f) of this 

section, the applicant must place the 

U.S. registration number that is already 

assigned to the aircraft on the Aircraft 

Registration Application, and the 

supporting evidence. If there is no 

number assigned, the applicant must 

obtain a U.S. registration number from 

the Registry by making a written request 

that describes the aircraft by make, 

model, and serial number. 

* * * * * 

(4) Duration of a U.S. registration 

number assignment. Authority to use 

the registration number obtained under 

paragraph (a)(1), (2), or (3) of this 

section expires 90 days after the date it 

is issued unless the applicant submits 

an Aircraft Registration Application and 

complies with § 47.33 or § 47.37, as 

applicable, within that period of time. 

However, the applicant may obtain an 

extension of this 90-day period from the 

Registry if the applicant shows that the 


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delay in complying with that section is 

due to circumstances beyond the 

applicant’s control. 

* * * * * 

(c) An aircraft manufacturer may 

apply to the Registry for enough U.S. 

registration numbers to supply 

estimated production for the next 18 

months. There is no charge for this 

allocation of numbers. 

(d) Any available, unassigned U.S. 

registration number may be assigned as 

a special registration number. * * * 

* * * * * 

(f) The Registry authorizes a special 

registration number change on the 

Assignment of Special Registration 

Numbers, AC Form 8050–64. The 

authorization expires one year from the 

date the Registry issues an Assignment 

of Special Registration Numbers unless 

the special registration number is 

permanently placed on the aircraft. 

Within five days after the special 

registration number is placed on the 

aircraft, the owner must complete and 

sign the Assignment of Special 

Registration Numbers, state the date the 

number was placed on the aircraft, and 

return the original form to the Registry. 

The duplicate of the Assignment of 

Special Registration Numbers and the 

present Certificate of Aircraft 

Registration, AC Form 8050–3, must be 

carried in the aircraft as temporary 

authority to operate it. This temporary 

authority is valid until the date the 

owner receives the revised Certificate of 

Aircraft Registration showing the new 

registration number, but in no case is it 

valid for more than 120 days from the 

date the number is placed on the 

aircraft. 

* * * * * 

(i) When aircraft registration has 

ended, as described in § 47.41(a), the 

assignment of a registration number to 

an aircraft is no longer authorized for 

use except as provided in § 47.31(c) and 

will be cancelled: 

(1) Following the date established in 

§ 47.40(a)(1) for any aircraft that has not 

been re-registered under § 47.40(a); 

(2) Following the expiration date 

shown on the Certificate of Aircraft 

Registration for any aircraft whose 

registration has not been renewed under 

§ 47.40(c); 

(3) Following the expiration date 

shown on the Dealer’s Aircraft 

Registration Certificate, AC Form 8050– 

6, for any aircraft registered under 

Subpart C of this part, when the 

certificate has not been renewed, and 

the owner has not applied for 

registration in accordance with § 47.31; 

or 

(4) When ownership has transferred— 

(i) Six months after first receipt of 

notice of aircraft sale or evidence of 

ownership from the last registered 

owner or successive owners, and an 

Aircraft Registration Application has 

not been received. 

(ii) Six months after evidence of 

ownership authorized under § 47.67 has 

been submitted, and the applicant has 

not met the requirements of this part. 

(iii) Twelve months after a new owner 

has submitted evidence of ownership 

and an Aircraft Registration Application 

under § 47.31, and the applicant or a 

successive applicant has not met the 

requirements of this part. 

(j) At the time an assignment of 

registration number is cancelled, the 

number may be reserved for one year in 

the name of the last owner of record if 

a request has been submitted with the 

fee required by § 47.17. If the request for 

reservation and fee are not submitted 

prior to cancellation, the registration 

number is unavailable for assignment 

for a period of five years. 

§ 47.16 [Amended] 

■ 18. Amend § 47.16(a) by removing the 

words ‘‘Dealer’s Aircraft Registration 

Certificates’’ and adding, in their place, 

the words ‘‘Dealer’s Aircraft Registration 

Certificates, AC Form 8050–6,’’. 

■ 19. Amend § 47.17 by revising 

paragraphs (a)(4), (a)(5), and (a)(6) and 

adding paragraph (a)(7) as set forth 

below: 

§ 47.17 Fees. 

(a) * * * 

(4) Special registration number 

(each number) ............................... 10.00 

(5) To change, reassign, or reserve 

a registration number .................... 10.00 

(6) Replacement Certificate of Aircraft Registration ........................... 2.00 

(7) Re-registration or Renewal Certificate of Aircraft Registration ....... 5.00 

* * * * * 

■ 20. Amend § 47.31 as follows: 

■ a. Revise paragraph (a)(1) to read as 

set forth below; 

■ b. Remove the words ‘‘Aircraft Bill of 

Sale, ACC Form 8050–2’’ where they 

appear in paragraph (a)(2), and add, in 

their place, the words ‘‘Aircraft Bill of 

Sale, AC Form 8050–2’’; 

■ c. Revise paragraph (c) to read as set 

forth below; and 

■ d. Remove paragraph (d). 

The revisions read as follows: 

§ 47.31 Application. 

(a) * * * 

(1) An Aircraft Registration 

Application, AC Form 8050–1, signed 

by the applicant in the manner 

prescribed by § 47.13; 

* * * * * 

(c) After compliance with paragraph 

(a) of this section, the applicant for 

registration of an aircraft last previously 

registered in the United States must 

carry the second copy of the Aircraft 

Registration Application in the aircraft 

as temporary authority to operate 

without registration. 

(1) This temporary authority is valid 

for operation within the United States 

until the date the applicant receives the 

Certificate of Aircraft Registration or 

until the date the FAA denies the 

application, but in no case for more than 

90 days after the date the applicant 

signs the application. If by 90 days after 

the date the applicant signs the Aircraft 

Registration Application, the FAA has 

neither issued the Certificate of Aircraft 

Registration nor denied the application, 

the Registry will issue a letter of 

extension that serves as authority to 

continue to operate the aircraft without 

registration while it is carried in the 

aircraft. 

(2) This temporary authority is not 

available in connection with any 

Aircraft Registration Application 

received when 12 months have passed 

since the receipt of the first application 

following transfer of ownership by the 

last registered owner. 

(3) If there is no registration number 

assigned at the time application for 

registration is made, the second copy of 

the Aircraft Registration Application 

may not be used as temporary authority 

to operate the aircraft. 

■ 21. Amend § 47.33 by removing the 

word ‘‘identification’’ where it appears 

in paragraph (c), and adding, in its 

place, the word ‘‘registration’’; and 

revising paragraph (a)(2) to read as 

follows: 

§ 47.33 Aircraft not previously registered 

anywhere. 

(a) * * * 

(2) Submits with his Aircraft 

Registration Application, AC Form 

8050–1, an Aircraft Bill of Sale, AC 

Form 8050–2, signed by the seller, an 

equivalent bill of sale, or other evidence 

of ownership authorized by § 47.11. 

* * * * * 

■ 22. Revise § 47.39 to read as follows: 

§ 47.39 Effective date of registration. 

An aircraft is registered on the date 

the Registry determines that the 

submissions meet the requirements of 

this part. The effective date of 

registration is shown by a date stamp on 

the Aircraft Registration Application, 

AC Form 8050–1, and as the date of 

issue on the Certificate of Aircraft 

Registration, AC Form 8050–3. 

■ 23. Add § 47.40 to read as follows: 


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41982 Federal Register / Vol. 75, No. 138 / Tuesday, July 20, 2010 / Rules and Regulations 

§ 47.40 Registration expiration and 

renewal. 

(a) Re-registration. Each aircraft 

registered under this part before October 

1, 2010, must be re-registered in 

accordance with this paragraph (a). 

(1) A Certificate of Aircraft 

Registration issued before October 1, 

2010, expires on the expiration date 

identified in the following schedule that 

corresponds with the month in which 

the certificate was issued. 

If the certificate was issued in: The certificate expires on: 

The owner must apply for re-registration between these dates—to allow delivery of the 

new certificate before expiration 

March of any year ............................................. March 31, 2011 ................................................ November 1, 2010 and January 31, 2011. 

April of any year ................................................ June 30, 2011 .................................................. February 1, 2011 and April 30, 2011. 

May of any year ................................................. September 30, 2011 ......................................... May 1, 2011 and July 31, 2011. 

June of any year ................................................ December 31, 2011 .......................................... August 1, 2011 and October 31, 2011. 

July of any year ................................................. March 31, 2012 ................................................ November 1, 2011 and January 31, 2012. 

August of any year ............................................ June 30, 2012 .................................................. February 1, 2012 and April 30, 2012. 

September of any year ...................................... September 30, 2012 ......................................... May 1, 2012 and July 31, 2012. 

October of any year ........................................... December 31, 2012 .......................................... August 1, 2012 and October 31, 2012. 

November of any year ....................................... March 31 2013 ................................................. November 1, 2012 and January 31, 2013. 

December of any year ....................................... June 30, 2013 .................................................. February 1, 2013 and April 30, 2013. 

January of any year ........................................... September 30, 2013 ......................................... May 1, 2013 and July 31, 2013. 

February of any year ......................................... December 31, 2013 .......................................... August 1, 2013 and October 31, 2013. 

(2) Each holder of a Certificate of 

Aircraft Registration, AC Form 8050–3, 

issued before October 1, 2010, must 

submit an Application for Aircraft Reregistration, AC Form 8050–1A, and the 

fee required by § 47.17, between October 

1, 2010, and December 31, 2013, 

according to the schedule in paragraph 

(a)(1) of this section. 

(3) A Certificate of Aircraft 

Registration issued under this paragraph 

expires three years after the last day of 

the month in which it is issued. 

(b) Initial Registration. A Certificate of 

Aircraft Registration issued in 

accordance with § 47.31 expires three 

years after the last day of the month in 

which it is issued. 

(c) Renewal. Each holder of a 

Certificate of Aircraft Registration, AC 

Form 8050–3, containing an expiration 

date may apply for renewal by 

submitting an Application for Aircraft 

Registration Renewal, AC Form 8050– 

1B, and the fee required by § 47.17 

during the six months preceding the 

expiration date. A certificate issued 

under this paragraph expires three years 

from the expiration date of the previous 

certificate. 

■ 24. Amend § 47.41 by— 

■ a. Removing paragraphs (a)(2) and 

(a)(4); 

■ b. Redesignating paragraph (a)(3) as 

(a)(2) and paragraphs (a)(5) through 

(a)(9) as paragraphs (a)(3) through (a)(7); 

■ c. Removing the semi-colon at the end 

of paragraphs (a)(1) through (a)(4) and 

adding in their place a period, and 

removing the phrase ‘‘; or’’ at the end of 

newly redesignated paragraph (a)(5) and 

adding, in its place, a period; and 

■ d. Revising the introductory text of 

paragraph (a), revising paragraph (b)(3), 

and adding paragraph (b)(4) to read as 

follows: 

§ 47.41 Duration and return of Certificate. 

(a) Each Certificate of Aircraft 

Registration, AC Form 8050–3, issued 

by the FAA under this subpart is 

effective, unless registration has ended 

by reason of having been revoked, 

canceled, expired, or the ownership is 

transferred, until the date upon which 

one of the following events occurs: 

* * * * * 

(b) * * * 

(3) Within 21 days of the termination 

of the registration, by the holder of the 

Certificate of Aircraft Registration in all 

other cases mentioned in paragraph (a) 

of this section, except in the case of 

expired certificates, the holder must 

destroy the expired certificate. 

(4) If the certificate is not available for 

return, as directed in paragraph (b) of 

this section, a statement describing the 

aircraft and stating the reason the 

certificate is not available must be 

submitted to the Registry within the 

time required by paragraph (b) of this 

section. 

■ 25. Revise § 47.43(b) to read as 

follows: 

§ 47.43 Invalid registration. 

* * * * * 

(b) If the registration of an aircraft is 

invalid under paragraph (a) of this 

section, the holder of the invalid 

Certificate of Aircraft Registration, AC 

Form 8050–3, must return it as soon as 

possible to the Registry. 

■ 26. Revise § 47.45 to read as follows: 

§ 47.45 Change of address. 

Within 30 days after any change in a 

registered owner’s mailing address, the 

registered owner must notify the 

Registry in writing of the change of 

address. If a post office box or mailing 

drop is used for mailing purposes, the 

registered owner also must provide that 

owner’s physical address or location. 

Upon acceptance, the Registry will 

issue, without charge, a revised 

Certificate of Aircraft Registration, AC 

Form 8050–3, reflecting the new mailing 

address. When a post office box or 

mailing drop is used for mailing 

purposes, and the registered owner’s 

physical address or location changes, 

the registered owner must notify the 

Registry in writing of the new address 

or location within 30 days. 

■ 27. Amend § 47.47 by revising the 

introductory text of paragraph (a) and 

paragraph (a)(1) as follows: 

§ 47.47 Cancellation of Certificate for 

export purpose. 

(a) The holder of a Certificate of 

Aircraft Registration, AC Form 8050–3, 

or the holder of an irrevocable 

deregistration and export request 

authorization recognized under the 

Cape Town Treaty and filed with the 

FAA, who wishes to cancel the 

Certificate of Aircraft Registration for 

the purpose of export must submit to 

the Registry— 

(1) A written request for cancellation 

of the Certificate of Aircraft Registration 

describing the aircraft by make, model, 

and serial number, and stating the U.S. 

registration number and the country to 

which the aircraft will be exported; 

* * * * * 

■ 28. Revise § 47.49 to read as follows: 

§ 47.49 Replacement of Certificate. 

(a) If the original Certificate of Aircraft 

Registration, AC Form 8050–3, is lost, 

stolen, or mutilated, the registered 

owner may submit to the Registry a 

written request that states the reason a 

replacement certificate is needed and 

the fee required by § 47.17. The Registry 

will send a replacement certificate to 

the registered owner’s mailing address 


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Federal Register / Vol. 75, No. 138 / Tuesday, July 20, 2010 / Rules and Regulations 41983 

or to another mailing address if 

requested in writing by the registered 

owner. 

(b) The registered owner may request 

a temporary Certificate of Aircraft 

Registration pending receipt of a 

replacement certificate. The Registry 

issues a temporary Certificate of Aircraft 

Registration in the form of a fax that 

must be carried in the aircraft until 

receipt of the replacement certificate. 

§ 47.51 [Removed and Reserved] 

■ 29. Remove and reserve § 47.51. 

■ 30. Amend § 47.61 by— 

■ a. Revising the section heading: 

■ b. Removing the word ‘‘Dealers’’’ from 

paragraph (b), and adding, in its place, 

the word ‘‘Dealer’s’’; and 

■ c. Revising the introductory text of 

paragraph (a) and paragraph (a)(2) and 

adding paragraph (c) to read as follows: 

§ 47.61 Dealer’s Aircraft Registration 

Certificates. 

(a) The FAA issues a Dealer’s Aircraft 

Registration Certificate, AC Form 8050– 

6, to U.S. manufacturers and dealers 

to— 

* * * * * 

(2) Facilitate operating, 

demonstrating, and merchandising 

aircraft by the manufacturer or dealer 

without the burden of obtaining a 

Certificate of Aircraft Registration, AC 

Form 8050–3, for each aircraft with each 

transfer of ownership, under Subpart B 

of this part. 

* * * * * 

(c) If the Dealer’s Aircraft Registration 

Certificate expires under § 47.71, and an 

aircraft is registered under this Subpart, 

application for registration must be 

made under § 47.31, or the assignment 

of registration number may be cancelled 

in accordance with § 47.15(i)(3). 

§ 47.63 [Amended] 

■ 31. Amend § 47.63(a) by removing the 

words ‘‘An Application for Dealers’ 

Aircraft Registration Certificates’’ and 

adding, in their place, the words ‘‘A 

Dealer’s Aircraft Registration Certificate 

Application’’. 

■ 32. Revise § 47.65 to read as follows: 

§ 47.65 Eligibility. 

To be eligible for a Dealer’s Aircraft 

Registration Certificate, AC Form 8050– 

6, the applicant must have an 

established place of business in the 

United States, must be substantially 

engaged in manufacturing or selling 

aircraft, and must be a citizen of the 

United States, as defined by 49 U.S.C. 

40102 (a)(15). 

■ 33. Revise § 47.67 to read as follows: 

§ 47.67 Evidence of ownership. 

Before using a Dealer’s Aircraft 

Registration Certificate, AC Form 8050– 

6, for operating the aircraft, the holder 

of the certificate (other than a 

manufacturer) must send to the Registry 

evidence of ownership under § 47.11. 

An Aircraft Bill of Sale, AC Form 8050– 

2, or its equivalent, may be used as 

evidence of ownership. There is no 

recording fee. 

§ 47.69 [Amended] 

■ 34. Amend § 47.69 by removing the 

words ‘‘Dealer’s Aircraft Registration 

Certificate’’ in the introductory text, and 

adding, in their place, the words 

‘‘Dealer’s Aircraft Registration 

Certificate, AC Form 8050–6’’. 

■ 35. Amend § 47.71 by— 

■ a. Removing the words ‘‘Dealer’s 

Aircraft Registration Certificate’’ in 

paragraph (a), and adding, in their 

place, the words ‘‘Dealer’s Aircraft 

Registration Certificate, AC Form 8050– 

6,’’; and 

■ b. Revising paragraph (b) to read as 

follows: 

§ 47.71 Duration of Certificate; change of 

status. 

* * * * * 

(b) The holder of a Dealer’s Aircraft 

Registration Certificate must 

immediately notify the Registry of any 

of the following— 

(1) A change of name; 

(2) A change of address; 

(3) A change that affects status as a 

citizen of the United States; or 

(4) The discontinuance of business. 

PART 91—GENERAL OPERATING AND 

FLIGHT RULES 

■ 36. The authority citation for part 91 

continues to read as follows: 

Authority: 49 U.S.C. 106(g), 1155, 40103, 

40113, 40120, 44101, 44111, 44701, 44704, 

44709, 44711, 44712, 44715, 44716, 44717, 

44722, 46306, 46315, 46316, 46504, 46506– 

46507, 47122, 47508, 47528–47531, articles 

12 and 29 of the Convention on International 

Civil Aviation (61 Stat. 1180). 

■ 37. Amend § 91.203 by revising 

paragraph (a)(2) to read as follows: 

§ 91.203 Civil aircraft: Certifications 

required. 

(a) * * * 

(2) An effective U.S. registration 

certificate issued to its owner or, for 

operation within the United States, the 

second copy of the Aircraft registration 

Application as provided for in 

§ 47.31(c), or a registration certification 

issued under the laws of a foreign 

country. 

* * * * * 

Issued in Washington, DC, on July 9, 2010. 

J. Randolph Babbitt, 

Administrator. 

[FR Doc. 2010–17572 Filed 7–19–10; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–13–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Aviation Administration 

14 CFR Part 71 

[Docket No. FAA–2010–0406; Airspace 

Docket No. 10–ASW–8] 

Establishment of Class D Airspace; 

San Marcos, TX 

AGENCY: Federal Aviation 

Administration (FAA), DOT. 

ACTION: Final rule. 

SUMMARY: This action establishes Class 

D airspace for San Marcos Municipal 

Airport, San Marcos, TX. Establishment 

of an air traffic control tower has made 

this action necessary to enhance the 

safety and management of Instrument 

Flight Rule (IFR) operations at the 

airport. A minor change in the airport 

descriptor also has been made. 

DATES: Effective date 0901 UTC, 

September 23, 2010. The Director of the 

Federal Register approves this 

incorporation by reference action under 

1 CFR part 51, subject to the annual 

revision of FAA Order 7400.9 and 

publication of conforming amendments. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Scott Enander, Central Service Center, 

Operations Support Group, Federal 

Aviation Administration, Southwest 

Region, 2601 Meacham Blvd., Fort 

Worth, TX 76137; telephone (817) 321– 

7716. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

History 

On April 30, 2010, the FAA published 

in the Federal Register a notice of 

proposed rulemaking to establish Class 

D airspace for San Marcos Municipal 

Airport, San Marcos, TX (75 FR 22712) 

Docket No. FAA–2010–0406. Interested 

parties were invited to participate in 

this rulemaking effort by submitting 

written comments on the proposal to the 

FAA. No comments were received. Class 

D airspace designations are published in 

paragraph 5000 of FAA Order 7400.9T 

signed August 27, 2009, and effective 

September 15, 2009, which is 

incorporated by reference in 14 CFR 

part 71.1. The Class D airspace 

designations listed in this document 

will be published subsequently in the 

Order. 


wwoods2 on DSK1DXX6B1PROD with RULES_PART 1