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AircraftOwner Responsibilities
You,asanaircraftowner,areassumingresponsibilities
similar tothose you have if you own an automobile. Owning an
automobile usually means that youmust register it inyour state
of residence and obtain license plates. As the registered owner of
anaircraft, you are responsible for:
1.Having a current Airworthiness Certificate and Certificate
of AircraftRegistrationin your aircraft.
2. Maintainingyouraircraftinanairworthyconditionin-
cludingcompliancewithallapplicableAirworthinessDirec-
tives.
3. Assuring thatmaintenance isproperly recorded.
4.Keepingabreastofcurrentregulationsconcerningthe
operationandmaintenance of your aircraft.
5. Notifying the Civil Aviation Registry immediately of any
changeofpermanentmailingaddress, ofthe saleorexportof
youraircraft,orofthelossofyoureligibilitytoregisteran
aircraft. (FAR Section 47.41.)
6. If the aircraft is equipped with radios andyou plantofly
outside of U.S. boundariess, a current Federal Communications
CommissionRadio Station License is required.An FCCRadio
StationLicenseisnotrequiredfor aircraftoperatingdomesti-
cally.
Aircraftshallbeinspectedinaccordancewithanannual
inspectionorwithoneoftheinspectionprogramsoutlinedin
FAR Section 91.409, in order to maintain a current Airworthiness
Certificate.

AircraftRegistration
Anaircraftiseligibleforregistrationinthe UnitedStates
onlyif it isownedby:
1.A U.S. citizen.A U.S. citizen by definition of FAR Section
47.2canbe anindividual, or partnership where eachindividual
is a U.S. citizen, or a corporation organized under the laws of the
United States, State, Territory or possession of the United States
ofwhich the president and two-thirds of the board of directors are
U.S. citizensand75percentof the votinginterestisownedor
controlledby U.S. citizens;
2. A residentalien;
3.A corporation(otherthanclassifiedasaU.S.citizen),
lawfullyorganizedanddoingbusinessunderthelawsofthe
United Sates or of any state thereof, if the aircraft isbasedand

used primarily inthe UnitedStates; or
4. A government entity(federal, state, or local).
Theaircraftmaynotberegisteredinaforeigncountry
during the periodit is registered in the UnitedStates.
If youpurchase an aircraft, you must apply for a Certificate
of Aircraft Registration from the Civil Aviation Registry before
itmaybeoperated.Donotdependonabank,loancompany,
aircraftdealer,oranyoneelsetosubmittheapplicationfor
registration. Doit yourself (in the name of the owner, not in the
name of the bank or the mortgage holder).
You can helpmake sure your aircraft is properly registered
by verifying thatthe aircraft description entered on the Aircraft
Registration Application and Aircraft Bill of Sale (or equivalent)
isidentical tothe datainscribedonthe aircraftmanufacturer’s
data plate.The dataplate is permanentlyaffixedtothe aircraft
fuselagebythemanufacturer.Thisquickandsimplecheck
shouldhelp avoid delays in the issuance of the AC Form 8050-
3, Certificate of Aircraft Registration.

AircraftPreviouslyRegistered in the US
You should immediately submit evidence of ownership, an
Aircraft Registration Application, and a $5 registration fee to the
Federal Aviation Administration, Civil Aviation Registry, AFS-
750,MikeMonroneyAeronauticalCenter,P.O.Box25504,
Oklahoma City, OK 73125. Fees required for aircraft registration
maybepaidbycheckormoneyordermadepayabletothe
Treasuryof the UnitedStates.
A billof sale formthatmeetstheFAA’srequirementsfor
evidence of ownership is AC Form 8050-2, Aircraft Bill of Sale,
which may be obtained from thenearest Flight Standards District
Office. The form includes an informationandinstructionsheet.
If a conditional sales contract istheevidence of ownership, an
additional $5 fee is required for recording. For FAA registration,
the bill of sale need notbe notarized.
The Aircraft Registration Applicationincludes aninforma-
tion and instruction sheet. Submit the white and green copies to
the Civil Aviation Registry; keep the pink copy in our aircraft as
evidence ofapplicationforregistrationuntilyoureceive your
Certificate of Aircraft Registration. The pink copy is good for 90
days and isonlylegalin the UnitedStates.
If there isa break inthe chainof ownershipof the aircraft,
i.e., ifit is not being purchased from the last registered owner, you

Balloon Owner
Registration
Responsibilities

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are required to submit conveyances to complete the chain of
ownership, through all intervening owners,including yourself, to
the Civil Aviation Registry.

Aircraft Previously Registered in a
Foreign Country
If you are contemplatingpurchasingan aircraft registered in
aforeigncountry,contactthelocalFSDOforcertification
assistance and the CivilAviation Registry at (405)954-3116 for
registration assistance.

Certificate of Aircraft Registration
ACertificateofAircraftRegistrationshould bein the
aircraft before an Airworthiness Certificate can be issued. The
Certificateof AircraftRegistrationbecomesinvalid, asdescribed
in FAR Section 47.41 when:
1.Theaircraftbecomesregisteredunderthe lawsof a foreign
country:
2. The registration of the aircraft is canceled at the written
request of the holder of the certificate;
3. The aircraft is totally destroyed or scrapped;
4. The holder of the certificate loses his or her U.S. citizen-
ship or status as an alien without becoming a U.S. citizen;

5. The ownership of the aircraft is transferred; or
6. Thirty days have elapsed since the death of the holder of
the certificate.
When an aircraft is destroyed, scrapped, or sold, the owner
shall notify the FAA by fillingin the back of the Certificate of
Aircraft Registration and mailing it to: FAA,Civil Aviation
Registry,AFS-750,P.O. Box25504, Oklahoma City,OK73125.
The U.S. registration and nationality marking should be
removedfrom an aircraftbefore itisdelivered toa purchaser who
is not eligible to register it in the United States. The endorsed
Certificate of Aircraft Registration should be forwarded to the
CivilAviation Registry.
A dealer’saircraftregistration certificate is another form of
registration.Itisvalidonlyfor flightswithintheUnitedStates by
the manufacturer or a dealer for flight testing or demonstration
for sale. It should be removed by the dealer when the aircraft is
sold.
The certificate of registrationserves asconclusive evidence
of nationality but is not a title and is not evidence of ownership
in any proceeding in which ownership is at issue.

Change ofAddress
The Aircraft RegistrationApplicationmayalsobe usedto
reporta change ofaddressbythe aircraftowner (orina letter
stating all the necessary information). The FAA issues a revised
certificateatnocharge. If thecertificateislost,destroyed,or
mutilated,areplacementcertificatemaybeobtainedatthe
written request of the holder. Sendthe request and $2 (check or
moneyorder payabletotheTreasuryof the UnitedStates) to:
Federal Aviation Administration, Civil Aviation Registry, AFS-
750, P.O. Box 25504, Oklahoma, City, OK 73125.
Therequestshoulddescribe theaircraftbymake,model,
serialnumber,andregistrationnumber.Ifoperationofthe
aircraft is necessary before receipt of the duplicatecertificate, the
CivilAviationRegistrymay, ifrequested, sendtemporaryau-
thoritybyfax.Includeinyourrequestyourfulladdress,fax
number, and a telephone number where youcan be reached.

RegistrationofAmateur-BuiltAircraft
AC Form 8050-88, Identification Number Assignment and
RegistrationofAmateur-BuiltAircraft,issuedbytheCivil
Aviation Registry to notify you of action taken on your applica-
tion for registration of amateur-built aircraft. The reverse side of
AC Form 8050-88 is an Affidavit of Ownership for an amateur-
builtaircraft. Youmanydesignate anaircraft serialnumber of
your choice at this time. This becomes the official aircraft serial
number. SubmitAC Form 8050-88along withAC Form 8050-
1 toregisteryour aircraft. If youhavenot reserveda special N
number,theCivilAviationRegistryassignsanumberatthis
time.

Special RegistrationNumber (N-Number)
AU.S.Identificationnumberofyourchoicemaybere-
served, if available. This number may not exceed five characters
in addition to the prefix letter “N.” All of the five characters may
benumber(N12345)orfournumberandonesuffixletter
(N1234A)oronetothreenumbersandortwosuffixletters
(N123AB) may be used.

Aircraft BillofSale

Aircraft Registration
Application

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04.2001

In your written request, list up to five numbers in order of
preferencein the event the first choice is not available; also
include a $10 fee. If your request is approved, you are notified
that the number has been reserved for one year. You are also
informed that this reservation may be extended on a yearly basis
for a $10 renewal fee.
When you are ready to place the number on your aircraft to
the Civil Aviation Registry.Permission to placethespecial
number on your aircraft is given on AC Form 8050-64, Assign-
mentof SpecialRegistrationNumbers. Whenthe number isplace
onyour aircraft, signand return the original tothe CivilAviation
Registry with five days.
The duplicate ofAC Form8050-64,together with your
Airworthiness Certificate, should be presented to an Aviation
Safety Inspector within ten days from placing the new registra-
tion number on your aircraft. The inspector will issue a revised
Airworthiness Certificate showing the new registration number.
The old registration certificate and the duplicate AC Form 8050-
64 should becarried in the aircraft until the new registration
certificate is received.

How to Report Stolen Aircraft or
Aircraft Equipment
1. Immediately notify the law enforcement agency having
jurisdiction at the site of the theft, giving all available informa-
tion. Request thatsuch information be entered into the computer
system of the NationalCrime InformationCenter of the FBI, and
have the law officer taking the report notify the nearest FAA
FlightService Station. The FlightService Station then issues a
nationwide stolenaircraft alert.Note:FlightService Stationsare

prohibited fromissuing stolen aircraft alerts based solely on
notification of theft by the owner—the report must be made by
the law enforcement officer handling the case.
2. Notify the Aviation Crime Prevention Institute (ACPI),
P.O. Box 30, Hagerstown,MD 21741,telephone1-800-969-
5473,fax(301)791-9791,givingallavailable information.ACPI
willsend notices of the theftto appropriate industry contactsand
embassies if applicable.
3. Notify your insurance company or agent, as appropriate.
Additionally, owners/operators are encouraged to keep separate
records of serial numbers for powerplants, avionics, and other
installeditems. Report these serial numbersat the same time the
aircraft is reported stolen.

AdditionalInformation
FAR Part 47 specifies the requirement for registering air-
craft. For informationconcerningFARPart47 contact the FAA,
CivilRegistry, AFS-750, P.O. Box 25504, Oklahoma City, OK
73125. Telephone (405) 954-3116 for registration information
and (405) 954-4206 for N-Number information.
State registrationof aircraftis required in approximately 60
percent of the states. Check for your state’s requirements.

Every balloon owner should be aware of the information
above. Thismaterial isexcerpted from FAA-H-8083-19 (Which
supersedes Advisory Circular 20-5G). Plane Sense is a general
aviationinformationpublicationofthe FAAandmaybe obtained
free of charge from: U.S. Department of Transportation, Subse-
quentDistributionOffice(SVC-121.23),Ardmore EastBusiness
Center, 3341 Q 75th Ave, Landover, MD 20785.