Streamlining the Registration Application Process

New procedures do not require certified true copies of identity and eligibility documents

The Civil Aircraft Register has introduced new procedures to remove the requirement to routinely provide certified true copies of identity and eligibility documents to support certain registration applications.

The Register is required to identify two entities when registering an aircraft:

Registration Holder (the owner of the aircraft) - an individual or organisation who must be a ‘Legal Entity'.
Registered Operator (the individual or organisation nominated by the owner to be responsible for the continuing airworthiness of the aircraft) - who must be eligible under the provisions of regulation 47.010.

In the past any application to register an aircraft (Form 029), to transfer the ownership of an aircraft (Form 027), or notifications about registered operators (Form 032), required that the applicant and nominated registered operator supply certified true copies of documentation as proof of identity or eligibility. Furthermore, the original certified true copy of a document had to be provided to CASA before a registration application could be finalised and certificates of registration (CoRs) issued.

Compliance with these requirements has often caused difficulties for applicants in obtaining appropriate documents and arranging their certification. Also, the requirements were frequently not correctly complied with, which resulted in extra work for CASA, delays in issuing certificates, or the rejection of some applications.

To overcome these problems, the referred forms have been revised to enable applicants

to state that they comply with the eligibility requirements; and
that no false or misleading statements have been made; and
to acknowledge the legal consequences of providing false or misleading statements.

As a result, Forms 027, 029 & 032 should now be submitted without supporting eligibility documentation. Any required letters of authority must still be included with an application, but can be provided electronically or in hard copy.

However, CASA reserves the right to require certified documentation as proof of eligibility, as detailed in CASR 47.075. Applicants will be notified in writing by CASA if they are required to supply eligibility documentation to support their application.

Submission of these documents will only be required on random occasions as part of auditing activity to registration processes, or in a case where CASA determines that additional proof of identity or eligibility is necessary to support an application.

Reduction of the number of pages and signature blocks

As a result of these changes, in most cases the owner and the registered operator will only need to sign the form once, so eliminating one of the continuing criticisms from industry. Additionally, the number of pages been reduced – in case of Forms 027 and 029 from 8 to 5 pages and Form 032 from 5 to 3 pages.

Guidelines have been separated from the forms - less pages to download from the web

The guidelines for registration application forms have been amended to reflect these new procedures, and they have also been published separately to the accompanying form, enabling the form to be printed without also having to print the associated guidelines.

Registration applications and notifications may be completed on line

All registration application forms may be completed on-line, but must they be printed to be signed. Once certain legal requirements imposed upon CASA by Commonwealth legislation have been fulfilled, it is expected that the forms will have the facility to allow a digital signature to be used. This will enable a completed application to be submitted electronically by fax or email, removing the necessity to print the form.

This new approach is expected to simplify the registration process for the applicant, to reduce CASA's workload and result in registration certificates being issued faster.

CASA expects that these initiatives by the Civil Aircraft Register will result in a significantly improved service to the aviation industry.

If you have any comments on these new procedures you can notify CASA by mail to:

CASA
Civil Aircraft Register
GPO BOX 2005
CANBERRA ACT 2601

by fax to: 02 6217 1991, or
by email: aircraft.register@casa.gov.au

All registration application forms and guidelines are available on the Aircraft Registration section of the CASA website.

Further guidance on aircraft registration and related matters is published in Advisory Circular AC 47-01(2).