The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has notified Southern Aircraft Consultancy Inc. (SACI) that all its aircraft registration certificates are invalid. The FAA stated that SACI violated U.S. citizenship requirements when submitting registration applications and has ordered the company to surrender all certificates.
According to the FAA, SACI registered aircraft for both U.S. citizens and foreign nationals through trust agreements. Under FAA regulations, a company or trustee using such an agreement must be either a U.S. citizen or a resident alien. The agency determined that SACI did not meet these requirements and instructed the company to return all registration certificates within 21 days of notification.
The FAA said, "The invalid Certificates of Aircraft Registration will result in the immediate grounding of all aircraft registered to SACI." Aircraft owners affected by this action must reregister their aircraft either with another country’s registry or with the FAA by submitting an Aircraft Registration Application, proof of ownership, and paying a $5 fee. Once submitted, owners will receive temporary authority to operate within the United States until they receive a new Certificate of Aircraft Registration or their application is denied.
Temporary authority does not permit international flights. Applicants who intend to operate outside the United States may submit a Declaration of International Operations at the time of application for expedited processing.
More information on how to export an aircraft can be found on the FAA's Export an Aircraft page: https://www.faa.gov/licenses_certificates/aircraft_certification/aircraft_registry/export_aircraft. Guidance on registering an aircraft is available here: https://www.faa.gov/licenses_certificates/aircraft_certification/aircraft_registry/register_aircraft/. Details about registration for international operations can be found at: https://www.faa.gov/licenses_certificates/aircraft_certification/aircraft_registry/international_operation_registration.
