You Have Until 02.01.06 To Furnish Info To FAA Or Be Restricted From The NAS

The FAA wants you to cough up some info about your aircraft... or else.

According to FAA notices published in the Federal Register, "The FAA and TSA believe that it is in the interests of national security and aviation safety to ensure that only properly registered aircraft operate within the National Airspace System (NAS)."

What this means is that aircraft owner/operators have until February 1, 2006 to ensure their aircraft registration information is properly completed and up to date (including address) or they may be denied access to the National Airspace System (NAS).

On May 17, 2004 the Federal Aviation Administration issued a press release emphasizing the need for aircraft owners to update their aircraft registration in order that both the FAA and aircraft manufacturers may be able to notify owners of safety and maintenance-related information.

However; the most recent emphasis in this matter now seems to be taking on a national security orientation. This notice is the latest FAA action intended to ensure that only properly registered aircraft operate within the NAS. Previous requests to register aircraft and update contact information were in an effort to update the aircraft owner database and assist local law enforcement agencies in the event of a downed or overdue aircraft.

The published notice fiurther states that, "On the effective date stated herein, operators of identified aircraft with questionable registrations and or no TSA required security measures/waivers will be: (1) Notified of the deficiency, (2) a pilot deviation will be filed on the operator, (3) operator may be denied access to the NAS. In the event the operator is not the owner, the operator and owner will be notified of the deficiency and both will be subject to any action deemed warranted by the agency in accordance with local, state and federal regulations."

• Pilots can search the FAA database by accessing www.faa.gov/aircraft/air_cert/aircraft_registry.
• Specific information about what the FAA knows about an aircraft is on file at www.faa.gov/licenses_certificates/aircraft_certification/aircraft_registry/interactive_aircraft_inquiry/ .

FMI: http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20051800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2005/05-23852.htm