The Importance of Aircraft Registration
Registration is the foundation of an aircraft's legal existence in aviation: only an aircraft entered in the state register acquires the possibility of lawful flight, and the certificate issued for it confirms conformity with safety requirements. Under Article 22 of the Air Code of Georgia, every airworthy aircraft is subject to compulsory state registration with the issue of an appropriate certificate. A civil aircraft is registered in the state register of civil aircraft or in the register of ultralight aircraft, and only aircraft holding an airworthiness certificate are entered in the state register. The register of state aircraft is kept by the Ministry of Defence, while experimental aircraft are not registered in the state register — they are recorded with the organizations carrying out test-design or scientific-research flights.
The administrative side of registration is likewise distributed in the law itself: the rules of registration, recording and removal from the state register for civil aircraft are established by the Agency, which bases the keeping of the register precisely on those rules. A special rule concerns amateur-built aircraft: an aircraft made by non-industrial means with a mass of no more than 1000 kilograms (apart from an ultralight aircraft) must be registered with the appropriate aviation-sports service. The route of registration is thus determined by the aircraft's status and mass, and choosing that route is the very first step of the procedure.
Nationality and the Single-Registration Rule
Under Article 24 of the Code, an aircraft registered in the appropriate state register of Georgia is deemed national. The fundamental rule is that an aircraft may not be registered in more than one state. A dispute concerning nationality may be resolved by agreement between the interested states or through an international mediating court.
The single-registration rule has direct practical consequences for cross-border transactions: before acquiring, leasing or importing an aircraft, the register data of the state of registration must be verified, since the same aircraft cannot lawfully stand in two registers at once. A dispute over nationality is resolved either by agreement of the interested states or through an international mediating court, which means that registration questions may outgrow a purely administrative frame and acquire an interstate dimension. For an owner planning international operation, the register entry is thus not a formality but an element of the aircraft’s legal identity.
Documents Necessary for Flight
Article 26 defines the documents without which a civil aircraft will not be admitted to flight:
- the certificate of state registration;
- the airworthiness certificate;
- a licence to use the on-board radio station, where the aircraft carries radio equipment;
- the on-board log;
- a certificate for each crew member;
- when carrying passengers — a list of their surnames indicating the points of departure and destination;
- when carrying cargo — the manifest and an exhaustive cargo declaration.
The Agency may additionally develop a list and form of documents according to the purpose and aims of the flight, and for an aircraft of a construction of no more than 1000 kilograms it may allow exceptions from the list. The documents for state and experimental aircraft are determined by the normative acts of their owners.
Identification Marks
Under Article 27, on entry in the state register a civil aircraft is assigned registration and nationality marks, which are affixed to the outer surface of the aircraft in the established manner. In addition to these marks, symbols, emblems and inscriptions may be applied under the conditions provided by the state registration rules. The manner of affixing marks is determined by the Agency for civil aircraft and by the Ministry of Defence for state aircraft.
Identification marks are the public means of identifying the aircraft: they link the register entry to the aircraft's physical body and enable control authorities to confirm the aircraft's lawful status at the very moment of flight. That is why the absence of marks, or their incorrect affixing, casts doubt on the completeness of the registration and belongs, together with the certificates, among the elements on which the aircraft's lawful flight rests.
Frequently Asked Questions
Below we answer the questions most frequently asked on this topic.
May an aircraft be registered in two states?
No. An aircraft may not be registered in more than one state.
Which aircraft are not registered in the state register?
Experimental aircraft — they are recorded with the organizations where test-design or scientific-research flights are carried out.
Which documents are necessary for flight?
The registration and airworthiness certificates, the on-board log, crew certificates, and a passenger list or cargo manifest as appropriate.
Where are identification marks affixed?
On the outer surface of the aircraft, in the established manner.
Must an amateur-built aircraft be registered?
Yes — an aircraft made by non-industrial means with a mass of no more than 1000 kilograms (except an ultralight) must be registered with the appropriate aviation-sports service.
How We Help on Legal.ge
Aircraft registration requires precise knowledge of the Agency's rules and complete preparation of documents. On Legal.ge you can consult a lawyer experienced in aviation law who will help you with the registration procedure, compiling the list of documents and dealings with the Agency. Submit a request on the site and get qualified assistance.