The proper registration of aircraft is fundamental to the Safety of International air Operations. International provisions require that each aircraft must be registered in a State and each State must maintain a Registry of aircraft.
For an aircraft to be accepted for registration, the following requirements will have to be fulfilled:
- The aircraft must not have been registered in any other State or if previously registered proof of de-registration will be required;
- Proof of ownership should be established or an appropriate agreement between the owners of the aircraft and the one in whose name the aircraft is being registered shall be provided; and
- In the case of aircraft to be operated for hire and reward, the applicant must have reached an advanced stage in the certification process for the issue of an AOC, before any application for aircraft registration will be considered for processing.
APPLICATION AND PROCESSING
- Application for Registration of aircraft must be made on form CA 7 in duplicate and forwarded to the Director General. The applicant will be informed by the DSR if the application is acceptable;
- Operational and Maintenance history of the aircraft shall be provided. Checks and inspections required for the issuance of a Certificate of Airworthiness shall be carried out by Aviation Safety Inspector(s) assigned by the Director Safety Regulation;
- The assigned Inspector{s} shall inform the applicant about the requirements for the Registration of aircraft and also give the necessary guidelines.
- The Inspector shall make a search in the electronic format of Master Aircraft Register for the next sequential registration marks and assign this as provisional registration marks to the aircraft to avoid a re-issue of registration marks which have been used.
- When the applicant requests for special registration marks, the Inspector shall ensure that the marks have not been issued already and that the applicant pays the appropriate fee for the special registration marks, in addition to the prescribed registration fee and any other charges.
- The applicant shall make the aircraft available at a time and place acceptable to the Authority for such checks and inspections considered necessary. Aviation Safety Inspectors (ASIs) shall use Aircraft Registration/ Issue of C of A form SRD/AIR/001 as a guide to conduct the necessary checks and inspections.
- The Inspector(s) shall ensure that all the aircraft data submitted by the applicant conform to that of the manufacturer and are correct in every detail.
- Having completed the required checks and inspections, the Inspector{s} shall submit a report with recommendations to the Director Safety Regulation (DSR) through the Head of Airworthiness.
- iIf all registration requirements, in accordance with the CAR have been met, and the recommendations of the Inspector{s} are acceptable to the DSR, the DSR shall submit the report to the Director General for final approval. Two copies of the Registration Certificate shall be issued for the Director-General’s signature. The original of the Certificate shall be given to the applicant and the other copy put in the specific aircraft file. The Certificate of Registration shall be carried on the aircraft at all times.
- If the aircraft is not acceptable for registration based on the report and recommendations of the Inspector(s), the applicant shall be informed in writing by the DSR stating reasons why the aircraft cannot be registered in Ghana.
- The Inspector(s) shall enter all the required aircraft details in the Civil Aircraft Register and submit the Register to the Head of Airworthiness who should ensure that, all relevant aircraft data are recorded in the Register. The Register shall be kept under lock and key by the DSR.
The Inspector shall also ensure that the electronic copy of the Register is updated.
An electronic backup of the register shall be made and kept under lock and key by the DDGT.
Access to the electronic format of the aircraft register is by a (Password) only
DOCUMENTS FOR RETENTION BY GCAA
The following documents shall be provided by the applicant for retention by the Authority:
- Prior to import, a copy of the type certificate and supporting type data sheets approved by the Authority of the State of Design for acceptance by the Authority;
- Export certificate of airworthiness from the state of registry, or in the case of a new aircraft, the state of manufacture;
- Significant deviations from the approved build standard, certified by the State of Registry or State of Design. If there are no deviations from the approved build standard, a certified statement to that effect by the State of Registry;
- Noise certificate from the designed state or state of export (if required);
AIRCRAFT DOCUMENTS FOR REGISTRATION
When an Aircraft is registered it shall be issued with a Certificate of Registration and shall be kept permanently on a file with the following documents:
- Application for registration of aircraft.
- Application for issue of Certificate of Airworthiness.
- Certificate of Registration.
- Certificate of Airworthiness.
- Noise Certificate.
- Radio Licence.
- Certificate of FM immunity (if necessary)
- De-registration Certificate.
- Bill of Sale (Proof of ownership)
- Type Certificate Data Sheet.
- Previous C of R.
- Previous C of A.
- Previous Radio Licence.
- Record of Major Modifications ( if necessary)
- Weight and Balance Certificate.
- Compliance status for CPCP.
- Compliance status for ADs/SBs.
- Compliance status for SSID.
- Life Limited Components.
- List of Avionics Equipments including RVSM and TCAS Certificates (if any).
- Test Flight Report (if necessary).
- Maintenance Release and
- Inspection Report
- Any other documents
NOTIFICATION
When GCAA first enters on its register an aircraft of a particular type and issues or validate a Certificate of Airworthiness, it shall advise the state of design that it has entered such an aircraft on its register.