Process of registration of an aircraft in the Aircraft Register

Legislation

The Civil Aviation Authority (hereinafter referred to as the “CAA”) registers aircraft in the Aircraft Register of the Czech Republic (hereinafter referred to as the “Aircraft Register”) in accordance with § 4 to 6b of Act No. 49/1997 Coll., on Civil Aviation, as amended (hereinafter referred to as the “Civil Aviation Act”).

The registration of an aircraft in the Aircraft Register takes place in administrative proceedings in accordance with Act No. 500/2004 Coll., the Administrative Procedure Code, as amended (hereinafter referred to as the “Administrative Procedure Code”).

The amount of the administrative fee is set out in Item 48 of the Schedule of Fees, which forms an annex to Act No. 634/2004 Coll., on Administrative Fees, as amended.

Commission Regulation (EU) No. 748/2012 provides that an airworthiness certificate is issued to an aircraft that has already been entered in the Aircraft Register.

An aircraft address is an electronic identification code intended for the international identification of aircraft, sport flying devices and other devices specified by an implementing legal regulation for the purposes of civil and military aviation. In accordance with § 17a et seq. of the Civil Aviation Act, the CAA assigns a 24-bit aircraft identification address to Mode S secondary surveillance radar transponders.

General information

The process of placing a newly manufactured or imported aircraft into operation in the Czech Republic consists of three separate steps:

• assignment of a registration mark and, where applicable, an aircraft address;
• registration of the aircraft in the Aircraft Register;
• issue of an airworthiness certificate (handled by the Technical Department).

The Aircraft Register Department is responsible for assigning registration marks and, where applicable, aircraft addresses, as well as for the actual registration of the aircraft in the Aircraft Register.

1. Assignment of a registration mark and, where applicable, an aircraft address

The future owner and operator of the aircraft submits an application for the provisional assignment of a registration mark and, where applicable, an aircraft address, using the relevant form. Instructions on how to complete and submit the application are provided on a separate page. The application should not be submitted to the CAA earlier than six months before the expected date on which the aircraft will be placed into operation in the Czech Republic. The CAA will notify the applicant of the provisionally assigned registration mark and, where applicable, the aircraft address by issuing a decision in administrative proceedings, usually within approximately 14 days. This decision is valid for six months. If the aircraft is not registered within this period, it is advisable to submit a new application.

No administrative fee is charged for the provisional assignment of an aircraft registration mark. An administrative fee of CZK 500 is charged for the assignment of an aircraft address.

The rules for assigning aircraft registration marks are set out in aviation regulation L 7. The rules for assigning aircraft addresses in the Czech Republic are set out in Decree No. 108/1997 Coll., implementing the Civil Aviation Act.

The CAA may assign a registration mark at the applicant’s request, provided that the mark has not already been assigned and is not included in the list of prohibited marks; see regulation L 7, paragraph 3.6.

The provisional assignment of a registration mark is not a mandatory part of the aircraft registration process. It is possible to proceed directly with the actual registration without a registration mark having been provisionally assigned. In many cases, however, a decision on the provisional assignment of a registration mark may facilitate dealings with other institutions, such as insurance companies or the Czech Telecommunication Office, during the preparatory stage before the actual registration in the Aircraft Register. In practice, it serves as demonstrable reservation of the registration mark until the aircraft is registered in the Aircraft Register.

2. Registration of an aircraft in the Aircraft Register

It is carried out by means of a decision issued in administrative proceedings. The application for the registration of an aircraft shall be submitted by the owner or operator of the aircraft using the relevant form, together with all required documents.

The parties to the administrative proceedings are the owner of the aircraft and the operator of the aircraft (these may be the same person or entity), and, where a lien is to be registered against the aircraft at the same time, the lien creditor. Note: A lien may also be registered at any later time in separate administrative proceedings on the basis of a submitted application.

CAA shall decide on the registration of the aircraft in the Aircraft Register within the statutory period of 30 days, or within 60 days in complex cases, from the date of receipt of the application. In practice, however, the decision is usually issued within a shorter period.

The decision must be demonstrably served on all parties to the proceedings. Service is effected via a data box, by registered letter with acknowledgement of receipt, or the decision may be delivered personally at the CAA. Service via a data box is the preferred method if the parties to the proceedings have one established (only for Czech subjects within the Czech Republic).

Each party to the proceedings has the right to appeal against the decision issued within the statutory period of 15 days from the date on which the decision is notified. If none of the parties to the administrative proceedings lodges an appeal, the decision becomes legally effective after the expiry of the statutory fifteen-day period following service on the last party.

Only on the date on which the decision becomes legally effective may the Certificate of Registration of the Aircraft in the Aircraft Register and the aircraft documents be issued, namely the journey log, aircraft logbook, glider logbook or balloon logbook.

In accordance with the Administrative Procedure Code, the decision becomes legally effective immediately after a party to the proceedings waives its right to appeal. If there are several parties to the proceedings and all of them waive their right to appeal, the decision becomes legally effective on the day following the day on which the last of them did so. A waiver of the right to appeal must be made in writing.

Personal collection of the Certificate of Registration of the Aircraft in the Aircraft Register and the aircraft documents may be arranged at the ÚCL on a date determined by the ÚCL or by mutual agreement. Otherwise, the aircraft documents will be sent by post to the address specified in the application.

The entire aircraft registration process may also be completed by correspondence.

Note: It is recommended that foreign participants in the administrative proceedings for the registration of an aircraft in the aircraft register appoint a representative based in the Czech Republic. This will make the entire registration process more efficient, transparent, and flexible for all parties, particularly regarding the service of documents during the administrative proceedings. The official language of the administrative proceedings is Czech, and decisions are issued exclusively in Czech.

REGISTRATION OF EMERGENCY LOCATOR TRANSMITTERS (ELT)

If an aircraft is equipped with an emergency locator transmitter (ELT), either on the basis of applicable regulatory requirements or as a result of a voluntary decision by the aircraft operator/owner, the ELT must be registered with the state-owned enterprise Air Navigation Services of the Czech Republic. The aircraft operator or owner is required to:

• complete the ELT registration form; and
• notify the Prague Rescue Coordination Centre (RCC Prague) of any changes to information relating to the ELT, the aircraft operator/owner or the aircraft, as well as of the decommissioning of a registered ELT,
• RCC Prague contact e-mail address is: rccpraha@ans.cz

RADIO STATION LICENCE

Every aircraft equipped with radio transmitting equipment (such as a radio transmitter, transponder, etc.) requires authorisation to use specific aviation frequencies. This authorisation is granted by the Czech Telecommunication Office (ČTÚ).

To submit an application, Form 13G – Application for an Individual Authorisation to Use Radio Frequencies in the Aeronautical Mobile Service (Aircraft Station) must be completed.

For further information, please contact the Czech Telecommunication Office by email at podatelna@ctu.gov.cz.