If you have a passion for aviation, owning your own airplane may be the culmination of a lifelong dream. Since you were a child, you may have gazed up at the sky, hoping that one day you would be in the cockpit of your very own aircraft. If you are in a position to convert that dream into a reality, you are undoubtedly in a fortunate position. Of course, finding the right plane may take a bit of work. You will likely need to peruse a ton of print and digital listings for airplanes for sale. Once you do locate the plane of your dreams, however, you can give it a proper inspection and negotiate a fair price with the seller. Once the necessary funds change hands, you may find yourself holding the keys to your very own aircraft. While you will understandably be eager to get your new bird up in the air, you will first need to complete an aircraft registration with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
The FAA is a major transportation agency in the United States. This agency is tasked, at a federal level, with monitoring and regulating all planes operating in American airspace. This means they handle everything from air traffic control to issuing pilot licenses and airplane registrations. By completing your FAA registration in a prompt manner–and renewing it every three years–you are doing your part to help keep our skies safe. Read on to learn more about how you can process your airplane registration online using our web forms.
What is an Aircraft Registration?
When you purchase a new or previously owned airplane, you have an obligation to register it with the FAA as soon as possible. This is done by completing an AC Form 8050-1, also called an airplane registration form. This document will prompt you for some basic information about yourself and your airplane. You should expect to provide your name and address, as well as the make, model, and serial number of your aircraft. Once processed, your airplane registration will provide you with an N-number (also called a tail number), which will need to be displayed prominently on the exterior of your aircraft. You do have the option to request a custom N-number, provided it is within the FAA’s parameters.
Your airplane registration will be valid for a period of three years, at which point you will need to request a renewal. The FAA, for their part, will send you a notice six months before your registration’s expiration date reminding you to renew. They will send another at eight weeks out if you have not processed your renewal yet. This reminder will contain a code that you will need to enter on your renewal form.
Process Your Registration Online Today!
At the National Aviation Center, we make it easy to process your AC Form 8050-1 online. By using our simplified web form and SSL-encrypted web portal, you can complete your airplane registration application in just a matter of minutes. To learn more about how we can help you get up in the air, contact us by email or phone today.