Have you been fortunate enough to purchase an aircraft of your own? If so, it is likely the culmination of a dream that you have held for a long time. Perhaps since you were a child you gazed up at the sky and saw yourself piloting one of the airplanes that lined the sky. As you got older, you did the work necessary to study for and pass your pilot’s exam with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). From there, you probably had to save and budget for a long time before you could finalize the purchase of an aircraft. Of course, that is also not a decision that is arrived at lightly, as you had to perform much research and due diligence to find the plane that was right for you. With your own plane in your hanger, though, you were finally in a position to be able to take off whenever you like. Before you step in the cockpit, however, you should probably double-check your registration and see if you need to process an FAA renewal request.
The Federal Aviation Administration, or a similar agency with a slightly different name, has been around roughly as long as air travel has. For the last 70 or so years, the FAA has existed in the form we know it to be today. This major government transportation agency is tasked with handling air traffic control in U.S. skies, issuing pilot’s licenses to aviators, and managing a detailed registry of all aircraft operating in our space. A big part of being a responsible aircraft owner is staying on top of your FAA documentation, be that registering a plane for the first time, de-registering an aircraft, or processing a renewal request. Fortunately, by working with us at the National Aviation Center, you can accomplish all of these tasks online.
When Do You Need to File an FAA Renewal?
When you first purchase an aircraft, you can find yourself staring at a mountain of paperwork. While matters of insurance and storage are certainly important, it is your registration form with the FAA that is paramount. This document, officially called a Form AC 8050-1 – Aircraft Registration Application will ask you for your name and address in addition to your plane’s make, model, and serial number. Once processed, this registration document will provide your airplane with an N-number, which is sometimes referred to as a tail number. Registrations for new aircraft are valid for a period of three years, at which point they will need to be renewed.
The FAA will mail you a notice reminding you to submit a renewal request six months before your registration is set to expire. They will send you a follow-up about eight weeks out if you have not yet sent in a renewal. These notices will include a special security code which you will want to include on your renewal request.
Get Back in the Sky Today!
We can help you process all of your FAA paperwork online. To learn more about our many services, spend a few minutes exploring our website, or visit our comprehensive Frequently Asked Questions page.