Expired aircraft registration woe

l8evator

l8evator

Pre-takeoff checklist
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l8evator
Like Marley's ghost, I bring you this tale that you may avoid a similar fate. Aircraft owners, heed well this warning.

So my Champ, went into annual inspection in early July when we discovered the registration had expired 5/31/14. That day, I printed off the renewal form from the FAA's web site, completed it, attached my check for $5 and mailed it to OKC. The check cleared 7/18/14.

On 8/2/14 I received a letter from the FAA dated 7/28/14 telling me, and I paraphrase here, "You sent us Form 8050-1B, idiot. You must send us Form 8050-1. Go back to go." I mailed the completed Form 8050-1 and a check for $5 on 8/2/14. That check cleared my bank on 8/8/14.

The registration became effective 8/20/14 and I received it today 8/25/14.

The obvious moral is to renew before expiration, but if you miss, you must use Form 8050-1. You may not operate the airplane while the registration is expired and you may not use the pink copy of the Form 8050-1 as a temporary registration.
 
I got some email and did it months ahead of the due date. It also said I wouldn't 'lose' any months by doing it early. It was rather easy online.
 
Believe me the Aircraft (as opposed to Airmen) registration people are a bunch of bureaucratic bozos. My wife and I got married 15 years ago. At Oshkosh at the FAA building we showed our marriage certificate to the Airmen and they fixed her name in the computer while we stood there.

We showed it to the Aircraft registration people. Seemingly no problem except it never got updated. Every time I inquired and mailed something off it was NEVER good enough. First they want the certificate, I mail this off. No they want a registration form. Fine mail that off, but they've now lost the certificate. Do it all again, but oH, you sent the wrong version of the form...blah blah blah.

Don't get me started on the hosed up renewal process. Why do I need a magic number on some NONREPRODUCEABLE / NON RECOVERABLE snail mail in order to do it online plus there's a tiny window that you can actually do this (not too early, not too late).

This whole thing is a pathetic make work exercise that server no bleeding useful purpose.
 
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Notification of re registration came in the PO Box. Picked it up on Saturday.
Did the online renewal on Sunday.
The new registration was in the PO Box the following Saturday.

What's the problem?
 
BillTIZ said:
Notification of re registration came in the PO Box. Picked it up on Saturday.
Did the online renewal on Sunday.
The new registration was in the PO Box the following Saturday.

What's the problem?
Click to expand...

You were lucky. Mine came BEFORE you were eligible to type it in.
You were lucky, if it had gotten lost in the mail or you lost it, the only way to renew is by digging out the paper form, filling it out, and mailing it in.
 
l8evator said:
Like Marley's ghost, I bring you this tale that you may avoid a similar fate. Aircraft owners, heed well this warning.

So my Champ, went into annual inspection in early July when we discovered the registration had expired 5/31/14. That day, I printed off the renewal form from the FAA's web site, completed it, attached my check for $5 and mailed it to OKC. The check cleared 7/18/14.

On 8/2/14 I received a letter from the FAA dated 7/28/14 telling me, and I paraphrase here, "You sent us Form 8050-1B, idiot. You must send us Form 8050-1. Go back to go." I mailed the completed Form 8050-1 and a check for $5 on 8/2/14. That check cleared my bank on 8/8/14.

The registration became effective 8/20/14 and I received it today 8/25/14.

The obvious moral is to renew before expiration, but if you miss, you must use Form 8050-1. You may not operate the airplane while the registration is expired and you may not use the pink copy of the Form 8050-1 as a temporary registration.
Click to expand...


I emailed registration to ask how I go about proving ownership of a plane I've owned for 15 years. The reply was to complete and mail the full registration form and I didn't need to send the $5 fee again.

Done.

Eeek. I just checked and I have a new registration as of 08/22/2014.

:yikes: I just flew the bird.
 
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l8evator said:
...The obvious moral is to renew before expiration, but if you miss, you must use Form 8050-1. You may not operate the airplane while the registration is expired and you may not use the pink copy of the Form 8050-1 as a temporary registration.
Click to expand...

Do you have source for that (Pink copy not acceptable.)?

My CFI can't find any mention of that.
 
It's referenced here:
https://www.faa.gov/licenses_certificates/aircraft_certification/aircraft_registry/reregistration/
but the rule is the in 47.31 below:

§47.31 Application.
(a) Each applicant for a Certificate of Aircraft Registration, AC Form 8050-3 must submit the following to the Registry—

(1) An Aircraft Registration Application, AC Form 8050-1, signed by the applicant in the manner prescribed by §47.13;

(2) The original Aircraft Bill of Sale, AC Form 8050-2, or other evidence of ownership authorized by §47.33, §47.35, or §47.37 (unless already recorded at the Registry); and

(3) The fee required by §47.17.

(b) The FAA rejects an application when—

(1) Any form is not completed;

(2) The name and signature of the applicant are not the same throughout; or

(3) The applicant does not provide a legibly printed or typed name with the signature in the signature block.

(c) After compliance with paragraph (a) of this section, the applicant for registration of an aircraft last previously registered in the United States must carry the second copy of the Aircraft Registration Application in the aircraft as temporary authority to operate without registration.

(1) This temporary authority is valid for operation within the United States until the date the applicant receives the Certificate of Aircraft Registration or until the date the FAA denies the application, but in no case for more than 90 days after the date the applicant signs the application. If by 90 days after the date the applicant signs the Aircraft Registration Application, the FAA has neither issued the Certificate of Aircraft Registration nor denied the application, the Registry will issue a letter of extension that serves as authority to continue to operate the aircraft without registration while it is carried in the aircraft.

(2) This temporary authority is not available in connection with any Aircraft Registration Application received when 12 months have passed since the receipt of the first application following transfer of ownership by the last registered owner.

(3) If there is no registration number assigned at the time application for registration is made, the second copy of the Aircraft Registration Application may not be used as temporary authority to operate the aircraft.​

Note the boldened section. You can only use the pink copy when you are within a year of a transfer of ownership.
 
mikea said:
Do you have source for that (Pink copy not acceptable.)?

My CFI can't find any mention of that.
Click to expand...

The FAA letter of 7/28/14 informing me that Aircraft Registration Renewal Application on Form 8050-1B is no longer appropriate once the aircraft registration has expired referred to 14 CFR 47.40. The letter included a separate paragraph in bold type that said: "Since the aircraft was not renewed by the expiration date, there is no temporary (pink copy) authority for the last registered owner to operate the aircraft."

I did not read the regulation cited.

Scott
 
You could sell it to your wife, or another corporation and then fly with the pink copy. I love loopholes.
 
Kiddo's Driver said:
Fricken FAA...

But hey, thanks for the reminder!!!
Click to expand...

Well, the reminder came too late. I mailed it that day (the 26th of August). They didn't "receive" it until the 2nd September. I didn't realize it took seven days to go from Wichita to Oklahoma City...

So I guess I'll download the 8050-1 and fill it out...oh wait, you have to have a government printed 8050-1 (they are not available on line). I guess I'll use the FAA website to order one. Hummm...they tell you to go to the FSDO website. And the FSDO website takes you to the FAA registration website. Which tells you to go to the FSDO website. Which takes you to the FAA registration website. :mad2:

Looks like I will be driving to the FSDO for my health. I'm not sure it would be healthy for me to call them to get it sent to me.

That will teach me to have my house burn, my belongings spread over three states for cleaning, and my family living at two different addresses. I guess I should have "updated my address" immediately so that the form could have gone to the right place.
 
If you have an anybody who buys and sells aircraft (dealer at the FBO or whatever) ask around. They may have some of those forms sitting around.
 
No rush. I won't be flying for a couple of weeks any way.

I went back and re-read 47.40

(c) Renewal. Each holder of a Certificate of Aircraft Registration, AC Form 8050-3, containing an expiration date may apply for renewal by submitting an Application for Aircraft Registration Renewal, AC Form 8050-1B, and the fee required by § 47.17 during the six months preceding the expiration date. A certificate issued under this paragraph expires three years from the expiration date of the previous certificate.
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The IRS considers the post mark the submittal date. I called them again to bring that point up. The FAA considers the date that they log the letter into their system as the submittal date. I asked that they put this on their website to clarify the issue. If there would have been a note on the website back on August the 26th I would not have sent in my application by snail mail. I would have either flown, drove, or FedEx'd the application to them.
 
You ain't seen nothin'

It took over two weeks from the time my registration was shown as processed for the card to show up in the mail.
 
mikea said:
You ain't seen nothin'

It took over two weeks from the time my registration was shown as processed for the card to show up in the mail.
Click to expand...

It took them two weeks from the time the clocked it in to tell me that it got there too late...seems like they could have screened that one right out of the process at the beginning.
 
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