Guernsey Press

Expertise reason for success of Guernsey aircraft registry

THE success of Guernsey's aircraft registry – and the sharp contrast with the problems experienced in establishing a similar model in Jersey – will be highlighted at an aviation seminar in the island next month.

Published

Law firm Ogier is sponsoring the event which will feature speakers Gus Paterson, the Channel Islands director of civil aviation, Joost Groenenboom, executive director of SGI Aviation, which runs the Guernsey registry, crown advocate Hilary Pullum and legal academic Sir Roy Goode, QC, who is one of the world's leading experts on the Cape Town Convention relating to asset financing and aircraft registration.

The event takes place on Wednesday 3 May, against a backdrop of concern about the future of the Jersey registry, which has seen just two registrations in nearly two years while incurring costs of more than £800,000.

Ogier partner Christopher Jones, who specialises in asset and aircraft finance, said that Guernsey's different approach – it was also first to launch, two years before Jersey – was paying off.

'We have been lucky enough to be working with SGI, who are a significant industry player with strength and depth across the world, and who understand aircraft and the industry and who have got the time and energy to promote the registry.

'That has contrasted with Jersey's more limited in-house approach,' he said.

'The registry itself is staffed by professionals who know the industry inside out. The success is due, in part, to the role of SGI and the confidence the States has in them.

'When I am asked, "why would I register in Guernsey?", the answer tends to come back to that point – that it's run by experts who are able to respond quickly to queries and who are more flexible and knowledgeable in dealing with non-standard applications.'

Sorry, we are not accepting comments on this article.