Local advantages for aircraft registration

I WILL BE representing Equiom Guernsey this week at the European Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition, the annual event bringing together the European business aviation community.

I am attending alongside a team of aviation colleagues to exhibit our services relating to aircraft ownership and registration. A key selling point for Equiom is our expansive choice of jurisdiction for our clients. Closer to home, we have the strength of the Guernsey 2-REG, known for its ease of registration, rapid response and 24-hour support on request. The 2-REG aircraft registry recently reached the 500 aircraft registrations milestone.

Guernsey offers a range of selling points for an aircraft owner to consider. The 2-REG nationality mark consists of the number 2 followed by four letters. This mark facilitates personalised combinations, such as 2-COOL; 2-RICK; 2-BALI. 2-REG registered aircraft do not have to ever physically visit Guernsey as there is a global network of experienced safety oversight inspectors and surveyors. The register provides proof of title and enables the owner to register a mortgage on the aircraft and its engines in Guernsey, and on the International Registry of Mobile Assets (which operates under the legal framework of the Cape Town Convention and Aircraft Protocol). There is no insurance premium tax in Guernsey and it is fiscally located outside the VAT territory of the EU, making the register useful for non EU resident owners wanting to operate VAT free in Europe and who are eligible to do so under the Temporary Admission (Temporary Importation) relief.

Another major advantage offered by Guernsey is amendments to the aviation law, which have paved the way for aircraft owners to be issued with aircraft operator certificates (AOCs) by 2-REG. This allows for commercial operation of Guernsey-registered aircraft in accordance with international law and can provide the owner with the opportunity to generate additional revenue for their aircraft when not being used.

There are many good reasons for registering an aircraft in Guernsey and that is why it is quickly becoming a jurisdiction of choice for aircraft owners worldwide.