[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 11 (Wednesday, January 18, 2023)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 2813-2814]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-00794]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 47

[Docket No. FAA-2022-1514; Amdt. No. 47-33A]
RIN 2120-AL45


Increase the Duration of Aircraft Registration; Confirmation of 
Effective Date and Correction

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), U.S. Department of 
Transportation (DOT).

ACTION: Direct final rule; confirmation of effective date and 
correction.

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SUMMARY: This action confirms the January 23, 2023, effective date of 
the Increase the Duration of Aircraft Registration direct final rule 
published on November 22, 2022, and responds to

[[Page 2814]]

public comments received regarding the published rule. The direct final 
rule extends the duration of aircraft registration certificates from 
three years to seven years. Initial Certificates of Aircraft 
Registration will expire seven years from the month issued. The FAA is 
applying this amendment to all aircraft currently registered under 
existing FAA regulations governing aircraft registration, which will 
extend valid Certificates of Aircraft Registration to a seven-year 
duration. This rulemaking also makes other minor revisions to rules 
related to internal FAA registration processes.

DATES: The effective date of January 23, 2023, for the direct final 
rule published November 22, 2022 (87 FR 71210) is confirmed. The 
correction to 14 CFR 47.31 is effective January 23, 2023.

ADDRESSES: For information on where to obtain copies of rulemaking 
documents and other information related to this action, see Section III 
of the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section of this document.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Bonnie Lefko, Program Analyst, Civil 
Aviation Registry, FAA Aircraft Registration Branch, Federal Aviation 
Administration, P.O. Box 25504, Oklahoma City, OK 73125; telephone 405-
954-3131; email [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background

    This action confirms the effective date of the Increase the 
Duration of Aircraft Registration direct final rule \1\ and provides 
FAA's response to the public comments. The direct final rule amends the 
duration of all Certificates of Aircraft Registration (certificates) 
issued under part 47 of Title 14 of the Code of Federal Regulations (14 
CFR) from three years to seven years. Aircraft owners will be required 
to confirm their registration information and renew their certificate 
every seven years, unless an event or circumstance necessitates a new 
registration being submitted prior to the expiration of the 
certificate. Accordingly, the direct final rule adds a paragraph to 
Sec.  47.40 to require aircraft owners to submit new registration forms 
to update their certificates prior to the seven-year expiration date if 
the Administrator determines that their registration information is 
inaccurate. These amendments apply to initial and renewed certificates, 
in accordance with Sec.  47.40(b) and (c).
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    \1\ Increase the Duration of Aircraft Registration direct final 
rule, 87 FR 71210 (Nov. 22, 2022).
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    The FAA also corrects its amendment to 14 CFR 47.31(c)(1) to remove 
the requirement that the FAA issue a letter extending the temporary 
authority for an aircraft to operate when a certificate of aircraft 
registration has not been issued or denied within 90 days after the 
date the application was signed.
    The FAA is also removing expired regulations pertaining to the re-
registration requirement detailed in Sec.  47.40(a) and references to 
re-registration in Sec. Sec.  47.15(i)(1) and 47.17(a)(7). The re-
registration regulations became obsolete January 1, 2014.

II. Discussion of Comments

    The FAA received a total of twelve comments in response to the 
published direct final rule. Commenters included Airlines for America 
(A4A), Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA), National Business 
Aviation Association (NBAA), and nine individuals. Six individual 
commenters supported the direct final rule without change. Three 
individuals expressed alternative approaches to the duration of 
aircraft registration. However, the FAA has determined that those three 
comments are outside of the scope of the rulemaking because this 
rulemaking was solely in response to the statutory requirement 
contained in Sec. 556, which requires a seven-year duration of aircraft 
registration. For reasons described in the direct final rule, the FAA 
does not distinguish between non-commercial general aviation aircraft 
and commercial aircraft because that distinction could change from one 
operation to the next. Accordingly, this rule merely effectuates a 
statutory requirement. Because those three comments are outside of the 
scope of the rulemaking, the FAA does not consider them to be adverse 
comments. Regarding comments about implementation, the FAA will provide 
follow-on information explaining how the FAA will effectuate this rule 
for existing aircraft registrations.
    The NBAA recommended a technical correction regarding a misplaced 
comma in the regulatory text of 14 CFR 47.31. The FAA agrees with NBAA 
that a correction is necessary, and has revised the sentence to remove 
the misplaced comma, as indicated in the correction included in this 
document. After consideration of the comments submitted in response to 
the Increase the Duration of Aircraft Registration direct final rule, 
the FAA has determined that no further rulemaking action is necessary. 
Therefore, the direct final rule published November 22, 2022 at 87 FR 
71210, Amendment No. 47-33, will become effective January 23, 2023. The 
FAA is making one typographical correction as noted previously.

III. How To Obtain Additional Information

    A copy of this confirmation document, the direct final rule, all 
comments received, and all background material may be viewed online at 
https://www.regulations.gov using the docket number listed above. A 
copy of this confirmation document will be placed in the docket. 
Electronic retrieval help and guidelines are available on the website. 
It is available 24 hours each day, 365 days each year. An electronic 
copy of this document may also be downloaded from the Office of the 
Federal Register's website at https://www.federalregister.gov and the 
Government Publishing Office's website at https://www.govinfo.gov. A 
copy may also be found at the FAA's Regulations and Policies website at 
https://www.faa.gov/regulations_policies.
    Copies may also be obtained by sending a request to the Federal 
Aviation Administration, Office of Rulemaking, ARM-1, 800 Independence 
Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20591, or by calling (202) 267-9677. 
Interested persons must identify the docket or amendment number of this 
rulemaking.
    All documents the FAA considered in developing this rule, including 
economic analyses and technical reports, may be accessed in the 
electronic docket for this rulemaking.

Federal Register Correction

    In FR Doc. 2022-25289, appearing at 87 FR 71210 in the issue of 
Tuesday, November 22, 2022, on page 71217, in the third column, in 
amendatory instruction 4, Sec.  47.31(c)(1) is corrected to read as 
follows:


Sec.  47.31   [Corrected]

* * * * *
    (c) * * *
    (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, 
or as provided by paragraph (c)(2) of this section.
* * * * *

    Issued under authority provided by 49 U.S.C. 106(f), 44701(a), 
and 44703 in Washington, DC, on January 11, 2023.
Brandon Roberts,
Executive Director, Office of Rulemaking.
[FR Doc. 2023-00794 Filed 1-17-23; 8:45 am]
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