Aircraft registration

The aircraft registration mark is an individual alpha -numeric code that uniquely identifies an aircraft. It is made up of the nationality mark and the registration of national character.

When an aircraft is sold domestically, the flag remains in the rule. When an aircraft is withdrawn from service or flown in another state under a new flag that has become free indicator can be used again ( to another aircraft ).

• 2.1 civil
• 2.2 Military

• 4.1 History of the emblem "HB"

• 6.1 Structure
• 6.2 mark before 1949
• 6.3 The importance of N

• 7.1 characters multinational organizations
• 7.2 Special Cases 7.2.1 Examples

General

Basis in international law

Article 20 of the Convention on International Civil Aviation of 1944 reads: " Run of Features: Every aircraft engaged in international aviation has to lead him prescribed state belonging and registration marks. " ( Wording in force in Germany translation ). Thus, the agreement stipulates that each aircraft must be labeled with a unique identifier, which consists of the nationality mark of the State in which the aircraft is registered, and a national registration mark.

The implementing provisions of Article 20 are set out in Annex 7. According to Section 2.3, each state chooses its nationality mark of the letter area ( ITU) allocated for the call sign of its radio stations to it by the International Telecommunication Union. The choice must be notified to ICAO. The registration label is awarded by each state according to its own system. Annex 7 to the Agreement also provides, where and how the label must be attached to the aircraft.

The Member States of ICAO are obliged to implement these guidelines in their national legislation.

History

The provisions of ICAO back to the revised Air Services Agreement of Paris of 1932, which underpins the Chicago Convention of 1944. It was determined that the station ID of board an aircraft radio station to coincide with the aircraft registration mark.

For the station identification of radio stations the countries radiotelephony agreement but were allotted by 1927 letter areas already in Washington. Thus, the countries were able to choose their aircraft nationality mark only from this area. In addition, was also set in the Washington Agreement that the station identifier of the on-board radio station of an aircraft shall always consist of five letters. Therefore, the aircraft registration mark consisting in many countries today five letters. ( In the 1944 Chicago Convention, this provision was dropped. )

Assignment of nationality mark

In the Washington radio telephony agreement from 1927 each country, a range of letters has been assigned, from which it had to take the identifiers of its radio stations. The former great powers USA, UK, France, Italy, Germany and Japan were each given an entire block letters ( the U.S. three), all other countries a portion of a letter.

While in some countries the choice of the area is evident ( F for France, I for Italy, G for Great Britain), no correlation can be seen in other, at least at first glance; they should have been probably associated with one of the other areas happens to be (OO for Belgium, PH for the Netherlands). In some countries, it is a conscious choice after all suspect (Cx for Chile and Canada, Hx for Hungary ( Hungaria ) and Switzerland ( Helvetia ) ). In the agreement itself, the mapping is not justified.

Originally only letters and no numbers were allowed in the identifier. This rule was later changed, emerged as the course of decolonization, many new states and no more letter blocks were available.

Germany

The marks indicated here refer to the period since 1945, the period preceding see German aircraft registration to 1945

Civil

Civilian, national flag of aircraft in Germany consist of the letter "D" for Germany and four digits for gliders or four letters for all other aircraft. The following on the " D " letter categorizes the type or the weight of the aircraft:

Example: D- MABC ( spoken in the aeronautical after the ICAO alphabet Alpha Bravo Charlie Delta Mike ) is a motorized ultralight aircraft.

The marking shall be affixed on both sides of the aircraft at the rear, in addition for aircraft up to 5.7 t on the bottom of the left wing. The font must be rich in contrast and at least 30cm high. The emblem ( federal flag ) has a minimum height of 15 cm. For other types of aircraft, similar rules apply.

The GDR had the following nationality mark: DDR 1950-1956, 1956-1981 and 1981-1990 DM GDR. In the years 1981/82, there were parallel run nationality mark in aviation the former GDR.

Military

In the Air Force of the Armed Forces aircraft with a two digit squadron identifier, followed by another two -digit number for the position of the aircraft were identified within the squadron.

German military aircraft of the Bundeswehr since 1968 are marked with numbers which allow a conclusion on the type and serial number ( eg, 35 01, with a black cross between the numbers). Prior to the introduction of this system was a system in which two letters are combined with three digits. The letters stood for the unity that was associated with the aircraft.

Military aircraft, which according to phase out a civil code has been assigned, may lead to special request of the original military license plate as decoration on, but is used exclusively civilian license plates.

Austria

Your design is in § 6 civil aircraft and aviation equipment Regulation ( ZLLV ) and covered in Appendix B. On the nationality mark "OE " and a hyphen followed by three letters, the first indicating the type of the aircraft. Possible origins for a feature are:

• OE -A, OE -C Single to 2,000 kg MTOW, 1 to 3 seats
• OE -B aircraft the federal government ( eg Ministry of the Interior )
• OE -D, OE -K Single to 2,000 kg MTOW, more than 3 seats
• OE -E Single 2000-5700 kg MTOW
• OE -F multi engine to 5700 kg MTOW
• OE -G 5700-14000 kg MTOW
• OE -H 14000-20000 kg MTOW
• OE -I, OE -L more than 20,000 kg MTOW

An exception to the Europe usually five characters long Aircraft marks shall be gliders, motorized paragliders and hang gliders, ultralight aircraft and motor gliders in Austria. At these three points are replaced by the dash by four digits and are therefore six characters long. " Round " thousands are (as of Jan.2013 ) have been issued.

• OE - 6001 to OE - 6999 motorized hang glider ( syn.: " hang gliders " or the "dragon" ) and motorized paragliders (nicknamed " mattress " )
• OE -9001 to OE -9999 motor glider ( TMG), self-launching gliders with an auxiliary motor, and not self-launch gliders with sustainer

Switzerland

In Switzerland, the nationality mark is officially called emblems. It consists of the letters HB and the coat of arms of the Swiss Confederation. Construction and design of the flag is governed by the Regulation on the characteristics of the aircraft ( VTS ). For civil aircraft, the hallmark of the emblem HB is followed by a hyphen and the registration mark.

For airplanes, helicopters, balloons and airships is the registration mark of three letters. The first letter of the character entry contains information about the type of aircraft:

• HB -A twin-engine turboprops from 5.7 to 15 tonnes
• HB- B balloons (hot air and gas)
• HB- C Single-engine Cessna under 5.7 tonnes ( C150 to C210 )
• HB- D Other single-engine under 5.7 tonnes
• HB -E At the request of Beech and Robin
• HB -F aircraft from Swiss production (Pilatus PC-6, PC -12)
• HB- G Twin-engine under 5.7 tonnes ( BE45/50/55/58/60/65/76/90/10/20, AC60/69/85 and others)
• HB- H Single-engine aircraft produced in Switzerland under 5.7 tonnes ( do27, FFA Bravo, Daetwyler MD, Pilatus PC -7 and PC -9 and PC -21)
• HB -I aircraft over 15 tonnes ( including DC-3 )
• HB- J aircraft over 15 tonnes when HB -I is depleted (including DC-3 )
• HB- K Single-engine airplanes under 5.7 tonnes ( Beech, Robin, SOCATA, Slingsby, AC12/14, Beagle 121)
• HB -L twin-engine airplanes under 5.7 tonnes ( PA23/24/30/31/34/42/44/60, P68, BN2, DHC6, C303/310/320/335/337/340/401/402/404/414, C421/425/441 )
• HB- M aerobatic aircraft
• HB -N Single-engine Piper under 5.7 tonnes when HB- P is depleted
• HB -O On application for single-engine Piper
• HB- P Single-engine Piper 5.7 tons
• HB -Q Balloons when HB- B is used up
• HB- R classic cars and special
• HB -S Single-engine two-seater under 5.7 tonnes
• HB- T Single-engine Cessna under 5.7 tonnes when HB- C is used up
• HB -U Single-engine under 5.7 tonnes from German, Italian or Eastern Bloc production
• HB- V business jets under 15 tonnes
• HB -W Ecolight
• HB -X helicopter
• HB- Y Experimental
• HB- Z helicopter when HB -X is used up

Sailplanes and powered sailplanes carry a serial number as registration marks. Motorsailer obtain a registration mark from the range of HB- 2000 to HB- 2999 ​​, for the pure gliders, this area was skipped accordingly. Ecolight motor sailors are assigned to the area about HB -5500. The beginning of 2009 stood at the counter HB -2453, HB -3430 and HB- 5505th

The characteristics of military aircraft of Switzerland do not start with HB.

History of the emblem "HB"

Before 1932 there was the hallmark of Swiss aircraft using the emblem CH ( for Confoederatio Helvetica ), followed by a number. With the accession of Switzerland to the revised aviation agreements of Paris Switzerland, has been assigned the emblem HB.

On October 13, 1919 by the victorious powers at the Paris Peace Conference, an international aviation agreement was adopted in Paris. It rejected the view of the other states suffer from serious weaknesses, which is why many countries, including Switzerland, did not join. 1932, the agreement was revised to a conference that was held from 10 to 15 June in Paris. Part attended by the States Parties of 1919 another 17 states, including Switzerland. The revised version was unanimously approved and then ratified by all participating countries, except of Persia, which terminated the contract. The revised Agreement entered into force on 17 May 1933. The accession to the revised Paris Air Agreement was signed on June 18, 1934 ratified by the Federal Assembly (SR: June 13, NR: June 18 ). The agreement came to Switzerland on October 1, 1934 in force in 1944 superseded by the Convention on International Civil Aviation, - with some revisions - to this day remains in force.

In Appendix A of the revised Paris Air Agreement is held that the radio call sign of an aircraft is identical to its mark. This in turn should consist of five letters, the first or the first two letters form the emblem. But a letter block was already in the International Radiotelegraphievertrag of Washington on November 25, 1927 for each country, the call sign of its radio stations have been allocated, which expressly applied also to the on-board radio stations of airplanes. Switzerland was able to have the block HBA - HBZ under this Agreement. Consequently, in Appendix A of the revised Paris Air Agreement for Switzerland the national emblem HB has been set.

The reason why the Switzerland was assigned the call sign HB at the Washington Conference of 1927 is not known. It seems likely that Switzerland has a character desired block with H as Helvetia, as the second best choice after the one used in other areas of CH has not been possible, since this was in the block letters of Canada. Neither the association is established by the Treaty, nor explained the message of the Federal Council 's decision.

A blockage of CH by Chile there has not been, as it was in the Washington Radiotelegraphievertrag assigned by 1927, the letter block CF - CK Canada, which started off as a national emblem CF. From his allocated block CA -CE Chile chose the emblem CC.

Another explanation is that HB stands for Helvetian Confederation, but there was never a union with that name. The translation of Confoederatio Helvetica with Helvetian Confederation is historically untenable, since the Latin term was introduced in 1848 simultaneously with the German name Swiss Confederation. Moreover, it is not plausible that the four -speaking Switzerland are as emblems a German name.

Humorous explanation variants include, for example, that the representative of Switzerland Heiri Bünzli was called, with the name Bünzli in Switzerland as a metaphor for the small-minded, uptight, boring, amusing and featureless Philistine. After ditching a Swissair aircraft in June 1954, it was jokingly spread that HB serve as a memory aid for the pilots and for " HESCH Bänzin? " (You have gasoline? ) Stand.

Liechtenstein

Liechtenstein is not an independent ICAO member but can be represented by Switzerland. According Liechtenstein aircraft carry a HB symbol. From Swiss aircraft they differ in that they as emblems not the Swiss cross but the small state coat of arms of Liechtenstein, so the gold - red coat of arms of Liechtenstein Princely House wear.

USA

Construction

U.S. aircraft registration mark consisting of the nationality mark N and a registration mark. Notwithstanding the ICAO standard, the two parts of the label are not separated by a hyphen.

The registration mark shall consist of a maximum of 5 characters, the latter two both numbers and letters can be, the other characters can only be numeric. The first digit must not be zero, the letters must be neither I nor O. This is a departure this registration mark of the ICAO standard, according to which the registration mark from - depending on the length of the nationality of the character - will consist 3 or 4 letters.

Following indicator patterns are therefore possible:

• N1
• N1A
• N1AB
• N12
• N12a
• N12AB
• N123
• N123A
• N123AB
• N1234
• N1234A
• N12345

Mark before 1949

Until the end of 1948 stood before the actual registration mark, an additional letter that contained information about the aircraft. Since 1949, the indicator does not contain such more letters. Historic aircraft carry him while still partially, but in the official register it no longer occurs.

This letter meant the following:

• C = commercial
• G = glider
• L = limited
• P = private
• R = restricted
• S = state
• X = experimental

For instance, the hallmark of the Spirit of St. Louis was NX211.

The importance of N

The nationality mark N goes back to the London Radiotelegraphiekonferenz of 1912, the first time the identities of the radio stations were coordinated worldwide. In this case, the U.S. three letter areas were allocated for the identifiers of its radio stations: N, W, and KDA KZZ. The Paris Air Conference in 1919, the first time an internationally unified scheme for the aircraft registration mark has been set, then took over this division.

The reason why the United States in London just these three letters were allocated areas is not known. Nor is hands down the reason why the U.S. then voted for their aircraft registration mark the N and not the W or K. The most likely explanation for the N is that the United States 1912 Rufzeichenpräfix the Navy took over, which was at that time in the development of wireless communications leader and their call sign began with N since 1909.

It is noteworthy that the U.S. allocation of the Conference in 1919 took over, even though they did not join the agreement.

List of nationality mark

The following are the list of the nationality mark of civil aircraft in a sortable table (as of September 2009).

1 The nationality mark is not in conformity with paragraph 2.3 of Annex 7

2 This party has its nationality mark not registered with ICAO.

3 This non- Contracting State has its nationality mark not registered with ICAO.

4 No ICAO Contracting State.

5 Liechtenstein can be represented by Switzerland to the ICAO. According Liechtenstein aircraft carry a Swiss license plates.

Sign multinational organizations

The ICAO allows multiple states together lead an air carrier. For such an international operator of the license plate area 4YA - 4yz reserved.

Special cases

Are the holder ( operator) and the owner does not reside in the same country as the aircraft in the State of the owner is registered. If both States agree, can be painted on the aircraft instead of the flag of the owner state that the holder state.

Examples

• Russian aircraft carriers often include foreign leasing companies. To foreign registration, they then often carry the Russian flag.

Obsolete nationality mark

Nationality mark before 1932

As early as the Paris Air Agreement of 1919 a system for the identification of the aircraft with a nationality mark followed by a national registration mark had been set. The nationality mark had been adopted, which had been established by the London Radiotelegraphiekonferenz of 1913 for the identification of radio stations. But this provision was of course only applies to the former Contracting States.

When in 1932 the aviation agreement was revised, the scheme of 1919 has been retained for the construction of the indicator. The nationality mark but were at the Washington Convention of 1927 radio telephony reassigned based.