6 replies to this topic

[tom.]

does a planes registration number come from where it leased?

If no why do some airline I.e.alitalia have planes with a reg in Ireland and Italy?

[bAnderson]

does a planes registration number come from where it leased?
If no why do some airline I.e.alitalia have planes with a reg in Ireland and Italy?

In the US almost every aircraft uses an N-number. The registration comes from the country it operates in. Your example would suggest an aircraft that is based in Ireland but is owned or leased by Alitalia.

[tom.]

Thanks

[LockheedTristar]

In the US almost every aircraft uses an N-number. The registration comes from the country it operates in. Your example would suggest an aircraft that is based in Ireland but is owned or leased by Alitalia.

Not true, the owner of the aircraft (leasing compnay, airline, or private body) chooses the country of registration. Alitalia planes are based in Italy but owned by Irish leasing companies which is why they have an EI registration. Many private jets have a Bermuda reg or an Isle of Man reg to lower taxes. It can basically be completely random sometimes

[X-Wing @Aliciousness]

It also varies by country and the laws of the country. For example, for an airplane to operate domestic passenger service in the US it must have a US registration.

 

However, because both Ireland and Italy are in the EU, and the EU has an open skies agreement, planes registered in Ireland can operate domestically within Italy.

 

On top of this, many countries simply do not have the regulations the US has. Aeroflot's aircraft for example are mostly registered in Bermuda even if they operate domestically within Russia.

[dazwalsh]

Apparently its a hell of a lot harder to reposess planes on the Italian register for unpaid debts etc so the leasing firms use the Irish register for security of assets moreso than anything. Plus its home to a fair few lease firms so just registering them in their own country for ease.

[tigerair737]

I believe that Air Astana registers their aircraft in Aruba so they can fly into the EU (Kazakhstan I think is on the EU blacklist.)

 

Another thing I noticed is that Aeroflot registers their Airbuses and Boeings with a VP- or a VQ- registration, but their SSJ's are registered with an RA- registration. Same in Brazil with their PP-, PT- and PR- registration prefixes. What is the difference between the different prefixes?

 

Regards,

tigerair737