The U.S. House Aviation Subcommittee approved H.R. 4226, moving one step closer to approval and ratification of the Cape Town Convention and the Protocol on Matters Specific to Aircraft Equipment (Cape Town Treaty).
In order to implement the Cape Town Treaty, the bill would designate the FAA Civil Aviation Registry as the entry point for authorizing filings relating to U.S. civil aircraft and aircraft engines to the new International Registry. It would also amend Chapter 441 of Title 49, United States Code by adding references to the Treaty and making changes to registration eligibility to reflect provisions of the Treaty.
The bill would authorize the necessary processes for registering, deregistering, and protecting interests for when the Treaty becomes effective and would clarify that the Treaty’s provisions would pre-empt inconsistent FAA regulations during the rulemaking process.
In addition to the United States, the Cape Town Treaty was signed by 28 other nations. Ratification of the Treaty by the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee is expected within a month.
