Aircraft Registration in the Cayman Islands

Founded on UK legislation, the Civil Aviation Authority of the Cayman Islands (CAACI) is responsible for safety oversight and the economic regulation of the aviation industry in Cayman Islands and for all aircraft registered on the CIAR. Any person or company wishing to register an aircraft in Cayman must meet the exacting standards of the CAACI; these include submitting due diligence records within a registration application which meet International Anti-Money Laundering Law requirements. Annual registry fees are based on the weight of the aircraft. Financiers providing financing for Cayman registered aircraft can register their security interest on the Cayman Islands Aircraft Mortgage Register, which is supported by the CI Mortgaging of Aircraft Regulations 2015. Registration applications, certifications and ongoing authorisations happen within a bespoke secured data management portal, VP-C Online designed specifically for the CIAR.

A really easy to follow page on registering an aircraft in the Cayman Islands and what you need to know, was written by Mark Santangeli, a Partner at Ogier. Additional info is also listed below or you can email the Civil Aviation Authority and request more information: civil.aviation@caacayman.com.

Civil Aviation Authority of the Cayman Islands ‐ a UK Overseas Territory
• The Cayman Islands falls under the State United Kingdom for Aviation Matters.
• The UK Department For Transport engages the UK body Air Safety Support International (ASSI) for Governance of the Overseas Territories Aviation Authorities to ICAO and UK standards. ASSI board comprises UK Government Departments, UK CAA and Overseas Territories Aviation Directors.
• Authority for Aviation is delegated to each of the appointed Governors of the UK Overseas Territories and subsequently to each Director of Civil Aviation.
• The Aviation code regulated in the OT’s stems from the UK Civil Aviation Act where like for the UK register there is an Air Navigation Order (Overseas Territories). The means of compliance to the AN(OT)O is the gazette code Overseas Territory Aviation Requirements (OTARs).
• Unlike the UK CAA, who administer a single code of primary regulation (EASA), under OTARs the CAACI have the ability to work in three primary environments, EASA, US FAA and TCCA.
• There are additional and significant advantages to the code OTARs, these they practice to the advantage of Applicants. Civil Aviation Authority of the Cayman Islands
• Based in Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands, they are led by their Director‐General, Mr. Richard Smith.
• Their Head Office administers all of the regulatory responsibilities including that of Financial, Aircraft Registration and Administrative governance.
• Their Air Safety Regulation Department comprised the resource to manage the workings of an aircraft register through Operational, Continuing Airworthiness and Maintenance oversight. They are supported by their Technical Officers who keep track on their daily responsibilities.
• The CAACI administers its oversight on the global stage having significant operations in North America, Europe, Middle and Far East.
• They largely employ full time personnel who come to the CAACI with significant expertise in aviation regulation. Their UK Office provides a staging post for their UK based staff to access many of their geographical locations. Along with their Head Office personnel, they have an efficient joined up team where in‐house decision‐making is of paramount importance.
• As a client of the CAACI, you will always be in contact with a CAACI team member.

VP‐C Online
• This is an online portal to their regulatory authority providing an ability for an Operator, CAMO and MRO to control their Approvals and aircraft they manage through making online Applications for required Approvals and Certificates.
• Aircraft registration is also facilitated in this system.
• Certificates and Approvals are digitised and can be downloaded by the secure login features.
• New to this system is the Lessor Module whereby a Lessor can apply for a VP‐C online account. This account will provide ready access to all of the aircraft that the Lessor has registered in the Cayman Islands. This unique feature will provide ready access to the status of airworthiness and operational certifications.
• The Lessor account will when completed satisfy much of the due diligence process of aircraft registration saving much time and that of repetitive applications where multiple aircraft are to be registered.
• VP‐C online brings the Authority closer to its industry partners facilitating productive outcomes to required Approvals.

ICAO Article 83bis
• What is 83bis, when ratified (in law) between two ICAO State Aviation Authorities, provides a vehicle for the State of Register to transfer responsibilities of regulatory oversight to the State of Operator in support of an aircraft that is geographically located in operation in another State.
• The Cayman Islands has a long‐Standing ICAO Article 83bis Agreement with Saudi Arabia. Operating under this Agreement are three commercial Operators utilising A320 and B737 aircraft.
• The CAACI – GACA 83bis Agreement is a modern model wholly ICAO compliant, offering the registered owner confidence through the CAACI activities in Aircraft Certification and Continuing Airworthiness for which the CAACI retains functional regulatory oversight of.
• The CAACI with extensive experience in working at high levels in other State Aviation Authorities, offers Operators and Lessors of aircraft registered in the Cayman Islands operating under 83bis significant security in our administration of the Agreement, through regular face to face meetings with the State of Operator NAA.

NAA MoU’s
• The CAACI is very keen on formal collaborative working arrangements with other National Aviation Authorities. It is of importance to us in securing reliable and supportive outcomes to a wide variety of issues that the CAACI is able to readily turn to significant NAA’s such as US FAA and EASA.
• For mutual benefit, the CAACI established several MoU’s with the US FAA in agreement for the operation of Cayman Islands registered aircraft to operate commercially under US FAA AOCs. Indeed, in working with the FAA we were the first Register to secure a foreign registered aircraft in Operation FAR 135 < 9 seats. This required the upmost support by the FAA where policy was made.
• To date we have had several MoUs with EASA and the US FAA.
• In spirit of supporting the industry, we will offer and explore solutions in operation leaning on our strong relationships with the three major NAAs we work with.
• MoUs are often an efficient solution to meeting the needs of an urgent operational matter.

Off Shore AOC
• The CAACI has though the Cayman Islands Government secured a robust legal infrastructure enabling the CAACI to issue an AOC where the operational control is located off shore.
• The enabling mechanism is an economic free zone managed by Cayman Enterprise City who administers the Entity incorporation providing the legal basis for the CAACI to work in Aviation

Regulation for the issuance of an AOC.
• This robust platform withstanding international scrutiny is an ideal solution for an Operator to take advantage of the CAACI service provision and commitment to ensuring there is a safety partnership.
• They see opportunities for ACMI type operations where equipment can be readily introduced in operation. They are committed to partnership in solution driven outcomes where convention may not.

CAACI and Lessors
• The CAACI recognises the importance of aircraft Lessors. Many of their clients in aircraft ownership and operation depend on Lessors. This valuable relationship they wish to foster through an insight and collaborative understanding to the dependencies of the industry.
• The CAACI strives to be a leader and be innovative in its approach to aviation safety regulation. They have introduced material processes, online portals, bespoke products all specifically designed to support the interests of Lessors.
• The CAACI is keen to establish long term relationships with Lessors that will provide ready solutions where aircraft registration support is required with emphasis beyond the registration process.
• The CAACI is not offering a parking register, these are readily available, we are offering a Transition Register supported by highly experienced full‐time personnel in view of equipment being offered to new lessees in multiple jurisdictions.

Transition Register
• They have for some time taken a particular interest in the demands and challenges of Lessors. They have managed several projects returning aircraft to service from difficult circumstance, to arranging rapid transfer of registration.
• They believe that they can offer Lessors far more than a place to park an aircraft, their focus is not the registration, but the deregistration activity. They from the outset focus on the objective for returning the aircraft to a new lessee in whatever jurisdiction that requires*.
• From the outset of aircraft registration, they shall work on an oversight programme specifically designed to ensure all are fully cognisant of required activities to gain the C of A (Export) as required. They will not let aircraft remain parked without effective management causing much costly activity repairing the consequential damage. Their highly experienced in‐house team work in a coordinated manner, it will not be the case where a new Inspector starts all over again. They work closely with industry partners CAMOs,

Continuing Airworthiness Management Organisation (CAMO)
Their advanced IT record management system enables us to programme cost effective oversight that is proportional to the activity. They grant Approval privileges to CAMOs in support of generating required airworthiness status reports for aircraft in storage and those coming from jurisdictions where an export document is difficult.
• They pride themselves in being able to offer Export C of A’s in multiple Certification environments where to date they have not received any importing difficulties. Indeed, they will offer continued support post Export where the importing Authority requires such.

Relationships matter.
• In current climate of returning aircraft, they have been successfully relocating many aircraft from various jurisdictions. Their approach in working with Approved Ferry Flight and Airworthiness Management Organisations has been crucial in achieving these positive outcomes.
• They record Transition Aircraft in a Service Level Agreement established with the Lessor. This clearly defines our commitment in delivery of our service provision with clarity to fees that are largely fixed basis.
• They are constantly adjusting our approach in managing Transition Aircraft, being initiative, proactive and solution driven is not only rewarding, provides constructive outcomes to adverse circumstances.
* sanctions permitting

Source: Civil Aviation Authority.
Email: civil.aviation@caacayman.com for more information.