The National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) and Edward H. Kammerer of law firm Edwards Angell Palmer & Dodge say letters or e-mails from a company called International Aircraft Registry (IAR) in Oklahoma City are misleading and can be disregarded. Apparently, the communication from the company informs aircraft owners that they have not registered their aircraft in compliance with the Cape Town Convention, allegedly putting their lien and/or title position at stake. According to NBAA spokesman Dan Hubbard, NBAA has received reports of mailings sent to Members related to registering aircraft to the Cape Town International Registry (CTIR), an international aircraft registry that went into effect on March 1, 2006. [Those] with ownership or international interests in aircraft assets that have been in place since before the effective date of the CTIR — March 1, 2006 — are grandfathered, and therefore are not required to register those assets. Kammerer added, There is no relation between this group and the FAA Registry in Oklahoma City or to any of the reputable law firms or title companies in Oklahoma City. He said the letter or e-mail from IAR directs people to a shadow website that looks nearly identical to the real International Registry of Mobile Assets website. IAR is charging $1,100 to unnecessarily register aircraft that are already grandfathered from the CTIR, according to Kammerer. NBAA, the National Aircraft Resale Association and Aviareto (the company that runs the CTIR) are aware of the problem and are taking steps to address the problem, noted Kammerer.
