General Aviation: Information of interest to aircraft under fiduciary agreements with SACI

• The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has declared license plate certificates issued under Southern Aircraft Consultancy Inc (SACI) trust agreements invalid.

Madrid, 16 February 2026 (AESA)

The State Aviation Safety Agency (AESA), in line with the notice issued by EASA, transmits to the general aviation community information of interest following the statement published by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) of the United States, which affects aircraft registered through trusts managed by Southern Aircraft Consultancy Inc. (SACI).

On January 13, 2026, the FAA notified SACI that all registration certificates issued through these agreements have been declared invalid, determining that the citizenship requirements required by U.S. regulations are not met. As part of the administrative procedure, the FAA has ordered the delivery of such certificates within 21 days.

According to information provided by the FAA, several of these aircraft are operating in or from the European Union. It is therefore recalled that an invalid registration certificate prevents the legal operation of the aircraft, regardless of its location, and may further compromise the validity of compulsory insurance.

Options to recover operability

In order for affected aircraft to be able to operate again, owners and operators have several routes:

• Sign a new fiduciary agreement with a trustee who meets the citizenship requirements set by the FAA.
• Carry out the re-registration of the aircraft before the relevant civil aviation authority.
• Apply to the FAA for a temporary operating authorization, limited to flights within the United States and without the possibility of carrying out international flights.

The Agency remains at the disposal of owners, operators and organisations in the sector to provide any further clarification.