The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has notified UK-based Southern Aircraft Consultancy (SACI) that all its aircraft registration certificates are invalid because the company was in violation of US citizenship requirements when it submitted applications.
On January 13, 2026, the UK’s Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) confirmed that N-registered aircraft registered through the British firm using a non-Citizen Trust Agreement (NCT) have been grounded with immediate effect.
In a statement, the FAA said Southern Aircraft Consultancy uses trust agreements to register aircraft for US citizens and foreign nationals.
According to SACI’s website, the company works with the FAA on a “daily basis and is experienced in all aspects of their methods and requirements”.
“To register an aircraft using a trust agreement, the company/trustee must either be a U.S. citizen or a resident alien. The FAA found that SACI violated FAA regulations regarding U.S. citizenship requirements and must return registration certificates to the FAA within 21 days of notification,” said the US agency.
The FAA advised affected aircraft owners that to operate legally they “must reregister their aircraft either through another country’s aircraft registry or in the U.S. by submitting an Aircraft Registration Application to the FAA”.
Additionally, affected owners will need to provide evidence of ownership and pay a registration fee amounting to $5.
“Aircraft owners will then have temporary authority to operate within the U.S. until the applicant receives a Certificate of Aircraft Registration or until the FAA denies the application,” explained the FAA.
The agency added: “Temporary authority does not extend to flights outside the U.S. An applicant for registration, who operates outside the U.S., may submit a Declaration of International Operations (DIO) at the time of application to receive expedited processing.”
In its own statement, the CAA advised that the lack of a valid Certificate of Registration “may have implications on the mandatory insurance that the owners/operators of such aircraft are required to hold”.
“Owners/operators of affected aircraft should not fly their aircraft until they have complied with the FAA statement,” added the CAA.
According to the FAA Registry, there are 803 aircraft registered through Southern Aircraft Consultancy.
On its website, Southern Aircraft Consultancy states that it only “provides trust services to privately-owned and flown aircraft”.
AeroTime has contacted Southern Aircraft Consultancy for comment.