The United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has invalidated all registration certificates issued to United Kingdom-based Southern Aircraft Consultancy Inc. Trust (SACI), citing non-compliance with United States citizenship requirements at the time of registration.
This decision has led to the immediate grounding of more than 600 aircraft.
On Jan. 13, 2026, the UK’s Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) also confirmed that N-registered aircraft registered through SACI using a non-Citizen Trust Agreement (NCT) have been grounded with immediate effect.
FAA findings and scope of the grounding
SACI registered aircraft on behalf of both United States citizens and foreign nationals using trust arrangements, despite lacking the regulatory standing required to act as a trustee, according to the FAA.
FAA regulations require any entity registering through a trust to qualify as either a United States citizen or a resident alien.
FAA has formally notified SACI that all affected registration certificates are invalid and has ordered the company to surrender the documents within 21 days, which means all aircraft registered to SACI are grounded with immediate effect.
FAA records confirm that 649 aircraft are listed under the trust, with 641 flagged as invalid.
Out of 641 affected aircraft, 9 are business jets, such as Citation N324JC, which is 49.1 years old and is stored at Odense Hans Christian Andersen Airport, Denmark; Citation Ultra N778B, which is 26.5 years old, was previously based at Milan Linate Airport, Italy, and is now parked at Mumbai International Airport, India; and Phenom 100 N580JS, which is 16.1 years old and is based at Sofia International Airport, Bulgaria.
None of the affected aircraft operates under a Part 135 certificate. Fixed-wing piston aircraft, Turboprops and rotary-wing types are the remaining aircraft registered to SACI.
Path to re-registration and operational implications
To resume lawful operations, owners must reregister the aircraft either with another national authority or through a new FAA registration application.
Additionally, affected owners will need to provide evidence of ownership and a registration fee amounting to $5.
Upon submission, the FAA grants temporary authority for domestic operations within the United States while the application remains under review, unless the registration is denied.
The FAA has also made it clear that owners intending to operate internationally may submit a Declaration of International Operations (DIO) with the application to request expedited processing.
SACI said in a statement issued on 13 Jan., 2026, that the FAA’s letter had come as a “complete shock”. SACI is in talks with lawyers both in the UK and the USA to challenge the FAA on its decision.
What are your thoughts on the FAA’s decision? Let us know them in the comments.
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