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Campaign launched to register pilots, aircraft

Mark Lessor attached the first poster on a hangar door in northern Idaho Thursday, inviting pilots to become part of an elite group – registered airmen.

Actually, it’s more than an invitation. The campaign is intended to inform pilots and aircraft owners of an Idaho law that requires them to register with the Division of Aeronautics in much the same way drivers must obtain an operator’s license and register their vehicle.

“Airmen are woefully under-represented,” said Lessor, an ITD aviation technician. He hopes to change that by distributing informational posters and blank registration cards at every airport he visits in the next couple of years.

The poster is similar to one used 30-40 years ago. It walks pilots through a pre-flight checklist, finishing with the question “have you registered?” It shows a pilot’s view of the picturesque Johnson Creek Airstrip.

Pilots are required to register and obtain an operator’s permit every two years at a cost of $12. Aircraft based in Idaho must be registered annually. The fee is one cent per pound of aircraft weight; registration of a 1,500-pound plane would be $15 per year, Lessor explains.

Registration is not required for experimental aircraft, ultra-lights and gliders.

Proceeds from pilot registration help fund aerial searches in Idaho, and include a subscription to the division’s quarterly newsletter, the Rudder Flutter. Revenue generated by aircraft registration funds maintenance and improvements of the 30 state-owned airports, the state’s pilot education and safety programs and serves as a state match for federal aviation grants.
Lessor estimates Idaho has about 2,500 registered pilots and a like number of registered aircraft.

To register an aircraft or register as a pilot, contact the Division of Aeronautics at (208) 334-8775 (toll-free at 800-426-4587) or send inquiries to: 3483 Rickenbacker St., Boise, Idaho 83707-1129.

For registration requirements, visit the Division of Aeronautics Web site