What Is an IDERA? Aircraft Deregistration Rights Explained

An IDERA is a short signed document that lets a lender or lessor ask the aviation authority to take an aircraft off the national register and export it, without help from the airline or owner that operates it. It is used when the operator defaults on a loan or a lease. If you lease or finance an aircraft, you will almost always be asked to sign one.

What the letters mean

IDERA stands for Irrevocable De-Registration and Export Request Authorisation. In the United States the FAA spells the last word "Authorization". The meaning is the same.

The word "irrevocable" matters most. It means the party that signed the IDERA cannot cancel it alone. Only the party it protects can agree to remove it.

Where it comes from

The IDERA comes from the Cape Town Convention on International Interests in Mobile Equipment and its Aircraft Protocol. Both were signed in Cape Town in 2001. These treaties give lenders and lessors clear rights over aircraft, airframes, engines and helicopters in the countries that join them.

The form of the IDERA is set out in the annex to the Aircraft Protocol, under Article XIII. That is why the document looks much the same from one country to the next. It is short and standard.

Who signs it and who it protects

The registered owner or operator of the aircraft signs the IDERA. In the treaty this party is called the debtor. The document names an "authorised party". This is usually the lender or the lessor.

The debtor then files the IDERA with the national aviation authority. The authority records it against the aircraft.

What happens after a default

Say an airline stops paying rent on a leased aircraft. Without an IDERA, the lessor may need the airline to sign papers before the aircraft can leave the register. An airline in trouble may not cooperate.

With a recorded IDERA, the authorised party can go to the authority directly. Under Article XIII of the Protocol, the authority must honour the request once the IDERA is recorded. This is subject to the aviation safety laws of that country. The aircraft can then be removed from the register and exported.

National rules on timing and paperwork differ from country to country. The treaty sets the principle. Each authority sets the steps.

IDERA and the International Registry

People often mix these two up. They are not the same thing.

	IDERA	International Registry
What it is	A signed authorisation	An online registry set up under the Convention
Where it sits	With the national aviation authority	Online, separate from any one country
What it records	Who may ask for deregistration and export	International interests, such as a loan security or a lease
Who uses it	The authorised party, after a default	Lenders, lessors, buyers and their lawyers

The two work side by side. An interest registered on the International Registry shows who has rights in the aircraft. The IDERA gives the practical power to move the aircraft off the register. A good aircraft title search looks at both the national record and the International Registry.

Two country examples

United Kingdom. The registered owner asks for an IDERA to be recorded with the UK CAA's CA50 IDERA request form. The UK CAA says only one IDERA can be recorded and current for an aircraft at any one time.

United States. The FAA Civil Aviation Registry is the official entry point for sending information to the International Registry. The Cape Town Treaty Implementation Act of 2004 set this up. For an export cancellation under an IDERA, the FAA says the request must come from the registered owner or from the authorised party named in the IDERA on file. Under 14 CFR 47.47, the request must also show that every consensual lien holder on the FAA record has agreed to the export, or that the lien has been discharged.

What it means if you lease or finance an aircraft

Expect the lender or lessor to ask for an IDERA as a standard condition. It is normal and it is not a sign of distrust. Our guide on how to finance a private jet covers the other papers a lender will want.

Read who the authorised party is. Check that the names on the IDERA match the register exactly. A small spelling difference can cause delays later.

When the loan is paid off or the lease ends, the IDERA should be removed. Several authorities have a removal request form for this. New Zealand's CAA is one example. Add the removal to your list of lease return conditions, so it does not get lost at the end of the term.

What it means if you buy a used aircraft

An old IDERA that stays on file can hold up a sale or a change of register. Before you pay, check whether an IDERA is still recorded against the aircraft. If one is, get it removed at closing. An aircraft escrow agent can hold the money until the removal papers are in hand.

Local rules differ, so ask a specialist to check the register country. Our guide on how to choose an aviation lawyer explains what to look for.

Questions to ask before you sign

• Who is the authorised party named in the IDERA?
• Do the names match the aircraft register exactly?
• Has the country of register joined the Cape Town Convention and the Aircraft Protocol?
• Is there already an IDERA recorded against this aircraft?
• Who will file the removal when the loan or lease ends, and with which form?
• What does the local authority need before it acts on an IDERA?

Sources: Cape Town Convention and Aircraft Protocol (2001); UK CAA IDERA guidance; FAA Aircraft Registry export guidance; 14 CFR 47.47; Cape Town Treaty Implementation Act of 2004.

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