VT registration marks

Who decides an aircraft's identity?

The big picture

ICAO sets the world rules, then India registers and marks its own aircraft.

• Aircraft identity nationality and registration How an aircraft is identified: a nationality (or common) mark plus a registration mark, set by ICAO Annex 7 and, in India, by the Aircraft Rules 1937 and CAR.
  • ICAO Annex 7 world rules Sets how States select nationality marks from their ITU radio call signs, the rules for letters and numbers in marks, where marks go, and the certificate of registration.
    • Nationality mark from the State's ITU call signs The mark showing the State of Registry, chosen from the nationality symbols in the radio call signs the ITU allocates to that State.
    • Common mark ITU series 4YA to 4YZ Used by joint operating agencies. The common mark authority is assigned by ICAO.
    • Registration mark 1 to 5 characters Letters, numbers or both, given out by the country of registry (or by the body that runs a common mark).
    • No signal look-alikes signals, Q-codes, SOS Marks must not resemble the Code of Signals, Q-codes, SOS or urgency signals.
    • Identification plate fireproof, near the main entrance Balloons: on the payload exterior. Remotely piloted aircraft: on the exterior or in a compartment.
  • Registering in India Aircraft Rules 1937, CAR F-I The national rules: the Central Government registers aircraft and grants the certificate of registration, and DGCA keeps the register and can cancel a registration.
    • Central Government registers and grants the C of R In India the Central Government is the authority that registers aircraft and grants the certificate of registration.
    • Register of Aircraft kept by DGCA Open to public inspection and available on the DGCA website.
    • C of R shows aircraft, owner, marks, lease Aircraft type, constructor's number, year of manufacture, marks, the owner's name, nationality and address, usual station, date and validity. For a leased aircraft, also the lease and both parties.
    • Valid until cancelled no fixed term A certificate of registration has no fixed expiry: it stays valid from the date of registration until DGCA cancels it.
    • Carried on board at all times The registration certificate stays on board every time the aircraft flies.
  • Indian marks inside India's ITU series AT to AW India has been allotted AT to AW by the ITU but keeps its pre-Independence marks: VT for civil, VU for Air Force, and U for unmanned aircraft.
    • VT- and 3 letters civil The nationality mark for Indian civil aircraft is VT, followed by a hyphen and a 3-letter registration mark in plain Roman letters, for example VT-EPC.
    • VU- and 3 letters Air Force The nationality mark for Indian Air Force aircraft is VU, followed by a hyphen and 3 letters, for example VU-AWB.
    • U and 6 characters unmanned, no hyphen Unmanned aircraft registered in India carry U followed by 6 alphanumeric characters (0 to 9 or A to Z), for example UB67DFC.
    • Display rules ads, emblems, State marks What else may appear on an Indian aircraft: no advertising unless permitted, owner names and emblems only if not confusing, and no State aircraft marks on other aircraft.
      • No commercial advertising unless permitted No advertisement, sign or lettering on the exterior except what the rules require or the Director-General permits.
      • Owner emblems allowed if they cause no confusion The aircraft's name and the owner's name and emblems may be shown if they do not hinder recognition of, or cause confusion with, the marks.
      • State marks only on State aircraft An aircraft that is not a State aircraft must not carry any mark or sign prescribed for State aircraft.
      • Marks painted or fixed durably and kept clean Marks are painted on, or fixed with similar permanence as the Director-General specifies, and must always be kept clean and visible.

Takeaway: Annex 7 sets how marks look; in India the Central Government registers, DGCA keeps the register, and civil aircraft carry VT-.

Where do the marks go, and how big?

Where marks go

VT-EPC appears on the wings and on the fuselage or tail, at different minimum heights.

Memory hook: Wings are wide, so the letters are big: 50 on the wings, 30 on the body.

Takeaway: Wings at least 50 cm; fuselage and vertical tail at least 30 cm; Roman characters, no ornamentation.

Can these letters be a registration?

Banned letters

Test a letter group against each signal it could be mistaken for.

• Is it a 5-letter Code of Signals group?
• Is it 3 letters starting with Q?
• Does it read SOS?
• Does it read XXX, PAN or TTT?
• Is it 111?
• No: coded message
• No: Q-code
• No: distress
• No: urgency
• No: telegraph
• Passes the signal test

Memory hook: If you could hear it as a call for help, you cannot paint it on an aircraft.

Takeaway: No 5-letter Code of Signals groups, no 3-letter Q groups, no SOS, no XXX, PAN or TTT, and no 111.

Which mark does this aircraft carry?

Which mark?

Read each case and press the stamp that applies.

• Which mark goes on this aircraft? Press a stamp.
• U + 6
• unmanned
• VU-
• Air Force
• VT-
• Indian civil
• Common mark
• 4YA to 4YZ
• Own State's mark
• ITU series
• A new airliner is registered in India for a domestic airline.
• Indian civil aircraft carry VT, a hyphen and three letters, for example VT-EPC.
• A transport aircraft joins the Indian Air Force.
• Indian Air Force aircraft carry VU, a hyphen and three letters, for example VU-AWB.
• A survey drone is registered in India.
• Indian unmanned aircraft carry U followed by 6 letters or digits, with no hyphen, for example UB67DFC.
• Two States run an aircraft together through a joint operating agency.
• Joint operating agencies use a common mark from the ITU series 4YA to 4YZ.
• A civil aircraft is registered in France.
• Every State takes its nationality mark from its own ITU call-sign series; India's VT does not apply.
• A small remotely piloted aircraft is registered with DGCA for crop spraying.
• Unmanned aircraft in India carry U plus 6 characters, never VT.

Takeaway: Indian civil VT- plus 3 letters, Air Force VU- plus 3 letters, unmanned U plus 6 characters with no hyphen.

What does each part of VT-EPC mean?

Read VT-EPC

An Indian civil registration. Tap each part.

• Nationality mark VT Pre-Independence mark kept by India. ITU allotted AT to AW. VU is the Air Force; unmanned aircraft use U plus 6 characters, e.g. UB67DFC.
• Hyphen - Between nationality and registration marks. Unmanned marks have none.
• Registration mark EPC In India: three plain capital letters. ICAO allows anything from 1 to 5 letters or numbers, given out by the country of registry or the common mark body.

Memory hook: VT flies civil, VU flies Air Force.

Takeaway: Nationality mark, hyphen, registration mark. India keeps VT (civil) and VU (Air Force), though ITU allotted AT to AW.