(a) Establishment of System.—The Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration shall establish a system for recording—
(1) conveyances that affect an interest in civil aircraft of the United States;
(2) leases and instruments executed for security purposes, including conditional sales contracts, assignments, and amendments, that affect an interest in—
(A) a specifically identified aircraft engine having at least 550 rated takeoff horsepower or its equivalent;
(B) a specifically identified aircraft propeller capable of absorbing at least 750 rated takeoff shaft horsepower;
(C) an aircraft engine, propeller, or appliance maintained for installation or use in an aircraft, aircraft engine, or propeller, by or for an air carrier holding a certificate issued under section 44705 of this title; and
(D) spare parts maintained by or for an air carrier holding a certificate issued under section 44705 of this title; and
(3) releases, cancellations, discharges, and satisfactions related to a conveyance, lease, or instrument recorded under paragraph (1) or (2).
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(b) General Description Required.—A lease or instrument recorded under subsection (a)(2)(C) or (D) of this section only has to describe generally the engine, propeller, appliance, or spare part by type and designate its location.
(c) Acknowledgment.—Except as the Administrator otherwise may provide, a conveyance, lease, or instrument may be recorded under subsection (a) of this section only after it has been acknowledged before—
(1) a notary public; or
(2) another officer authorized under the laws of the United States, a State, the District of Columbia, or a territory or possession of the United States to acknowledge deeds.
(d) Records and Indexes.—The Administrator shall—
(1) keep a record of the time and date that each conveyance, lease, and instrument is filed and recorded with the Administrator; and
(2) record each conveyance, lease, and instrument filed with the Administrator, in the order of their receipt, and index them by—
(A) the identifying description of the aircraft, aircraft engine, or propeller, or location specified in a lease or instrument recorded under subsection (a)(2)(C) or (D) of this section; and
(B) the names of the parties to each conveyance, lease, and instrument.
(e) International Registry.—
(1) Designation of united states entry point.—As permitted under the Cape Town Treaty, the Federal Aviation Administration Civil Aviation Registry is designated as the United States Entry Point to the International Registry relating to—
(A) civil aircraft of the United States;
(B) an aircraft for which a United States identification number has been assigned but only with regard to a notice filed under paragraph (2); and
(C) aircraft engines.
(2) System for filing notice of prospective interests.—
(A) Establishment.—The Administrator shall establish a system for filing notices of prospective assignments and prospective international interests in, and prospective sales of, aircraft or aircraft engines described in paragraph (1) under the Cape Town Treaty.
(B) Maintenance of validity.—A filing of a notice of prospective assignment, interest, or sale under this paragraph and the registration with the International Registry relating to such assignment, interest, or sale shall not be valid after the 60th day following the date of the filing unless documents eligible for recording under subsection (a) relating to such notice are filed for recordation on or before such 60th day.
(3) Authorization for registration of aircraft.—A registration with the International Registry relating to an aircraft described in paragraph (1) (other than subparagraph (C)) is valid only if (A) the person seeking the registration first files documents eligible for recording under subsection (a) and relating to the registration with the United States Entry Point, and (B) the United States Entry Point authorizes the registration.
