Section 43, Civil Aviation Act, 2017 for an effective aviation safety and security

(1) Subject to subsections (2) and (3), no aircraft shall flyor operate within Sierra Leone unless - (a) it is registered- (i) in Sierra Leone; (ii) in a contracting State of International Civil Aviation Organisation; or (iii) in any State in which Sierra Leone has entered into an agreement with in regard to the registration of aircraft; or (b) it bears, in the prescribed manner, the necessary nationality and registration marks. (2) Notwithstanding subsection (1), where special circumstances exist, the Authority may, subject to such conditions as the Authority may think fit, exempt a foreign registered aircraft from flying or operating within Sierra Leone under subsection (1). (3) Notwithstanding subsection (1), an aircraft may fly within Sierra Leone, unregistered, if and as long as it is flown for the purpose of, or in connection with any experiment or test, or any other purpose which appears to the satisfaction of the Authority to be valid to permit the aircraft to fly unregistered. (4) Notwithstanding subsection (1), the Minister may on the recommendations of the Authority, exempt kites, powered parachutes and drones from registration. (5) An aircraft exempted under subsections (2) or (3) shall carry, in addition to other documents which it may be required to carry under this Act, an exemption registration certificate or any other document, certifying that the aircraft is so exempted and stating any conditions subject to which the exemption was granted. (6) Any person who contravenes subsection (1) or who flies or operates an aircraft bearing nationality and registration marks purporting to have been registered in a State other than where it has been registered, commits an offence and shall be liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding 50,000 United States dollars or equivalent in Leones or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 10 years or to both fine and imprisonment. 44 45 Aircraft registration. (7) The Minister may, on the recommendations of the Authority, by statutory instrument, make regulations for the registration of aircraft and the form of nationality and registration marks.