Catalogue description Records of the Air Registration Board

Following the recommendations of the Gorell Committee on the control of Private Flying, 1933 to 1934, and the Air Navigation Act 1936, the Secretary of State for Air delegated certain of his functions in respect of civil aircraft, previously undertaken by the Civil Aviation Department, to an Air Registration Board which was formally constituted in 1937.

The Board comprised four operators, four constructors and four insurers, appointed by the trade interests concerned, together with a representative of the general public and a professional pilot with not less than five years' experience as a pilot of civil aircraft, both appointed by the Secretary of State. In addition, four independent members were appointed by the Board itself.

The duties of the Board were to advise the minister responsible for civil aviation on matters pertaining to the airworthiness of civil aircraft, eg the approval of modifications to aircraft, the renewal of certificates of airworthiness, daily inspection certificates, etc.

Following the government's acceptance of the recommendation of the Committee of Inquiry into Civil Air Transport, 1967 to 1969, that a new body should be made responsible for the economic, operational and technical regulation of civil aviation, a new Civil Aviation Authority was created under the Civil Aviation Act 1971 and the work of the Board was incorporated within it.