In the interest of safety, an aircraft must be designed, constructed and operated in compliance with the appropriate
airworthiness requirements of the State of Registry of the aircraft. Consequently, the aircraft is issued with a Certificate
of Airworthiness declaring that the aircraft is fit to fly.
To facilitate the import and export of aircraft, as well as the exchange of aircraft for lease, charter or interchange, and
to facilitate operations of aircraft in international air navigation, Article 33 of the Convention on International Civil
Aviation places the burden on the State of Registry to recognize and render valid an airworthiness certificate issued by
another Contracting State, subject to the condition that the airworthiness requirements under which such a certificate
is issued or rendered valid are equal to or above the minimum standards which may be established by ICAO from time
to time pursuant to the Convention. These minimum standards are contained in Annex 8, the first edition of which was
adopted by the Council on 1 March 1949.