The whole point of maintaining a database is to provide easy access to the information collected in it, right? This is why the Federal Aviation Administration maintains an aircraft database that anyone can look into with the right information at hand. Here’s how to do that.
Aircraft Database
Every aircraft owned by a United States citizen, corporation, or permanent resident will have to be registered with the Federal Aviation Administration. This is done for a variety of reasons, primarily to make sure the people flying through the American airspace are accounted for according to the right guidelines and regulations outlined by aviation laws and codes. However, this database is not a private registry. In fact, it can be easily accessed by the public. Anyone who needs to look up a specific aircraft and its related data can look it up using different pieces of data they already know. This is particularly useful for aircraft owners who are looking to check on some aspect of their registration status. There are different ways to make use of the aircraft database, so let’s look at two in particular.
N-Number Database
The first, most obvious way to look up information related to an aircraft will be to use the registration number, also known as the N-number. This is the number given to your aircraft once you’ve registered it for the first time. An N-number will always begin with an N and a run of one or more numeric digits, ending with one or two alphabetic letters. In total, there should be five characters. The N-number is the one that will have to be painted in big letters on the surface of the aircraft, so it’s always easy to remember which one it is by simply taking a look at the airplane itself. If you want to look up information about the aircraft, all you need to do is submit an N-number inquiry through the FAA registry.
Serial Number
The serial number of an aircraft, on the other hand, will not be given to you by the Federal Aviation Administration. This will come directly from the manufacturer, differentiating this specific aircraft from the others in its make and its model. When registering your aircraft with the FAA, this is one of the key pieces of information that you need to submit to them as part of the registration form, meaning that the serial number is subsequently tied to the N-number and the general registration. This is why should you have the serial number of the aircraft, you can submit a serial number inquiry to the FAA aircraft database. This will give you access to the public information attached to the aircraft in question.
FAA Registration
Here, we’ve let you know how to consult the Federal Aviation Administration’s aircraft database, but what if you need to register your aircraft in the first place? Well, it’s never been easier. Here at the National Aviation Center, you can access all the necessary forms to register your aircraft. Should you need some additional help with your registration or any of the others, don’t hesitate to use our website chat, fill out our contact form, or give us a call at 1-800-357-0893 and we’ll answer your questions in no time.