One of the main questions people ask us about the airplane database is: why? Why does the FAA maintain this database? Is it really necessary? After all, for all of the comparisons, planes aren’t really that much like cars. The odds of someone breaking into your car and stealing it, thus necessitating it being tracked, are quite a bit higher than someone breaking into your airplane and stealing that. Just what is the purpose of this database? The database actually has quite a number of uses, for all different kinds of people.
Airplane Database for Research
One of the most common and important ways that the database helps pilots and aircraft owners are for research. The FAA database will tell a prospective buyer the truth about an aircraft. It will let them know definitively facts about the aircraft. We’d all like to think that someone selling their aircraft would tell the truth to prospective buyers, but we know that’s not the case. Instead, this database has unimpeachable records which are completely correct. That way, prospective buyers can have as much verified information as possible before making a purchase.
Reviewing Liens
Many of us who have spent quite a bit of our lives around an aircraft can tell you quite a bit about them from looking at them. We can tell you the age of an aircraft, we can tell you about the wear on the tires and the wings. Depending on what we know of their history, we can maybe tell you something about how all of that came to pass. However, no one’s ever been able to look at an airplane and determine whether or not it has a lien on it. You just can’t tell by the visuals. Hence, the database. The database can tell you the truth about any liens that an aircraft could have against it, which could complicate a potential sale (to say the least).
Security and Safety
Not everyone that uses this database does so because they’re considering purchasing an aircraft. Quite often, law enforcement officials will use this database, too. It allows them to track and find people and aircraft, too. If you’ve ever watched episodes of a detective series on television, for example, then you’ve probably seen a dramatization of this exact process. This kind of information helps to keep law-abiding plane owners that much safer.
Secure with your Info
The FAA database and the people behind it do what’s possible to be sensitive with your information. For example, should your Social Security Number or some other form of sensitive personally identifiable information be on there, you can ask for them to have it removed. We don’t do that, as we’re not the FAA but rather a party that helps with all different kinds of airplane database documentation. We understand that this can be a little confusing, which is why we’re always here to help. If you have more questions, call the National Aviation Center at (800) 357-0893.