Get quarterly updates on Aircraft Registry data

Investigative Reporters and Editors, Inc. The IRE Journal, Sep/Oct 2000

The Aircraft Registry Database, which is maintained by the Federal Aviation Administration's Civil Aviation Registry, includes information on more than 320,000 registered aircraft in the United States as of June 2000.

This dataset also includes two separate databases: A listing of all aircraft dealers and a listing of all individuals/entities requesting particular N-numbers.

The registry data is extremely useful when a plane crashes (if you have the plane's tail number), because you can find the name and address of the plane's owner and its serial number. That number is then helpful in searching other aviation data, such as the FAA Service Difficulty Reports, for further information on that particular plane.

NICAR will be updating this data every three months. You can arrange to receive each of the four annual updates on a subscription basis or make a one-time purchase. Cost for a one-time purchase is $20 for stations in the 50-200 market or circulation below 50,000; $30 for 25-50 market or circulation 50,000 to 100,000; and $40 for top 25 market or circulation above 100,000. The subscription prices are $60, $70 and $80.

More information about this and other aviation data available from NICAR can be accessed at www.ire.org/datalibrary/databases.