faa-aircraft-registry-mcp-server

faa-aircraft-registry-mcp-server: lookup registration

faa_lookup_registration

Read-onlyIdempotent

Decode one US civil aircraft N-number to its full registration record — aircraft make/model, engine, year manufactured, airworthiness, registration status, Mode S (ICAO 24-bit) code, and registered owner (when owner-PII redaction is off). Accepts "N12345" or "12345" (the leading N is optional). Returns ownerRedacted: true when owner details were withheld. A number that is known but inactive (deregistered or reserved) is not found here — use faa_get_registration_status for its current state.

Input Schema

TableJSON Schema

Name	Required	Description	Default
`nNumber`	Yes	US registration N-number to decode. Accepts "N12345" or "12345" (leading N optional). Shape: 1–5 characters — a leading digit 1–9, then digits, optionally ending in 1–2 letters (I and O are unused).

Output Schema

TableJSON Schema

Name	Required	Description
`make`	No	Aircraft manufacturer name.
`error`	No	Present when the call failed. Absent on success.
`model`	No	Aircraft model name.
`owner`	No	Registrant name/address; present only when redaction is off.
`region`	No	Registrant's FAA region as code + label.
`status`	No	Registration status (e.g. Valid registration) as code + label.
`nNumber`	No	Normalized N-number without the leading "N" (the registry storage form).
`kitModel`	No	Kit model (amateur-built aircraft); often blank.
`uniqueId`	No	FAA unique aircraft identifier.
`engineMake`	No	Engine manufacturer name.
`engineType`	No	Engine type (e.g. Reciprocating, Turbo-fan) as code + label.
`engineModel`	No	Engine model name.
`aircraftType`	No	Aircraft type (e.g. Fixed-wing single-engine) as code + label.
`modeSCodeHex`	No	Mode S code in hex — the ICAO 24-bit address used to key live flight-tracking data.
`serialNumber`	No	Manufacturer serial number.
`certIssueDate`	No	Certificate issue date (YYYY-MM-DD).
`ownerRedacted`	No	True when owner name/address were withheld from this payload by the redaction gate.
`expirationDate`	No	Registration expiration date (YYYY-MM-DD).
`lastActionDate`	No	Date of the last registration action (YYYY-MM-DD).
`modeSCodeOctal`	No	Mode S transponder code in octal.
`nNumberDisplay`	No	N-number in conventional display form, with the leading "N".
`fractionalOwner`	No	True when the aircraft is under fractional ownership.
`kitManufacturer`	No	Kit manufacturer (amateur-built aircraft); often blank.
`yearManufactured`	No	Year the aircraft was manufactured; often blank (permissible field).
`airworthinessDate`	No	Airworthiness certificate date (YYYY-MM-DD).
`airworthinessClass`	No	Airworthiness classification (Standard, Experimental, …) from CERTIFICATION char 1, as code + label.
`approvedOperationsRaw`	No	Raw FAA approved-operations sub-code string; interpretation varies by airworthiness class.
`manufacturerModelCode`	No	7-char manufacturer/model/series code.
`engineManufacturerModelCode`	No	5-char engine manufacturer/model code.

Schema Changelog

Changes observed during successful MCP inspections.

Changed12 schema fields changedAug 25, 2026

changedInput schema / $schema

Previous value: -"http://json-schema.org/draft-07/schema#"New value: +"https://json-schema.org/draft/2020-12/schema"

addedInput schema / additionalProperties
```
Added value: +false
```

changedOutput schema / $schema

Previous value: -"http://json-schema.org/draft-07/schema#"New value: +"https://json-schema.org/draft/2020-12/schema"

addedOutput schema / anyOf

Added value: +[
+  {
+    "not": {
+      "required": [
+        "error"
+      ]
+    },
+    "required": [
+      "nNumber",
+      "nNumberDisplay",
+      "fractionalOwner",
+      "ownerRedacted"
+    ]
+  },
+  {
+    "required": [
+      "error"
+    ]
+  }
+]

changedOutput schema / properties / engineMake / description

Previous value: -"Engine manufacturer name, resolved from the reference table."New value: +"Engine manufacturer name."

changedOutput schema / properties / engineManufacturerModelCode / description

Previous value: -"5-char engine manufacturer/model code (join key into the engine reference table)."New value: +"5-char engine manufacturer/model code."

changedOutput schema / properties / engineModel / description

Previous value: -"Engine model name, resolved from the reference table."New value: +"Engine model name."

addedOutput schema / properties / error

Added value: +{
+  "additionalProperties": {},
+  "description": "Present when the call failed. Absent on success.",
+  "properties": {
+    "code": {
+      "description": "JSON-RPC error code for this failure.",
+      "maximum": 9007199254740991,
+      "minimum": -9007199254740991,
+      "type": "integer"
+    },
+    "data": {
+      "additionalProperties": {},
+      "properties": {
+        "reason": {
+          "description": "Machine-readable failure mode. Declared by this tool: `not_found`: The N-number is well-formed but has no active registration. `invalid_n_number`: The input is not a structurally valid N-number (after the optional leading \"N\": 1–5 characters, a leading digit 1–9, then digits, optionally 1–2 trailing letters; I and O are unused). Other values are possible when a failure originates below the handler.",
+          "examples": [
+            "not_found",
+            "invalid_n_number"
+          ],
+          "type": "string"
+        },
+        "recovery": {
+          "additionalProperties": {},
+          "description": "Actionable next step for the caller.",
+          "properties": {
+            "hint": {
+              "type": "string"
+            }
+          },
+          "required": [
+            "hint"
+          ],
+          "type": "object"
+        },
+        "retryable": {
+          "description": "Whether retrying may succeed.",
+          "type": "boolean"
+        }
+      },
+      "type": "object"
+    },
+    "message": {
+      "description": "Human-readable description of what went wrong.",
+      "type": "string"
+    }
+  },
+  "required": [
+    "code",
+    "message"
+  ],
+  "type": "object"
+}

changedOutput schema / properties / make / description

Previous value: -"Aircraft manufacturer name, resolved from the reference table."New value: +"Aircraft manufacturer name."

changedOutput schema / properties / manufacturerModelCode / description

Previous value: -"7-char manufacturer/model/series code (join key into the aircraft reference table)."New value: +"7-char manufacturer/model/series code."

changedOutput schema / properties / model / description

Previous value: -"Aircraft model name, resolved from the reference table."New value: +"Aircraft model name."

removedOutput schema / required

Removed value: -[
-  "nNumber",
-  "nNumberDisplay",
-  "fractionalOwner",
-  "ownerRedacted"
-]

Changed1 schema field changedJul 16, 2026

changedInput schema / properties / nNumber / description

Previous value: -"US registration N-number to decode. Accepts \"N12345\" or \"12345\"; the leading N is optional."New value: +"US registration N-number to decode. Accepts \"N12345\" or \"12345\" (leading N optional). Shape: 1–5 characters — a leading digit 1–9, then digits, optionally ending in 1–2 letters (I and O are unused)."

First observedJun 16, 2026

TDQS

A4.4/5.0

Behavior4/5

Does the description disclose side effects, auth requirements, rate limits, or destructive behavior?

Annotations already declare readOnlyHint=true and idempotentHint=true. The description adds owner redaction behavior (ownerRedacted flag) and the limitation that inactive numbers are not found, which are not covered by annotations. It does not contradict annotations; it enriches the safety and outcome picture beyond the structured hints.

Agents need to know what a tool does to the world before calling it. Descriptions should go beyond structured annotations to explain consequences.

Conciseness4/5

Is the description appropriately sized, front-loaded, and free of redundancy?

Two sentences, each earning its place: the first states the primary function and output fields; the second covers input nuance and the alternative tool. It is slightly dense but well-organized and not bloated. The key action is front-loaded.

Shorter descriptions cost fewer tokens and are easier for agents to parse. Every sentence should earn its place.

Completeness5/5

Given the tool's complexity, does the description cover enough for an agent to succeed on first attempt?

Given a single parameter, an existing output schema, and read-only/idempotent annotations, the description covers the output fields, owner redaction, input variations, and the limitation of inactive numbers with a pointer to the correct sibling. Nothing essential is missing for an agent to invoke it correctly.

Complex tools with many parameters or behaviors need more documentation. Simple tools need less. This dimension scales expectations accordingly.

Parameters3/5

Does the description clarify parameter syntax, constraints, interactions, or defaults beyond what the schema provides?

Schema description coverage is 100% and includes the same guidance about the optional leading N and accepted formats. The description repeats this rather than adding new parameter-specific meaning (e.g., examples or edge cases). Baseline 3 is appropriate when the schema already documents the parameter thoroughly.

Input schemas describe structure but not intent. Descriptions should explain non-obvious parameter relationships and valid value ranges.

Purpose5/5

Does the description clearly state what the tool does and how it differs from similar tools?

The description clearly states the verb 'Decode' with the resource 'US civil aircraft N-number' and enumerates the returned fields (make/model, engine, airworthiness, status, Mode S, owner). It explicitly differentiates from sibling faa_get_registration_status by noting that inactive numbers are not found here. This is specific and not a tautology.

Agents choose between tools based on descriptions. A clear purpose with a specific verb and resource helps agents select the right tool.

Usage Guidelines5/5

Does the description explain when to use this tool, when not to, or what alternatives exist?

The description explicitly names faa_get_registration_status as the alternative for inactive numbers, providing a clear when-not-to-use condition. It also clarifies the optional leading N in the input format, which guides correct invocation. This is direct and leaves little to inference.

Agents often have multiple tools that could apply. Explicit usage guidance like "use X instead of Y when Z" prevents misuse.

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