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flights

by io.github.pipeworx-io

Get Flights In Area

get_flights_in_area
Read-onlyIdempotent

Find aircraft currently airborne in a geographic area, by bounding box. LIVE ADS-B data, no key required. Returns per aircraft: ICAO24 hex, callsign, registration (tail number), aircraft type, position, altitude, ground speed, heading, vertical rate, squawk, and any emergency code. Use for "what planes are over right now", "aircraft near ", "is anything squawking 7700 near X". For one known aircraft use get_aircraft; for what route a callsign flies use get_flight_route.

Input Schema

TableJSON Schema
NameRequiredDescriptionDefault
lamaxYesMaximum (north) latitude of the bounding box, degrees
laminYesMinimum (south) latitude of the bounding box, degrees
limitNoMax aircraft to return (1-500, default 200), nearest the box centre first.
lomaxYesMaximum (east) longitude of the bounding box, degrees
lominYesMinimum (west) longitude of the bounding box, degrees

Output Schema

TableJSON Schema
NameRequiredDescriptionDefault
countYesNumber of aircraft found in the bounding box
aircraftYes

Schema Changelog

Changes observed during successful MCP inspections. Dates show when Glama detected each change.

  1. Changed5 schema fields changed
    • changedInput schema / properties / lamax / description
      Previous value: -"Maximum latitude of the bounding box (degrees)"New value: +"Maximum (north) latitude of the bounding box, degrees"
    • changedInput schema / properties / lamin / description
      Previous value: -"Minimum latitude of the bounding box (degrees)"New value: +"Minimum (south) latitude of the bounding box, degrees"
    • addedInput schema / properties / limit
      Added value: +{
+  "description": "Max aircraft to return (1-500, default 200), nearest the box centre first.",
+  "type": "number"
+}
    • changedInput schema / properties / lomax / description
      Previous value: -"Maximum longitude of the bounding box (degrees)"New value: +"Maximum (east) longitude of the bounding box, degrees"
    • changedInput schema / properties / lomin / description
      Previous value: -"Minimum longitude of the bounding box (degrees)"New value: +"Minimum (west) longitude of the bounding box, degrees"
  2. Changed1 schema field changed
    • changedOutput schema / (root)
      Previous value: -nullNew value: +{
+  "properties": {
+    "aircraft": {
+      "items": {
+        "properties": {
+          "altitude": {
+            "description": "Barometric altitude in meters",
+            "type": [
+              "number",
+              "null"
+            ]
+          },
+          "callsign": {
+            "description": "Aircraft callsign (trimmed)",
+            "type": [
+              "string",
+              "null"
+            ]
+          },
+          "heading": {
+            "description": "True track heading in degrees",
+            "type": [
+              "number",
+              "null"
+            ]
+          },
+          "icao24": {
+            "description": "ICAO24 transponder address",
+            "type": "string"
+          },
+          "latitude": {
+            "description": "Current latitude in degrees",
+            "type": [
+              "number",
+              "null"
+            ]
+          },
+          "longitude": {
+            "description": "Current longitude in degrees",
+            "type": [
+              "number",
+              "null"
+            ]
+          },
+          "on_ground": {
+            "description": "Whether aircraft is on ground",
+            "type": "boolean"
+          },
+          "origin_country": {
+            "description": "Country of origin",
+            "type": "string"
+          },
+          "velocity": {
+            "description": "Velocity in meters per second",
+            "type": [
+              "number",
+              "null"
+            ]
+          }
+        },
+        "required": [
+          "icao24",
+          "callsign",
+          "origin_country",
+          "longitude",
+          "latitude",
+          "altitude",
+          "velocity",
+          "heading",
+          "on_ground"
+        ],
+        "type": "object"
+      },
+      "type": "array"
+    },
+    "count": {
+      "description": "Number of aircraft found in the bounding box",
+      "type": "number"
+    }
+  },
+  "required": [
+    "count",
+    "aircraft"
+  ],
+  "type": "object"
+}
  3. Changed1 schema field changed
    • addedInput schema / examples
      Added value: +[
+  {
+    "lamax": 40.8,
+    "lamin": 40.6,
+    "lomax": -73.8,
+    "lomin": -74
+  },
+  {
+    "lamax": 51.6,
+    "lamin": 51.4,
+    "lomax": -0.2,
+    "lomin": -0.5
+  }
+]
  4. First observed

TDQS

A4.5/5.0
Behavior4/5

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

Annotations already declare readOnlyHint, openWorldHint, idempotentHint, and destructiveHint. The description adds context beyond annotations: data is 'LIVE ADS-B', 'no key required', and it lists the exact return fields including emergency code. This provides useful operational context not present in the annotations, though it doesn't mention potential delays or limits beyond the schema's limit parameter.

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

Conciseness5/5

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

Every sentence earns its place: purpose, data source, return fields, use cases, and sibling alternatives. It is slightly long but front-loaded and free of filler, making it efficient and well-structured.

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 the tool complexity (5 params), rich annotations, and presence of an output schema, the description covers all necessary context: what it does, when to use it, what it returns, and how it differs from siblings. No critical information is missing.

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 coverage is 100%, so the description does not need to document parameters. The description only mentions 'bounding box' conceptually and does not add extra meaning beyond the schema's already-complete property descriptions. Baseline 3 is appropriate.

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 uses a specific verb ('Find'), names the resource ('aircraft currently airborne in a geographic area'), and specifies the method ('by bounding box'). It also distinguishes itself from siblings by naming get_aircraft and get_flight_route as alternatives for different use cases.

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?

Provides explicit use cases ('what planes are over <place> right now', 'aircraft near <airport>', 'is anything squawking 7700 near X') and explicitly names alternatives ('For one known aircraft use get_aircraft; for what route a callsign flies use get_flight_route'). This gives clear when-to-use and when-not-to-use guidance.

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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TDQS

A3.6/5.0
Disambiguation2/5

Several tools have heavily overlapping purposes: ask_pipeworx and ask_pipeworx_beta are explicitly identical, ask_pipeworx_grounded and deep_research blur the query/research boundary, and the polymarket_* family plus bet_research all target prediction-market analysis. An agent would frequently struggle to pick the correct tool among these near-duplicates.

Naming Consistency3/5

All names are snake_case, but the verb/noun style is inconsistent: get_* for flight lookups, ask_* for queries, noun-style names like entity_profile and bet_research, and the polymarket_* prefix group. Some subgroups are internally consistent, but there is no single predictable pattern across the set.

Tool Count2/5

36 tools is far too many for a server named 'flights' — only 5 tools actually relate to aviation, while the rest span prediction markets, SEC/FDA data, npm packages, memory, and feedback. Even viewed as a general data platform, the count is heavy and the scope is unfocused.

Completeness2/5

For a flights server, the surface is severely incomplete: no scheduled flight status, delays, cancellations, or airport schedules — only live ADS-B snapshots. For the broader data-research domain the tools imply, coverage is better but still scattered, with no coherent lifecycle and several one-off utilities that don't connect to the rest.

Resources