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flightaware-mcp

by chrischall
OverviewSchemaSourceRelated ServersDiscussionsAdmin
TypeScript
Remote

fa_get_airport_flights

Read-only

Retrieve an airport flight board for all flights or filter by arrivals, departures, or scheduled boards. Use airport code and optional time window to track live airport traffic.

Instructions

Get a flight board for an airport: all flights, or just arrivals/departures/scheduled_arrivals/scheduled_departures.

Input Schema

NameRequiredDescriptionDefault
idYesAirport code (ICAO/IATA/LID)
endNoISO-8601 end of the time window
typeNoRestrict to airline or GA traffic
viewNoResponse shape: "compact" (default) drops fields the response already carries elsewhere; "full" returns every field this server understands. compact strips image/avatar URLs from the response; "full" returns FlightAware's payload untouched. No field projection: this server has no verified record of which FlightAware fields matter, and inventing one would risk dropping a field a caller needs.
boardNoWhich board to fetch (default: all)all
startNoISO-8601 start of the time window
cursorNoPaging cursor: the cursor query parameter of a previous response's links.next (passing the whole links.next value also works)
max_pagesNoMax pages to fetch, 1-20 (AeroAPI default: 1). Capped at 20 since AeroAPI bills per page.

Schema Changelog

Changes observed during successful MCP inspections.

  1. Changed1 schema field changedv1.3.2
    • changedInput schema / properties / cursor / description
      Previous value: -"Opaque paging cursor from a previous response's links.next"New value: +"Paging cursor: the cursor query parameter of a previous response's links.next (passing the whole links.next value also works)"
  2. Changed1 schema field changedv1.0.0
    • changedInput schema / $schema
      Previous value: -"http://json-schema.org/draft-07/schema#"New value: +"https://json-schema.org/draft/2020-12/schema"
  3. Changed1 schema field changedv0.5.2
    • addedInput schema / properties / view
      Added value: +{
+  "description": "Response shape: \"compact\" (default) drops fields the response already carries elsewhere; \"full\" returns every field this server understands. compact strips image/avatar URLs from the response; \"full\" returns FlightAware's payload untouched. No field projection: this server has no verified record of which FlightAware fields matter, and inventing one would risk dropping a field a caller needs.",
+  "enum": [
+    "compact",
+    "full"
+  ],
+  "type": "string"
+}
  4. Changed2 schema fields changedv0.3.2
    • changedInput schema / properties / max_pages / description
      Previous value: -"Max pages to fetch (AeroAPI default: 1)"New value: +"Max pages to fetch, 1-20 (AeroAPI default: 1). Capped at 20 since AeroAPI bills per page."
    • changedInput schema / properties / max_pages / maximum
      Previous value: -9007199254740991New value: +20
  5. First observedv0.1.0

TDQS

A3.5/5.0
Behavior3/5

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

Annotations declare readOnlyHint and openWorldHint, so the safety profile is already covered. The description adds nothing about pagination behavior or billing, even though the schema's max_pages field mentions per-page billing — that context lives in the schema, not the description.

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?

A single compact sentence that front-loads the verb and resource and lists the variants. Nothing wasted.

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

Completeness3/5

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

Adequate for a read-only list tool whose annotations carry the safety profile and whose schema documents all 8 parameters. It is missing usage routing versus the many flight-search siblings and any note on pagination cost, which a caller of a paged, billed endpoint would want.

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%, with each parameter documented including enums, defaults, and the cursor format. The description repeats the board enum but adds no syntax or format detail the schema does not already provide, so baseline 3 applies.

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

Purpose4/5

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

States a clear verb+resource: 'Get a flight board for an airport', and enumerates the board views. It is distinguishable from sibling fa_get_scheduled_flights and fa_search_flights by the airport-board framing, though it does not explicitly name those alternatives.

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

Usage Guidelines3/5

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

The description enumerates the board variants, which implies when to use each, but it never states when to use this tool over fa_get_scheduled_flights or fa_search_flights, nor any prerequisite about an airport id being required.

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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