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flightaware-mcp

by chrischall
OverviewSchemaSourceRelated ServersDiscussionsAdmin
TypeScript
Remote

fa_get_flight_history

Read-only

Fetch historical flight records for a designator, registration, or fa_flight_id beyond the recent window. Use to fill gaps when recent data is incomplete; requires Standard or Premium AeroAPI tier.

Instructions

Get historical flights for an ident (designator, registration, or fa_flight_id) beyond the recent window covered by fa_get_flights. NOTE: historical data requires a Standard or Premium AeroAPI tier — the free Personal tier returns 401.

Input Schema

NameRequiredDescriptionDefault
endNoISO-8601 end of the time window
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.
identYesFlight designator, registration, or fa_flight_id
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.
ident_typeNoDisambiguate how `ident` is interpreted

Schema Changelog

Changes observed during successful MCP inspections.

  1. Changed2 schema fields 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)"
    • changedInput schema / properties / ident / pattern
      Previous value: -"^[A-Za-z0-9.-]+$"New value: +"^[A-Za-z0-9][A-Za-z0-9.-]*$"
  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

A4.4/5.0
Behavior4/5

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

Annotations already cover the safety profile (readOnlyHint=true, openWorldHint=true), so the description's job is to add auth/operational context — which it does with the tier requirement and the 401 outcome. It adds no further detail on pagination cost or response shape beyond what the schema carries, so it falls short of 5.

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?

Two sentences, zero filler, with the scope boundary front-loaded before the tier caveat. Every clause carries actionable information.

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

Completeness4/5

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

For a 7-parameter read tool with full schema coverage, no output schema, and minimal annotations, the description supplies the crucial routing and auth context. It is nearly complete, though it could say more about expected result volume/ordering when paging through history.

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%, so the baseline is 3. The description restates that 'ident' accepts designator/registration/fa_flight_id, which the schema already documents, and adds no guidance on start/end window semantics, view, or paging beyond the schema text.

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?

States a specific verb and resource ('Get historical flights for an ident') plus the scope boundary ('beyond the recent window'), and explicitly names the sibling fa_get_flights as the recent-window counterpart. An agent can distinguish it from fa_get_flights without opening either schema.

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?

Routes the agent explicitly: use this for history beyond the recent window, use fa_get_flights for the recent window. It also states a hard prerequisite (Standard/Premium AeroAPI tier; free Personal tier returns 401), which is the kind of when-not guidance that prevents failed calls.

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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