General Information - FAA Aircraft Registration System (GQ/GR)

Aircraft Registration Query (GQ/GR)

The Aircraft Registration Query is an inquiry capability that provides information to Nlets users about commercial aircraft, private aircraft, and drones that have been registered with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

Nlets hosts a local version of the FAA Releasable Aircraft Database that it will use to run the query.

The database will be updated one every 24 hours (excluding weekends and holidays).

An agency may request an aircraft registration by sending an inquiry message (GQ) to Nlets. Information may be requested by three different identifiers: Registration Number (Tail #), Serial Number (or VIN) or Name of Registrant.

Aircraft Registration System Query / Registration Response (GQ/GR)

This section provides an overview and details regarding the Aircraft Registration Query (GQ) by Registration Number (Tail Number) or Serial Number or Name of Registrant, and the corresponding Aircraft Registration Response (GR).

Aircraft Registration Query Requirements

All GQ inquiries must conform to formats specified in this section.

Note: A single 2-character address, "FA", is used for all aircraft registration inquiries (GQ).

The attention field (ATN) must be included in all Aircraft Tracking Inquiries (GQs).

Query Notes

Queries may generate hit lists of up to 10 matches.
Names are queried using Last, First, and Middle Initial; while business names are queried with spaces between each name.
All name queries are soundexed with the exact matches being at the top of the hit list on multiple hits.

Aircraft Registration Field Requirements (GQ)

The table that follows describes requirements for Aircraft Registration Queries (GQ).

A GQ inquiry uses the following data elements: (REG, SER or NAM is specified, but not more than one may be used per inquiry.)

XML Tag: Legacy Prefix: Field Size: Data Requirements: Translation:

<n2:ResponseAttentionDescriptionText>

ATN/ Max.
30 See NCIC Manual.

Attention field,
includes name of
individual making the
inquiry.

<nc:Aircraft>
  <nc:AircraftTailID>

REG/ 6 Alphanumeric

Registration number,
may be referred to as
tail number.

<nc:Aircraft>
  <nc:ItemSerialIdentification>
    <nc:IdentificationID>

SER/ Max.
16 Alphanumeric

Serial Number

<nc:Aircraft>
  <nc:ItemOwner>
    <nc:EntityPerson>
      <nc:PersonName>
        <nc:PersonFullName>

NAM/(Name) Max.
40 Alpha Characters

Name of registrant;
format in LAST,
FIRST, MI, or for

<nc:Aircraft>
  <nc:ItemOwner>
    <nc:EntityOrganization>
      <nc:OrganizationName>

NAM/(Organization) Max.
40 Alpha Characters

Name of business;
business, name of
business with spaces
between names.

<n2:AircraftSightedIndicator>

SIT/ Max.
5 Alpha Characters

True or False
(Optional)

<n2:AircraftSightedDate>

DOS/ Max.
8 or 10 ccyy-mm-dd

Date (Optional)