Borrowed N Number

How often do you see someone using your N number on flightaware?

Is this some thing to be concerned about?

I fully understand that it can happen as a typo but just looking to see how often it happens to you.

never, somethings not right. do you think that is normal?

I agree with Turbo...never. Something's not right. I have noticed old "N-numbers" appearing. This is when the number has been re-assigned and the "new" aircraft has not yet flown in the "system." When I checked the date of the "old" flight, it was sometimes as old as 11 years.

Someone on this forum flies an RV-7, but apparently in September of 2000, he was flying a PC-12 with the same N-number.


P.S In light of Randy's and John's posts below, I see how it could happen. So even though I have never had their experiences, I see how it could happen.

I've used my airplane N-number on occasion for a preflight-briefing for our hot air balloon (because I can never remember the balloon N-number since it only flies a couple times a year) but I've never seen someone use another aircrafts N-number for ATC communications. I would call that a form of identity theft and report it - they will come back on you for any shenanigans that occur.

Do people just 'watch' Flightaware, like television??

air balloon?

Greg, you have an air balloon? wow, that is pretty cool.
As for the flight watch, I agree with the other posters - nobody should be using your number to report flights for following. I would contact the web site and see what is going on. It could be a simple typing error, but might as well check into it.

FlightAware like Television...Sort of !

caryr said:

Do people just 'watch' Flightaware, like television??

Click to expand...

If you have a particular airplane you're interested in, like a plane you once owned, or one that belongs to a friend, or even your own airplane, FlightAware can be configured to send you an email when that N-Number files a flight plan, departs the originating airport and then arrives at destination.

I think that feature is only available for "members;" I also think membership is still free.

Use of FlightAware is how some newspaper reporter discovered that a certain Auburn University Board Member's airplane was being flown to Louisville Kentucky and back one evening at the end of a particular football season. It didn't take a rocket scientist to assume Auburn was trying to recruit a new football coach who just happened to be the former Defensive Coordinator at Auburn. (Of course, now we know he is a terrible motorcycle driver even though his 2011 team went 11-2 in the SEC. )

Yep, I've seen it.

Our corporate King Air number would occasionally show up as a Cherokee in west Texas.

A few months ago I received a phone call about the aircraft leaving without paying it's "avgas" bill. I replied, "100 octane". They said yes. I explained that I sometimes see our N-number being used by another aircraft in Texas and if they looked at our registration it would show a King Air which doesn't use avgas.

I haven't seen it on the tracker lately.

I have had my N number come up on Flight Aware a couple of times. Twice it was a C-206 which had the same last three numbers/letter as my whole N number (18U). By looking at the route, it was clearly a "pop up" IFR clearance and the controller probably just used the last 3 of the Cessna's N number. No harm no foul.

John Clark ATP, CFI
FAAST Team Representative
EAA Flight Advisor
RV8 N18U "Sunshine"
KSBA