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N Number Choice?

BTW FAA now aggressively purges N-Reg airplanes not renewed since 2010. You can lose your N-number even after it's painted on your plane.

And you can get it back, if you respond to the FAA:

After the registration expiration date the Registry will send a notice to the owner to tell them when the N-number assignment is scheduled for cancellation. If the owner wishes to keep the N-number they must, before the cancelation takes place, send a request to the Registry asking that the aircraft's registration be cancelled and the N-number be reserved in the owner's name, accompanied by the $10.00 N-number reservation fee. If the N-number is canceled without being reserved, it will not be available for re-assignment or reservation for the next five years.

Not sure what the big deal is here...the FAA will send notices 6 months and 2 months before it expires, and one after it does with info on how to reinstate it, then if it isn't renewed/reinstated they wait *five years* before it becomes available again.

Sounds to me like they're bending over backward to give owners the opportunity to renew their N-number before it goes back in the pool.
 
N743WW

Homage to my Dad who was a wood boat builder and gave me the darn building bug. His initials were WWW and he was an air attack boss with the Forest Service in the 60' & 70's. His callsign was Whiskey 3.

My first kit was an RV-7.
So, its a "7 for Whiskey 3".

Had to flip the letters to the end.
And single Whiskey was taken, so used WW.
Turned out good since I can easily pick out calls on the radio.
 
Quite a rant. Unfortunately, this isn't true. If an N-number is not renewed, it's not even available for *5 years*.
You are making a strawman argument about the 5 yr wait before N number is available. True after an aircraft registration is canceled it takes 5 yrs to be available. I never said otherwise. Thus you are arguing about a non issue as if I said something wrong. In 2000 many N-numbers were on abandoned planes, destroyed planes and by 2005 N-numbers were available after FAA canceled them (after notifying owners 3 times). My N-number came from one of those planes that was canceled and available in 2005. I got it in 2011. What I am talking about, FAA made a lot of new n-numbers available. When I got this N-number it was still not showing as available end of 2011, 6 years after canceled. I called and they said they would check. Two weeks later it was mine. So if you see the N-number on a canceled plane but not on "available" n-numbers call. It is 2022 so you can look up these planes. See when the 5 yrs is up. So 2017 canceled registrations are available. Not sure they fixed the bug I saw late 2011, not showing canceled N-numbers after 5 yrs as available in their search engine. I am glad I called. It was not shown as avaiable, but assigned to another plane as canceled.

A reserved number is "purged" soon after it expires or may be 90 days. I forgot. But that is what I am talking about. You made a strawman argument. Sorry.

I hate the guy who snaps up all the desireable N-numbers and resells them at exorbitant rates, too, but let's at least stick to facts here.

Oh, and it's "beaucoup", not "bookoo". From the French.
Oh my gosh that is so pedantic of you. You got me. I'm part French, ancestors French speakers from Canada who moved to Louisiana, Cajuns, also known as Louisiana Acadians. As an USAF dependent I lived in France at a young age and can get speak conversational French. I grew up in a USA city full of French references on signs, and phrases in daily conversation. Bookoo is SLANG and what Americans write. If I wrote "beaucoup" English speakers would pronounce it how? Who cares but phonetically BooKoo is correct. You knew what I was saying. "Beaucoup" one of my Mothers favorite word who spoke French Thank you for taking me down memory lane.

PS I hate it when people spell desirable wrong, "desireable". Really and you are correcting my slang French phonetic spelling? Use of the word hate is kind of strong and should be avoided my friend. Stick to facts and don't hate. :D
 
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It wasn't a strawman based on what you said:

FAA now aggressively purges N-Reg airplanes not renewed since 2010. You can lose your N-number even after it's painted on your plane.

I was pointing out that AIRPLANES with N-number have plenty of opportunity to renew the REGISTRATION, even after it expires (every 3 years), which is what you referenced in your post. If you're talking about N-number RESERVATIONS, that's different than what you wrote. A *reservation* is not the same as a *registration*.

And look, I agree...the greedy b*st*rd snapping up all the desireable N-numbers available for reservation and then reselling them pisses me off. You can't do that with automobile plates...one car, one plate, and only after you actually have a car on which to put it. I think the solution of making N-numbers non-transferable would solve it. But the FAA isn't going to do that; this little issue isn't even on their radar.

And I was making an attempt at humor in the language bit..."From the French" is a line from Biloxi Blues. :) Didn't intend to appear pedantic, my apologies if it came across wrong. Je suis désolé. :)
 
I think the solution of making N-numbers non-transferable would solve it. But the FAA isn't going to do that; this little issue isn't even on their radar.
Yes reserved N-numbers should be non transferrable. Agree. Agree FAA does not care. They are understaffed and working from home in slippers. It took me 8 days to get a return call from them end of 2021. Cheers
 
I played around with numbers until I found one that was easy for me to say and hear/recognize. I wanted 6PK but most of the 3 digit #s are taken. I’m satisfied with what I ended up with: 776PK
 
Four and a half months for me over the past winter for an N-Number reservation for our motor glider project. However….you could have gamed the system (if you’re not TOO picky) by simply sending in the registration paperwork, on which you can put in for a first, second, or third choice for an N number. Initial registrations are given priority in OKC, and currently seem to take about ten days.

I didn’t find that out until I had already put in my custom N-number request, and then I wondered if my two requests would collide if I tried the registration with that same number requested…..

Do you know what will happened if I submit an official registration form with a N-number that I thought was available at the time but it became a conflict when the FAA reviewed it, will the FAA return the form or give me a random N-number?

I am afraid of getting a random number by default if there is a conflict undesirable. I reserved my N-number for almost 5 months and I haven't received confirmation yet.

Thanks.
 
Do you know what will happened if I submit an official registration form with a N-number that I thought was available at the time but it became a conflict when the FAA reviewed it, will the FAA return the form or give me a random N-number?

I am afraid of getting a random number by default if there is a conflict undesirable. I reserved my N-number for almost 5 months and I haven't received confirmation yet.

Thanks.
FAA is backed up. They all are working from home and the already terrible efficiency has gone from bad to ridiculous. If you are ready to register call them in Oklahoma; talk to them. That has worked for me. Good luck.
 
FAA is backed up. They all are working from home and the already terrible efficiency has gone from bad to ridiculous. If you are ready to register call them in Oklahoma; talk to them. That has worked for me. Good luck.

I called the FAA aircraft registration office today. If you have a reserved N-number and haven't received the confirmation yet, you can submit your aircraft registration form with the same N-number and the FAA will issue the registration with the N-number you requested. However, if you reserved the N-number under your name but your registration is under a trust or a corporation, then there could be an issue. In that case, you should call the FAA first.
 
Giving up N number

I have reserved several N numbers, and have been renewing them every year for $10.
How do I give up the N numbers I am not going to use?

How do I change the address on the ones I am still keeping?

Thanks
 
I have reserved several N numbers, and have been renewing them every year for $10.
How do I give up the N numbers I am not going to use?

How do I change the address on the ones I am still keeping?

Thanks
Let it expire don't renew. Don't pay $10. It will become available to others.

Send a letter to FAA Oklahoma and tell them of address change request. I know that sounds old fashion bit what they told me to do a few years ago when I called them. No over phone, no on-line at the time I did it a few yrs ago. . You have to Sign your lettet and scanned photo ID image. After a few weeks I checked and it was updated.

If in doubt call them. Look up their address and phone on line.
 
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I have reserved several N numbers, and have been renewing them every year for $10.
How do I give up the N numbers I am not going to use?

How do I change the address on the ones I am still keeping?

Thanks

If you want to give it to a specific person:
"If the number change involves a Special Number reserved to one party and the aircraft is registered to a different party, then the request for the N-Number change must be accompanied by a letter from the person or party that has reserved the special number releasing it to the requesting party. The letter should describe the aircraft as outlined above and give the name of the aircraft owner to whom the special number is being released. The releasing party should sign their name in ink, show their title if appropriate and include the typed or printed name of the signer with their signature. Be sure to include the $20.00 fee ($10.00 for reservation to the new party and $10.00 for the number change)."

https://www.faa.gov/licenses_certificates/aircraft_certification/aircraft_registry/special_nnumbers

If you want to release them back into the wild, just stop paying for them.
 
N38PV Is Registered

I called the FAA aircraft registration office today. If you have a reserved N-number and haven't received the confirmation yet, you can submit your aircraft registration form with the same N-number and the FAA will issue the registration with the N-number you requested. However, if you reserved the N-number under your name but your registration is under a trust or a corporation, then there could be an issue. In that case, you should call the FAA first.

After about 2 weeks since I submitted the registration paperwork, I found out that my N-number shows up on the FAA database. I haven't received the official FAA letter yet but N38PV is assigned, and it shows up on flightaware.com too. :)
 
I changed the N number on my Warrior in 1983. At that time, you could chose three numbers in the order of preference...... nothing new.

Syllables are the enemy....

N970RJ = 12 syllables (excluding the N).
N356MG = 5 syllables (excluding the N).

There are only six single syllable numbers available. And only 2 letters that are single syllable.

Make your N number as simple, or as complicated as you want. Less communication confusion = happier flight....
Same here. I changed my registration category a few years ago and went through the CASA List of Available Marks to find one I'd like. Didn't see any that really stood out so I picked the easiest one to say on the radio. Fewer syllables and the pronunciation kind of flows together nicely.

Incidentally - if you're in Oz right now, you have the choice of precisely 29 VH- marks available to choose from. That's right - we have less than 30 available rego marks for aircraft! :eek:
 
I guess just to keep the thread alive and not get too stale. My new to me plane will have N52VM. I had it on my RV8 and when I sold it the buyer signed a letter requesting it to be released to me specifically so I could reserve it. Took $20 for everything.

Oh, and 52VM came from VM for my airport "Vaca Moo" and the numbers flowed and were easy to say "Five Two Vaca Moo" which I used in uncontrolled airports and in the Class D close by, who have known me for around 16 years flying in this area. Now I just have to get them quickly used to my new plane once they hear my 52VM over the air.

I also had N32VM on the gyroplane I sold. The buyer lives about 15 miles away and still has it.
 
RV IN N NUMBER

I don't think I'll ever put RV in my N number again, seems everyone or most everyone has a similar idea and gets confusing for those with aging hearing.
 
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