I got a little excited today when looking at the mail. I found a letter from the FAA Aircraft Registration Branch. I was excited, because about a month ago I put a reservation request in the tail number N51PM. Actually, my story goes back a bit further. As I am sure most who have used the FAA N-number search tool knows, just because a registration comes back showing available, doesn't mean it is. There is a disclaimer at the top of the page that states, the database is updated daily. I've assumed this to mean that if someone finds the registration, and puts in the request (and pays their $10) before you, the registration will come back as unavailable when you try to put in the actual reservation. I also thought that it may show as available in one system, but the database used for the reservation webpage, had not yet been updated. After all, these system are bach processed, and it could take some time to get everything in sync.
I had started on this occasional N-number hut, where I search and try reserving something I liked, even if it previously came back as unavailable via the reservation page. Back to N51PM, it previously failed when attempting to reserve it. However, one day it worked, and allowed me to complete the request. I paid my $10, and waited to get a letter showing N51PM as mine. Hence my excitement for the letter in the mail today.
That excitement turned to disappointment, when I read the enclosed letter. It stated, N51PM is not available. Strange, I thought, it must be some kind of mistake. So, I decided to call, and try to talk with Leia Dunsworth, the signee of the letter. I called, and proceeded to wait on hold for 30 min, all the time knowing there was no way I was ever going to be talking to Leia Dunsworth. That didn't deter me from calling, I wanted to know what happened to my reservation.
Much to my suprise, the person that eventually answered stated their name was Leia. I asked, Ms. Dunsworth? Well, by now I am sure you figured out that it was, and I think she was as shocked as me that I was calling to talk with her, and by happenstance she picked up my call. I don't know the odds, but I thought them low, and felt it was an omen, that this would all be cleared up, and N51PM would be mine.
I am sorry to say, that is not the case. Leia was very nice, but about as knowledgeable of the systems and there internals as me, and by that, I mean not very. She could not explain why I was able to put in the reservation, or explain how such a discrepancy could be. All she could tell me is that the N-number was already reserved, and that the reservation was for 5 years, and would not expire until 2026. Which I find odd as I thought reservation need to be renewed yearly.
So what gives? Has anyone else experienced oddities with the reservation process and systems? Is there someone with insight into how this is suppose to work, please enlighten me. Well, that's my tale. Got to go, I need to start my search again.
I had started on this occasional N-number hut, where I search and try reserving something I liked, even if it previously came back as unavailable via the reservation page. Back to N51PM, it previously failed when attempting to reserve it. However, one day it worked, and allowed me to complete the request. I paid my $10, and waited to get a letter showing N51PM as mine. Hence my excitement for the letter in the mail today.
That excitement turned to disappointment, when I read the enclosed letter. It stated, N51PM is not available. Strange, I thought, it must be some kind of mistake. So, I decided to call, and try to talk with Leia Dunsworth, the signee of the letter. I called, and proceeded to wait on hold for 30 min, all the time knowing there was no way I was ever going to be talking to Leia Dunsworth. That didn't deter me from calling, I wanted to know what happened to my reservation.
Much to my suprise, the person that eventually answered stated their name was Leia. I asked, Ms. Dunsworth? Well, by now I am sure you figured out that it was, and I think she was as shocked as me that I was calling to talk with her, and by happenstance she picked up my call. I don't know the odds, but I thought them low, and felt it was an omen, that this would all be cleared up, and N51PM would be mine.
I am sorry to say, that is not the case. Leia was very nice, but about as knowledgeable of the systems and there internals as me, and by that, I mean not very. She could not explain why I was able to put in the reservation, or explain how such a discrepancy could be. All she could tell me is that the N-number was already reserved, and that the reservation was for 5 years, and would not expire until 2026. Which I find odd as I thought reservation need to be renewed yearly.
So what gives? Has anyone else experienced oddities with the reservation process and systems? Is there someone with insight into how this is suppose to work, please enlighten me. Well, that's my tale. Got to go, I need to start my search again.
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