A plane's registration number is usually on the side of the aircraft toward the
rear; it will begin with an "N" (assuming it's an American plane) and be followed by four or five digits,
possibly ending with another letter. If you are not able to see the number, you may be able to obtain it online
from the FlightAware website if you know the approximate arrival or departure time and if a flight plan has been
filed.
At the FlightAware home page, type Gabreski's code--"KFOK"--in the box near the top right corner and
click on "View Airport Activity." This will bring up lists of arrival and departure times for civilian
flights. (You may be able to see a few additional entries by clicking on the "(More)" at the top of the
listing.)
If you find an arrival or departure time that coincides with the activity that disturbed you, make note of the "Ident" number for that flight.
You can use this number in CAAP's
online complaint form or when registering a complaint with the Airport Manager
or the FAA (see our page on complaining
through official channels).
You can obtain further information about the plane in one of two ways.
• If the identification number starts with
an "N," you can take the number to the FAA Aircraft Registry Inquiry
web page. Enter the number (without the "N"!), and you will be shown detailed information about aircraft
ownership, etc.
• Regardless of what the "Ident"
number starts with, if you click on it, you will be shown the name of the owner and identification of the aircraft
type.
Coalition
Against Airport Pollution