Reserving old, expired N numbers

[ArtVandelay]

1 hour ago, tigers2007 said:

Make a complaint to the FAA inspector general. I find it odd how there is no standard to when the actual N number is open for grabs except for "anytime after five years from cancellation". Wouldn't it be interesting if the Florida firm is operated by a former FAA employee or spouse of?
 

Looking up the LLC info, no idea how to tell if he has connections with FAA:

John N. Reynolds  PO Box 368 Groveland, FL 34736

[tigers2007]

Keep in mind that person could be a relative or friend of a FAA staffer so the possibility of a nefarious nexus is endless. Also, consider that he could have wrote a script to constantly hammer the FAA website to search for specific N numbers.


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[Guest]

It's no different than concert tickets etc.  If people are willing to pay, there will be someone willing to sell.

Clarence

[Bob_Belville]

On 2/13/2017 at 8:49 PM, M016576 said:

Why is "N6P" so desirable?  What am I missing?

 

who would pay for a "custom" number anyway?  That's like changing your child's name when they are 15.... unless, of course, you are trying to hide something.

My '66E is on its 3rd tail number. First change may have been to keep an off field landing from showing up easily, the second change was to a vanity number - the owner who had a great deal of upgrades done changed to his wife's birthday and initials.

[Bennett]

I've changed N numbers for most of the airplanes I have owned. I like numbers ending in BB because they are my initials. My current Mooney is N335BB. If I can't remember this number, time to hang up the keys. 3 for March, 35 for year of birth, BB for my initials.


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[tigers2007]

And nerds here able to write a script to query the FAA reservation website every 10 seconds or so for a select group of N numbers? N20J hit the five-year mark since cancellation two days ago and it still isn't available yet.


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[ArtVandelay]

And nerds here able to write a script to query the FAA reservation website every 10 seconds or so for a select group of N numbers? N20J hit the five-year mark since cancellation two days ago and it still isn't available yet.


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I could but what's the point, it seems there is a back door anyway.

[carusoam]

Any idea what the cost is using this guy's circus/service?

Best regards,

-a-

[tigers2007]

N20J was successfully registered yesterday about 2-weeks after the "5yrs after cancellation" date of August 7.


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[Raptor05121]

Wow I hope they stop that guy. Seems unethical

[Rob1]

I'm definitely calling FOUL on this one.

I got tired of the Short-N-Numbers scam...  so I did what they did..  wrote my own program to scour the database and automatically register any 3-digit N-Number.  Guess what?  ALL of my reservations were rejected, every time.

Interestingly, when I look up a free number, the database says "Available".  After I register it, it says "Reserved".  So, had it been reserved prior to me, it would have said so.

To me, it sounds like someone is "deciding" who gets the registration.

[carusoam]

Welcome aboard, Rob.

There is something funky lying in there somewhere...

Best regards,

-a-

[tigers2007]

Well Rob, there is a N # I want that becomes available in the next couple days. I'm assuming it'll be snagged by Short N Numbers though. Ill call the DOT OIG and file a compliant if they end up grabbing it.


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[BGaero]

Interesting read....def worth looking into. Latest 998 numbers reserved. I personally don't mind but everyone deserves a fair shot at it. No one is that lucky so whatever info I get on the inside track they are appearntly using I will share. I do have a D.C.contact that can get me to the right office so we can all get a fair shake. I also am watching a number for next year purging. Any info anyone already has from the FAA would be helpful.

[tigers2007]

This is odd - I have been waiting for and checking on N3L for a while (it was purge eligible on Sep 25th) and I could not register it. Well I just did about two minutes ago. The FAA system took my money and said it could take three weeks to process. Maybe our fellow member here who griped to the DOT OIG caused the short N number guy to back off for a while.


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[tigers2007]

I should note that N7N is purge eligible on 10/15/2017 and N6E on 10/29/2017. Also, I don't think I'm guaranteed the N3L until some bureaucrat handles it directly. Could be 100's of requests in a bin...


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[Yooper Rocketman]

9 hours ago, tigers2007 said:

This is odd - I have been waiting for and checking on N3L for a while (it was purge eligible on Sep 25th) and I could not register it. Well I just did about two minutes ago. The FAA system took my money and said it could take three weeks to process. Maybe our fellow member here who griped to the DOT OIG caused the short N number guy to back off for a while.


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That's happened with me and a month or two later they send me my money back, after "Short N Numbers" is assigned the number.  Apparently when it first becomes available they will take anyone's money.

Tom

[Jim Peace]

On 10/1/2017 at 4:57 AM, Yooper Rocketman said:

.Apparently when it first becomes available they will take anyone's money.

Tom

Happened to me as well last year.  I reserved it and paid and then money back and no N number.  I wrote them a scathing email and told them to F off, (full word) in the best NJ manors I could write.......

[Johnny]

Hey All.  I was reading this thread and thought I would bring it back from the dead just to shed a bit of light on the process for those seeking a custom N-Number. 

One quick aside...the N number isn't just a 'vanity issue' as someone on here suggested, at least for some of us. 

Imagine driving down the road and calling out your license plate number every 10 minutes...and listening to your radio for some barking out that number and waiting for a reply. 

Since we have to use it repeatedly during a flight and can't abbreviate it until ATC does, it is helpful to avoid a tongue twister.  And a lot of numbers out there seem less than ideal.  At least that's my take.  So having a short, roll off the tongue number is pretty darn helpful.  Yes, this is a first world problem!!

The FAA servers will allow you to 'register' an available N-Number for AT LEAST two weeks after it becomes available.  That means that if you and I both seek a particular number out, we'll both appear to get it initially, regardless of who is first.  It is not until it is reviewed by a HUMAN at the FAA that a final determination is made as to assignment, based on who applied for it first.  That human is involved to confirm the number is indeed available relative to previous registration data.

For the individual who doesn't 'win' the number, you usually have to request a refund of the ten bucks after receiving a notice from the FAA that you didn't get the requested number.  It won't automatically go back on your credit card.  You should wait until you receive a letter from the FAA informing you that you didn't get it.

To complicate things, the FAA online registration program will zero out your request for an N-Number shortly after you request it (a day or so).  What this means is that you may request such a number online...check the next day, see it is still available, and potentially request it again (for another 10 dollars) thinking it somehow didn't "go through" before.  This is a fluke of the FAA program.  You do not need to run another transaction if your first transaction was listed as successful (e.g., you got an email confirmation).

After a couple of weeks (or less) your requested number will show up as unavailable....a bit later it may then show up as available.  Again, a weird quirk of the system.  According to the FAA, it is something the IT folks said "has to be this way" from a programming standpoint.  I have no idea what that means.

The current process to reserve a number takes 3 or more weeks...probably a bit longer to see if you got it.  If you are anxious you can call Oklahoma and they can tell you if your online attempt was successful....if you can get a hold of someone that is.

Lastly, the 'gentleman' who runs Short-N-Numbers is indeed WELL KNOWN to the FAA.  The person I spoke with at the FAA said they are aware of the problem, and it has been a point of discussion.  According to this person, they view it as an abuse of the process and system (as do I).  Unfortunately, I would not hold your breath on this.  I was told that the only solution is a legislative one.  Complaints to the FAA are unlikely to change things, but by all means try.  Also, by current count, this guy has hoovered up something north of 5,000 numbers.  Nuts.  This is a bit like spam, if folks wouldn't buy from him...he'd stop.  I certainly wouldn't.  My two cents. 

Have a good day all. 

[Cyril Gibb]

Easy solution.  Have an annual fee to maintain an N number until it's registered.

[flight2000]

1 hour ago, Cyril Gibb said:

Easy solution.  Have an annual fee to maintain an N number until it's registered.

They do, it's $10 a year - same as the initial fee.  The reservation is only good for one year and if you don't renew, it goes back into the pool.  I've got one, but the question is when am I going to finally get around to changing it on my plane.

Cheers,

Brian