# Travel >> Transportation >> Small Aircraft

How to Check If Someone Owns a Plane

Private airplanes, like automobiles, must be registered for lawful use in U.S. airspace. Airplane titling and registration is done through the Federal Aviation Administration, the governing body for aviation in the United States. These registration documents are public record and may be accessed by anyone. If you have a need to find out whether someone owns an airplane, use the FAA resources. It helps if you know the aircraft type or even the registration tail-number. Registration codes for all civilian aircraft registered in the United States begin with the letter N.

Instructions

- 1
  Direct an Internet browser to the FAA "Releasable Aircraft Data." Click the download database link. This is a large document and may take a few moments to download and occupy a bit of space on your hard drive.
- 2
  Follow the database table of contents to the aircraft types. This helps you narrow the search. For instance, if you suspect the person owns a Cessna 182, go to the Single Engine section.
- 3
  Read the database for either registration name (filed alphabetically with the last name first), or for the aircraft's registration identifier code. This is the series of letters and numbers found on the aircraft tail or rear fuselage. For example, an aircraft registration code looks something like "N34QP."

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