Private registries are usually a better source of information than the free, national aviation databases, but some require fees that are beyond the reach of many independent journalists. “If I were trying to hide my identity, I would definitely consider paying the extra money to go with a private registry” like the one in Aruba, said Jake Glass. The registered owner might also not be the person or entity who actually uses the aircraft (known as the “beneficial owner”) but a shell company, trust, or front-man. Tax liability and privacy concerns often result in owners registering their aircraft in so-called secrecy jurisdictions like Aruba or the Isle of Man that have few, or no, transparency rules. But they don’t have to do so in the owner’s country of residence, and there are myriad ways aircraft owners can hide their true identity.
According to the Chicago Convention, all aircraft must be registered. UAL22 (United Airlines, Flight 22) or RYR96ATīy using the aggregated identifiers of the aircraft and multiple databases, a reporter may identify the owner under which the aircraft is registered. For commercial aircraft, they often indicate the airline that owns or operates the plane. These numbers are not permanent, however, and can be easily changed if the owner re-registers the plane in another country.Īlphanumeric identifiers broadcast by aircraft during flight, which can indicate the operator and flight number. These are allocated by the aircraft manufacturer, often stamped into a plate on the fuselage, and generally do not change over the aircraft’s lifetime.Īlphanumeric string which includes: a prefix indicating the country of registration and a suffix indicating a specific aircraft. This code will change if an aircraft is re-registered in another country, however.
It is usually tied by national governments to a specific registration number. Mode-S Hex Code, transponder code, or ICAO codeĪ six-digit alphanumeric code designating a unique aircraft transponder. Glass broke down the different aircraft identifiers, some of which are temporary and can be easily changed to make detection more difficult: Identifier The same search might also show the aircraft’s unique serial or MSN (manufacturer’s serial number), which could, in turn, enable a reporter to use enthusiast and spotting sites, like, to find documented flights or travel. A Google search of the tail number might lead to the plane’s registration number and aircraft type. The next steps in the process involve collecting as much additional identifying data as possible about the aircraft. Often, the tail number is the first clue to an airplane’s origins or activities and might be found on open source images taken from social media. This number is typically painted on the aircraft’s tail and/or on the body. The easiest place for data investigators to begin tracking a plane is by identifying its tail or registration number, Glass explained. During a panel at the 12th Global Investigative Journalism Conference (#GIJC21), C4ADS software developer Jake Glass, and his colleague, conflict finance analyst Eva Kahan, gave a tutorial on flight tracking and a tour of Icarus’ comprehensive capabilities. Now, a new aircraft and flight tracking tool from the nonprofit Center for Advanced Defense Studies (C4ADS), called Icarus Flights, gives reporters a formidable high-quality tool for uncovering illicit activities in the skies. Investigative journalists have used aircraft tracking tools to understand the interests of shadowy businessmen linked to Vladimir Putin, reveal the use of private jets to deport migrants in France, and expose flights carrying gold from illegal mining in the Amazon rainforest.
Icarus Flights, the new aircraft tracking tool from C4ADS, helps reporters identify planes and investigate flight activity around the world.