Hi,
The other day, (dec 14), I was tracking NASA941 which showed as a:
AERO SPACELINES Super Guppy (quad-turboprop) (SGUP/G)
I believe the super guppy is a large 4 engine cargo plane right? So how is it that later the same day I check NASA941 again and now it says here that it is a :
Northrop T-38 Talon (twin-jet) (T38/G) a tiny 2 man jet
What’s going on? 
NASA941 is a callsign only, it does not signify any aircraft type. That callsign can be issued to one airplane one day and another the next and so forth the same way an airline can use a flight number but change the aircraft type if the need calls for it.
The wrong aircraft type was entered for the 2nd flight. Take a look at the logs:
flightaware.com/live/flight/NASA … D/tracklog
flightaware.com/live/flight/NASA … H/tracklog
Look at the speeds and altitude
As mentioned in a previous topic, NASA uses the aircraft registration as the call sign. N941NA is a Super Guppy so the call sign is NASA941.
(That topic is at discussions.flightaware.com/view … sc&start=0)
Typical T-38 call sign and track log. I agree with dami, aircraft type has been mistyped somewhere in translation.
flightaware.com/live/flight/NASA … /KEFD/KELP
flightaware.com/live/flight/NASA … P/tracklog
Notice the " 941 " in the registration.
airliners.net/open.file/0425929/L/
sorry about the size of the picture - looking for better.
This picture’s not too bad. I’m still able to scroll to the right a tad and still see all of the posting.
I think that you all have passed through the “Stargate”… 
OK, I see it all now. 
Scroll up a couple to that picture of the Super Guppy and tell me that’s not perfect for carrying a portable stargate. 
Put tin foil on your head. Keeps them from reading your thoughts!
It seems that someone just screwed up somehow. NASA941 is again a Super Guppy. The various flight path hops make sense, ie, they connect properly but flightaware somehow has it morphing from Super Guppy to T38 and back to Super Guppy, If they indeed do play around with the call signs, how can I keep track of a particular plane??
FA gets all its info from FAA feed. So the T-38 is a typo ( misidentification ) and why the mystery plane is now a Guppy again and always has been. Check flight history and deside the odds.
Or its the Stargate… take your pick.
They weren’t playing around with the call sign - they (either the person filing the flight plan or the FAA) just entered the wrong aircraft type.
For NASA aircraft, you can follow them by using the registration as mentioned above. For N941NA, the call sign will be NASA941 and it will be a Super Guppy, regardless of the type shown in the flight plan.
Just more fuel for the fire.
T-38 #1.
flightaware.com/live/flight/NASA912
airliners.net/open.file/1142211/L/
T-38 #2
flightaware.com/live/flight/NASA967
airliners.net/open.file/1126129/L/
Now, this Gulfstream is another matter. Doesn’t fit the profile were trying to create here.
Always an exception to the rule.
N4NA(which should be NASA4 instead of N2NA) has been reserved by an individual since 2006. Here’s what the FAA registry shows:
Reserved N-Number
Type Reservation Fee Paid
**Mode S Code ** 51124434
**Reserved Date ** 06/22/2006
**Renewal Date ** 06/22/2007
**Purge Date ** 07/22/2008
**Pending Number Change ** None
**Date Change Authorized ** None
Reserving Party Name MAHONEY THOMAS M JR
Street 5360 NW 20TH TERR #105
**City ** FT LAUDERDALE
**State ** FLORIDA
Zip Code 33309
**County ** BROWARD
Country UNITED STATES
Deregistered Aircraft 1 of 1
Aircraft Description
Serial Number 151
**Type Registration ** Corporation
**Manufacturer Name ** GRUMMAN
**Certificate Issue Date ** 04/17/2003
**Model ** G-159
**Mode S Code ** 51124434
**Year Manufacturer ** 1965
**Cancel Date ** 06/02/2004
Reason for Cancellation Cancelled Exported To
Aircraft Registration prior to Deregistration
Name G-1 LEASING CORP
**Street **2574 PRINCE EDWARD DR
**City ** HENDERSON
**State ** NEVADA
**Zip Code ** 89052-4908
**County ** CLARK
**Country **UNITED STATES
I’m curious why someone would reserve a registration number for such a long period of time.
Because I had been approached by a gentleman in Costa Rica who was trying to find short N-numbers for his start-up charter outfit named Nosara Airways. He has since dropped all plans for this charter company.
Now, I’m just holding onto it because it cost quite a bit of effort to procure that particular N-number.
Thomas Mahoney Jr.
It only costs $10 per year per number. I have three reserved now (have had one of them for well over a year now). It could be a year or two more before I even put ONE of those numbers to use.
