The Airframes Database, Version 1.0, is Finally Ready!

[mrhenniger]

Drum Roll Please… the Airframes Database, Version 1.0, is Finally Ready!

This post has been a LONG time in coming. I started the work about 2 years ago and in the last 6 months almost all of my spare time has been focused on this. I was hoping to have the airframes database ready for release last fall, but apparently my ideas were bigger than newbie abilities to implement them in web pages. Oh well, better late than never. So I now can say that I have the 1.0 Airframes Database ready for you to use.

I’ll try to keep my comments in this post brief as possible, so if you have any follow-on questions you may wish to visit the Q&A page…
Airframe Tools Q&A Page

Most of you are likely familiar with the Locator by now, but it may not be obvious why the Airframes Database is needed. After creating the Locator it did not take me long to figure out that maintaining the database powering it is a big task. I needed a way to automate some of this work. I identified tracking the movement of aircraft from location to location is very time consuming, so I looked for a way to make this easier so the location dossiers could be more easily updated. What resulted was the Airframe Database which provides the infrastructure for documenting the history of airframes with the main purpose to track the movements of airframes between locations and museum collections. Much of the data for the database comes from civil aircraft registries (FAA, Transport Canada, Australia and New Zealand so far), websites, and printed material. Many of these sources can be updated on a regular basis (Weekly or Monthly) automatically (or at least very close to it). What results is a Locator database with improved integrity and a searchable airframe database.

As a bonus the airframes database is becoming a kind of index for warbirds and classic airframes. I couldn’t really pass up the opportunity to make this database searchable. To carry out searches go to the search engine…
Airframe Search
…or you can also use the index tool to surf to the data you are looking for…
Airframe Index
…by starting with a design firm and drilling down to an individual airframe.

How is this useful? Well let’s say you are digging through a shoe box of old air show photos and find photo of a plane with a civil registration tail number, but don’t know which airframe it is, then all that you need to do is go to the search engine linked above, enter the c/r into the “Civil Registration” category and click the “Search” button. If the airframe is in the database a link to the airframe dossier will be presented to you. The airframes dossiers include links to the location dossiers to you can see where the airframe has been displayed or who has owned it. You may have also seen my posts on WIX asking for photo uploads. These uploaded photos are displayed in the airframe dossiers and become part of the documented historical record.

Are there any other new features? Yes. I recommend you check out the Airframe Gallery. Here you can view the latest photos uploaded and even view a slide show. The most active photo uploaders are recognized here (see the left side). One uploader who has gone above and beyond is Andy West. Andy has toured many countries in Europe and North America photographing Warbirds. I recommend you check out his photo album here…
Airframe Gallery Featuring Photos by Andy West

I also recommend you check out the Airframe Database Reports Page page, particularly this report…
Airframe Database Reports Page
…which lists the most recent airframes which have had some kind of status change or other activity. This is a handy page for getting a quick view of what is going on in the warbird and classics world. If you would like to see any other types of reports here, please let me know…
Airframe Database, Suggested New Reports

The Airframes Database Needs You! I would very much like to recruit “correspondents” who monitor the discussion boards and subscribe to magazines where data about airframe events (restorations, first flights, incidents, ownership transfers, movements, etc.) are mentioned. These correspondents can easily add to the history of an airframe using the editing tool available in each airframe dossier. If you feel like becoming part of a team to help document the history of these airframes let me know…
Airframe Database Correspondents

Are there any new features planned? Yes! Well, not obvious features. The main task will be to build the content of the locator and airframes databases going forward. Google Maps has upgraded their interface and the old interface, which the Locator uses, is now obsolete, so the Locator must be transitioned. I will be adding the ability to have assistant editors login and share in some of the fun. All of this should be transparent to most users but will enhance the tools usability.

Let me know if you have any questions or comments. I look forward to them!

Mike

[RyanShort1]

Very nice! I just uploaded a photo!

Ryan

[Zachary]

Fantastic resource Mike! Very well done! Thank you.

Zack

[mrhenniger]

Thanks for the photo uploads guys they look great. It is worth mentioning that the photos need to be approved by an editor before they become viewable to the public. Right now that is only me. I'll get on that when I get home tonight. I hope you don't mind the inconvenience, but you could imaging how webbots could really abuse the feature.

One other feature I neglected to mention is that you have the ability to edit the documented histories of the airframes. If there are any missing details (the database is very new so it goes without saying there is more missing than what is there) then you can go head and fill in the blanks. Look for the dossier edit icon beside the photo upload icon in the airframe dossier of interest. Combined with the photo upload tool this is much like the Warbird Registry wiki style. If I could get a few of you trying it out and providing feedback that would be fantastic. I would appreciate any comments about what you think works well and what could be improved. I would like it to be considered and easy to use tool so that it does get used.

Mike

P.S. Don't forget to check out Andy West's photo uploads. He has been a prolific uploader.

[mrhenniger]

Here is an excellent example of what can result from cooperative efforts (done today)...
Aerial Visuals - Airframe Dossier - North American Harvard II, s/n 3134 RCAF, c/n 75-3048, c/r N9793Z

Mike

[snj-5]

Looks great Mike. I like the thought of going to one place to get the
military (as well as civilian / post military) history for a given airframe.

Bela P. Havasreti