# flights [Health: Active]

**Category:** 🚀 Aerospace & Astrodynamics  
**Repository:** https://github.com/pipeworx-io/mcp-flights  
**GitHub Stars:** 0  
**Views:** 4  
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**Directory Page:** https://allmcps.com/mcp/flights-2

## Description
Flights MCP — wraps OpenSky Network API (free, no auth required)

## Tools
Capabilities this server exposes over MCP:

- **get_flights_in_area** — Find aircraft currently airborne in a geographic area, by bounding box. LIVE ADS-B data, no key required. Returns per aircraft: ICAO24 hex, callsign, registration (tail number), aircraft type, position, altitude, ground speed, heading, vertical rate, squawk, and any emergency code. Use for "what planes are over <place> right now", "aircraft near <airport>", "is anything squawking 7700 near X". For one known aircraft use get_aircraft; for what route a callsign flies use get_flight_route.
- **get_aircraft** — Look up ONE aircraft by ICAO24 transponder hex (e.g. "a4d97e"). Returns registry details — registration/tail number, manufacturer, type, and registered owner/operator — plus its LIVE position if it is currently transmitting. No key required. Use for "what is aircraft <hex>", "who operates <hex>", "where is <hex> now". If you only have a flight number/callsign, use get_flight_route instead.
- **get_flight_route** — Resolve a flight callsign / flight number (e.g. "UAL1", "BAW117") to its airline and scheduled ROUTE — origin and destination airports with names, IATA/ICAO codes, and coordinates. No key required. Use for "where does flight X fly from/to", "what route is <callsign>", "which airline is <callsign>". Complements get_flights_in_area, which gives you callsigns of aircraft currently overhead.
- **get_arrivals** — Aircraft currently ARRIVING at an airport — live ADS-B, no key required. Pass an ICAO code (e.g. "KSFO", "EGLL") and get inbound traffic descending toward the field, nearest first, with callsign, registration, aircraft type, altitude, descent rate and distance out. Use for "what is landing at <airport> right now", "inbound traffic to <airport>". This is a live picture, not a scheduled timetable. (Historical windows via begin/end require OpenSky credentials and only work when self-hosting — OpenSky is unreachable from cloud egress.)
- **get_departures** — Aircraft currently DEPARTING an airport — live ADS-B, no key required. Pass an ICAO code (e.g. "KSFO", "EGLL") and get outbound traffic climbing out of the field, nearest first, with callsign, registration, aircraft type, altitude, climb rate and distance out. Use for "what just took off from <airport>", "outbound traffic from <airport>". This is a live picture, not a scheduled timetable. (Historical windows via begin/end require OpenSky credentials and only work when self-hosting — OpenSky is unreachable from cloud egress.)

## Claude Desktop Quick Installation
Install path detected from listing signals. Uses `npx` (confidence: high):

```json
"mcpServers": {
  "flights": {
    "command": "npx",
    "args": ["-y","@pipeworx/mcp-flights"]
  }
}
```

## Documentation

## What flights MCP server does

flights connects MCP clients to aviation data from the OpenSky Network through the Pipeworx gateway. It covers two related needs: observing aircraft that are transmitting now and resolving identifying information about aircraft or flight callsigns. The service can return live ADS-B details such as position, altitude, speed, heading, vertical rate, callsign, registration, aircraft type, squawk, and emergency status.

The route lookup is separate from live tracking. Given a callsign or flight number such as `UAL1` or `BAW117`, it returns the airline and a scheduled origin-to-destination route, including airport names, IATA and ICAO codes, and coordinates.

## How it works

A hosted MCP connection is available at `https://gateway.pipeworx.io/flights/mcp`. The gateway also exposes a full endpoint at `https://gateway.pipeworx.io/mcp`; both use the same underlying Pipeworx service, while the flights endpoint lists this pack’s tools directly. Pack connections also expose shared Pipeworx meta-tools, including tools for discovery, routing questions across the catalog, and memory functions.

For local MCP configurations, `@pipeworx/mcp-flights` runs with `npx` as a stdio process and forwards requests to the hosted endpoint. It requires network access and has no offline mode. The tools can also be called over HTTP, including with a POST request to an individual tool endpoint.

## Setup and configuration

Add the hosted endpoint to an MCP client:

```json
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "flights": {
      "url": "https://gateway.pipeworx.io/flights/mcp"
    }
  }
}
```

For a local stdio connection, use:

```json
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "flights": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "@pipeworx/mcp-flights"]
    }
  }
}
```

Anonymous calls are supported, with a daily limit of 50 calls. A free Pipeworx account and `PIPEWORX_API_KEY` raise the limit to 200 calls per day. Set `PIPEWORX_META_TOOLS=1` on the npm bridge to include the gateway-wide meta-tools in its listed tools. Behind an HTTPS proxy, Node may require `NODE_USE_ENV_PROXY=1` for its built-in `fetch` implementation to use the proxy.

## Tools and capabilities

- `get_flights_in_area` searches currently airborne aircraft inside a supplied latitude and longitude bounding box.
- `get_aircraft` looks up one aircraft by ICAO24 transponder hex and can include its live position when it is transmitting.
- `get_flight_route` resolves a flight callsign or number to its airline and scheduled origin and destination.
- `get_arrivals` lists inbound aircraft descending toward an airport, ordered by distance, using an ICAO airport code.
- `get_departures` lists outbound aircraft climbing from an airport, also using an ICAO code and distance ordering.

A direct HTTP example is `POST https://gateway.pipeworx.io/v1/tools/get_flights_in_area` with a JSON bounding box such as `{"lamin":40.6,"lomin":-74,"lamax":40.8,"lomax":-73.8}`.

## Limitations and notes

Arrivals and departures provide a live ADS-B view, not a scheduled timetable. Historical time windows using `begin` and `end` require OpenSky credentials and work only when self-hosting; OpenSky is unreachable from cloud egress for those requests. Live results depend on aircraft transmitting ADS-B data. The gateway integration is independent and unofficial, and is not affiliated with or endorsed by OpenSky Network. The package is licensed under MIT.

_Full upstream README: https://allmcps.com/mcp/flights-2/readme_