A comprehensive reference to ICAO aircraft type designators. Understand type codes like B738, A320, and C172, learn about aircraft categories, wake turbulence classes, and how AeroScope uses type data for enrichment and analytics.
ICAO type designators are standardized codes assigned to every aircraft type by the International Civil Aviation Organization. These codes are typically 2-4 characters long and are used worldwide by air traffic control, flight planning systems, and surveillance platforms to identify aircraft types. The codes appear in ADS-B data, flight plans, NOTAMs, and aviation databases.
The designator system is maintained in ICAO Doc 8643 — "Aircraft Type Designators." Each entry includes the manufacturer, model, type of aircraft (landplane, seaplane, helicopter, etc.), number and type of engines, and wake turbulence category. AeroScope's aircraft registry module uses these designators to enrich real-time flight data with type information, performance profiles, and operational characteristics.
| ICAO Code | Aircraft | Manufacturer | Category | Engines | Wake Class |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| B738 | 737-800 | Boeing | Landplane | 2x Turbofan | Medium |
| B739 | 737-900 | Boeing | Landplane | 2x Turbofan | Medium |
| B737 | 737-700 | Boeing | Landplane | 2x Turbofan | Medium |
| B38M | 737 MAX 8 | Boeing | Landplane | 2x Turbofan | Medium |
| B744 | 747-400 | Boeing | Landplane | 4x Turbofan | Heavy |
| B748 | 747-8 | Boeing | Landplane | 4x Turbofan | Heavy |
| B77W | 777-300ER | Boeing | Landplane | 2x Turbofan | Heavy |
| B788 | 787-8 Dreamliner | Boeing | Landplane | 2x Turbofan | Heavy |
| B789 | 787-9 Dreamliner | Boeing | Landplane | 2x Turbofan | Heavy |
| A320 | A320 | Airbus | Landplane | 2x Turbofan | Medium |
| A20N | A320neo | Airbus | Landplane | 2x Turbofan | Medium |
| A321 | A321 | Airbus | Landplane | 2x Turbofan | Medium |
| A21N | A321neo | Airbus | Landplane | 2x Turbofan | Medium |
| A332 | A330-200 | Airbus | Landplane | 2x Turbofan | Heavy |
| A333 | A330-300 | Airbus | Landplane | 2x Turbofan | Heavy |
| A359 | A350-900 | Airbus | Landplane | 2x Turbofan | Heavy |
| A388 | A380-800 | Airbus | Landplane | 4x Turbofan | Super |
| E75L | E175 Long Range | Embraer | Landplane | 2x Turbofan | Medium |
| CRJ9 | CRJ-900 | Bombardier | Landplane | 2x Turbofan | Medium |
| CRJ7 | CRJ-700 | Bombardier | Landplane | 2x Turbofan | Medium |
| ICAO Code | Aircraft | Manufacturer | Category | Engines | Wake Class |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| C172 | Cessna 172 Skyhawk | Cessna | Landplane | 1x Piston | Light |
| C182 | Cessna 182 Skylane | Cessna | Landplane | 1x Piston | Light |
| C208 | Cessna 208 Caravan | Cessna | Landplane | 1x Turboprop | Light |
| C510 | Citation Mustang | Cessna | Landplane | 2x Turbofan | Light |
| C56X | Citation Excel/XLS | Cessna | Landplane | 2x Turbofan | Medium |
| PA28 | Piper PA-28 Cherokee | Piper | Landplane | 1x Piston | Light |
| PA32 | Piper PA-32 Saratoga | Piper | Landplane | 1x Piston | Light |
| SR22 | Cirrus SR22 | Cirrus | Landplane | 1x Piston | Light |
| BE36 | Beech Bonanza 36 | Beechcraft | Landplane | 1x Piston | Light |
| PC12 | Pilatus PC-12 | Pilatus | Landplane | 1x Turboprop | Light |
| TBM9 | TBM 900/910/930/960 | Daher | Landplane | 1x Turboprop | Light |
| ICAO Code | Aircraft | Role | Category |
|---|---|---|---|
| C17 | Boeing C-17 Globemaster III | Strategic Transport | Military Heavy |
| C130 | Lockheed C-130 Hercules | Tactical Transport | Military Heavy |
| K35R | Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker | Aerial Refueling | Military Heavy |
| F16 | General Dynamics F-16 | Fighter | Military Fighter |
| F18H | Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet | Fighter/Attack | Military Fighter |
| H60 | Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk | Utility Helicopter | Rotorcraft |
| EC35 | Eurocopter EC135 | Light Helicopter | Rotorcraft |
| R44 | Robinson R44 | Light Helicopter | Rotorcraft |
| S92 | Sikorsky S-92 | Heavy Helicopter | Rotorcraft |
| BALL | Balloon | Recreation/Science | Lighter Than Air |
| GLID | Glider | Recreation | Glider |
ICAO assigns wake turbulence categories based on maximum certificated takeoff weight (MTOW). These categories determine minimum separation distances between aircraft on approach and departure.
MTOW of 7,000 kg (15,432 lbs) or less. Includes most general aviation aircraft like Cessna 172, Piper Cherokee, Cirrus SR22. These aircraft are most vulnerable to wake turbulence from larger aircraft.
MTOW between 7,000 kg and 136,000 kg (300,000 lbs). Covers most commercial narrowbody jets: Boeing 737 family, Airbus A320 family, Embraer E-Jets, and business jets like Gulfstream and Citation series.
MTOW of 136,000 kg (300,000 lbs) or more. Includes Boeing 747, 777, 787, Airbus A330, A340, A350, and large cargo aircraft like C-17 Globemaster. Must transmit "Heavy" in radio callsign.
Reserved for the Airbus A380-800 and Antonov An-225 (before retirement). The A380's massive wingspan generates wake vortices that require additional separation — 6 NM behind the A380 for Heavy aircraft and 8 NM for Medium/Light.
In ADS-B broadcasts, aircraft transmit a two-character emitter category code that indicates their type and performance. AeroScope displays these categories alongside the ICAO type designator.
| Category | Description |
|---|---|
| A0 | No ADS-B emitter category information |
| A1 | Light aircraft (MTOW < 15,500 lbs) |
| A2 | Small aircraft (15,500-75,000 lbs) |
| A3 | Large aircraft (75,000-300,000 lbs) |
| A4 | High-vortex large (e.g., Boeing 757) |
| A5 | Heavy aircraft (MTOW > 300,000 lbs) |
| A6 | High performance (>5g acceleration, >400 kts) |
| A7 | Rotorcraft (helicopters) |
| B1 | Glider / sailplane |
| B2 | Lighter-than-air (balloon, airship) |
| B4 | Unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV/drone) |
| B6 | Space / trans-atmospheric vehicle |
| C1 | Surface vehicle — emergency |
| C2 | Surface vehicle — service |
The ICAO type designator is not directly broadcast in ADS-B messages. Instead, AeroScope looks up the aircraft's 24-bit ICAO hex address in registration databases to find the associated type code. The ADS-B emitter category (A1-C2) is broadcast directly and provides a general classification.
The "t" field in AeroScope's aircraft data contains the ICAO type designator looked up from the aircraft registry. For example, "B738" for a Boeing 737-800 or "A320" for an Airbus A320. This field may be empty for aircraft not in the registry database.
AeroScope's aircraft registry module enriches every tracked aircraft with type information including manufacturer, model, engine count, wake turbulence category, and performance parameters. This data feeds into the emissions calculator, fleet tracking, predictive analytics, and drone detection algorithms.