ICAO Doc 8643 provides essential information about various aircraft, including details like the Manufacturer, Model, and Type designator. One key feature in this document is the Description, which uses a three-symbol code to convey basic data about each aircraft.
The first symbol indicates the aircraft type:
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L for Landplane (e.g., A320). Note that a floatplane, which can switch between landplane and seaplane, is classified as a landplane in ICAO Doc 8643.
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S stands for Seaplane (e.g., HARBIN SH-5, with the ICAO designator SH5).
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A represents Amphibian aircraft (e.g., LA4).
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G denotes Gyrocopter (e.g., A002).
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H is used for Helicopter (e.g., A109).
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T indicates Tiltrotor (e.g., V22).
The second symbol specifies the number of engines, which can be 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, or C. Here, C means that two engines work together to drive a single propeller system (e.g., C08T). This symbol is exclusively for fixed-wing aircraft.
The third symbol identifies the engine type:
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J for jet,
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T for turboprop/turboshaft,
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P for piston,
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E for electric, and
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R for rocket.
For example, the code L2J signifies a landplane with two jet engines, while H2T represents a helicopter with two turboprop/turboshaft engines. Lastly, S1P describes a seaplane with one piston engine.
