N980 is taken. It's currently assigned to a 1976 Szybowcowy Zaklad Doswiadczaln JANTAR-2A-SZD 42-1 registered in Costa Mesa, CA.
See the full aircraft record →A tail number only frees up if the owner deregisters the aircraft or moves it to a different N-number — and even then the FAA holds it before releasing it to the public.
N980 has been worn before. Past registrations from FAA deregistration records:
Tails one nudge away from N980 that aren't assigned or reserved: