Virtual Plane Spotting -(for Aviation Buffs)

[Duke C.]

I stumbled on a neat little trick which has had me mesmerized for the past few days.Is anyone else doing this?

[Duke C.]

I stumbled on a neat little trick which has had me mesmerized for the past few days.

I synced Flightradar24.com with liveatc.net which allows you to observe actual
flights departing/arriving/en route while listening to ATC- in real time.
You'll need flightradar.com open in one window, and liveatc.net open in a second window.
I tracked UAL1078 from the LAX gate departure to the LAS gate arrival, and caught all of the live ATC calls.

This only works with planes that are configured with ADS-B transponders. I estimate that about 50% of com. airliners are equipped.

Yellow planes are ADS-B. Orange planes are MLAT which has a 5 minute delay (required by FAA) so orange flightradar24 planes will be out of sync with ATC:

Had LAS approach/tower in another window:

It takes a little practice to pick through the ATC chatter and match it with a plane, but it's quite do-able

[Segovia]

breaking news.

[rktman]

And just why would you “need” to track these flights? You could be who difi is talking about when it comes to those “people” that need to be, uh, looked in to. LOL! I used to use flighaware whenever Mrs. rktman was in transit for work so I’d know when to leave for the airport.

[Tijeras_Slim]

Those pilots in Paradise can’t park for s***.

[dinodino]

There’s an app that accesses the same data. All you do is point your phone at an aircraft flying by, and it tells you its tail number, etc.

[eyeamok]

This only works with planes that are configured with ADS-B transponders.

It should work with any plane that has been issued a squawk code other than VFR. At least it used to.

[Lou L]

Pretty cool. Thanks for sharing.

[DanielRedfoot]

Ill bet David Berkowitz’s mail bag that the flight from Ithica will land before the flight from Dallas.

[Fester Chugabrew]

bfl. thanks.

[Red Badger]

Ping!..................

[jughandle]

Wow I thought I was a nerd!! Pretty cool though, worth a try here.

[windcliff]

ping

[Ruy Dias de Bivar]

I remember the 1950s when all the high school kids with binoculars would take turns in the local watch tower over the fire station and look for RUSSIAN BOMBERS over Oklahoma and Arkansas.

Out west, the fear was lost blasting caps and here it was Russian bombers.

[liberty_lvr]

Bump for later...

[SWAMPSNIPER]

ping

[Lou L]

Which airports/channels have you found more interesting to monitor?

[Rebelbase]

A couple of times in the past when I’ve been outside and seen a lone jet high above I’ll check flight radar to see if it’s squaking and where it’s been and where it’s going.

Good clean fun on a slow day.

[Kirkwood]

“I remember the 1950s when all the high school kids with binoculars would take turns in the local watch tower over the fire station and look for RUSSIAN BOMBERS over Oklahoma and Arkansas.”

Didn’t they know that radar had been invented?

[Duke C.]

"Which airports/channels have you found more interesting to monitor?"

I live smack dab in the middle of the LAX LAS corridor. Think I enjoy the LAX tower ATC the most. It's frenetic.

[Fightin Whitey]

bimp