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Google Earth gets flight tracking in as close to real time as legally possible
Google Earth's most awesome new layer lets you dynamically track any airline flight over the United States in real time. Well, not quite real time. For security reasons, the FAA doesn't allow live flight tracking, so Google's info is 15 or 20 minutes behind the actual planes. Still, the data (provided by Flightwise.com and the FAA) is very interesting.The flight tracking layer adds up to more than just looking at a plane on the globe. You can also click on any flight to get detailed info, and you can even download the entire flight path. Combine it with Google Earth's weather layer, and you might even be able to see the causes of some of those flight delays. There are easier ways to find out when your mom's flight gets in, but I don't think I've seen a cooler way.
Comments
7
Subscribe to commentsAndrei VassilievSep 17th 2010 11:07AM
Wait, if you can download the entire flight path anyways, and probably easily calculate where a plane should be at any given time, why do they even bother to put in a 15 minute delay? Also, would someone really be coordinating some sort of terrorist attack using Google Earth? Some precautions sort of make sense, but still boggle my mind.
ClintonSep 17th 2010 11:47AM
I agree, it seems like you could calculate where the plane would be, if it follows an exact flight path. As for using Google Earth to plan an attack... do you know of other easily accessible satellite imagery software with these types of tools?
Andrei VassilievSep 17th 2010 12:38PM
I suppose you're right, it actually puts into perspective what kind of advanced tools end users now have FREE access to.
ButtersSep 17th 2010 1:29PM
I guess you guys don't travel much. I don't think I have ever been on a flight that has landed at the exact time it was scheduled to. Flight delays, and even flights that are ahead of time, plus the ambiguous "15 or 20 minutes" delay in data on Google earth means that we will never truly know where exactly a plane is at any given time.
This ambiguity means that some random group or foreign power can't just shot a missile at the plane based on Google earth information, hence the delay "for security reasons"
BrianSep 17th 2010 2:52PM
Seriously.... I know terrorists are suppose to be stupid but really. Most SAMs effective range is well below the flying height of commercial aircraft so the only time these would be effective is when a plane is taking off or landing. Indeed there are cases where SAMs have been used close to airports but not even the dumbest terrorist would try shooting down a plane in flight.
Also if you have the cash for a SAM then why not spend just that little extra on a radar system.
Sometimes "security reasons" really are stupid.
DuncanSep 18th 2010 3:40PM
Considering flight radar (http://www.flightradar24.com/) does real time tracking and the system it uses can be purchased openly and legally, I don't get what the point in the FAA limiting this is.
A.V.MSep 19th 2010 4:00PM
We are doing that formore than a year now
http://www.ibano.net/ge/ge.htm