Comments on: Where the Planes Are http://cosmicvariance.com/2008/01/20/where-the-planes-are/ Random samplings from a universe of ideas Sun, 06 Jul 2008 00:09:12 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: Josh http://cosmicvariance.com/2008/01/20/where-the-planes-are/#comment-309139 Josh Fri, 25 Jan 2008 03:30:58 +0000 http://cosmicvariance.com/2008/01/20/where-the-planes-are/#comment-309139 fboweb.com allows you to track any flight using Google earth. Block off the afternoon, because you're not getting anything done tomorrow. fboweb.com allows you to track any flight using Google earth. Block off the afternoon, because you’re not getting anything done tomorrow.

]]> By: Hal S http://cosmicvariance.com/2008/01/20/where-the-planes-are/#comment-308805 Hal S Tue, 22 Jan 2008 03:12:35 +0000 http://cosmicvariance.com/2008/01/20/where-the-planes-are/#comment-308805 HA! HA!

]]> By: Ali Shareef al'Dente http://cosmicvariance.com/2008/01/20/where-the-planes-are/#comment-308799 Ali Shareef al'Dente Tue, 22 Jan 2008 01:44:47 +0000 http://cosmicvariance.com/2008/01/20/where-the-planes-are/#comment-308799 oh yeah, your comment server is full of errors oh yeah, your comment server is full of errors

]]> By: Ali Shareef al'Dente http://cosmicvariance.com/2008/01/20/where-the-planes-are/#comment-308798 Ali Shareef al'Dente Tue, 22 Jan 2008 01:44:07 +0000 http://cosmicvariance.com/2008/01/20/where-the-planes-are/#comment-308798 as a terrorist, I have to say that giving us that flight data is pretty important to our plans. How else can we be sure when we send our white vans to launch SAMs at your airplanes passing overhead? We get our van in position ten minutes before the airplane is going to be overhead, fire, and leave (using Google Maps to find us a route, of course). The Americans never know what hit them. PS- you think this hasn't happened? Your media sources are keeping this information from you because if you knew what was happening, you would leave the Middle East immediately. as a terrorist, I have to say that giving us that flight data is pretty important to our plans. How else can we be sure when we send our white vans to launch SAMs at your airplanes passing overhead?

We get our van in position ten minutes before the airplane is going to be overhead, fire, and leave (using Google Maps to find us a route, of course). The Americans never know what hit them.

PS- you think this hasn’t happened? Your media sources are keeping this information from you because if you knew what was happening, you would leave the Middle East immediately.

]]> By: tiger-moon http://cosmicvariance.com/2008/01/20/where-the-planes-are/#comment-308795 tiger-moon Mon, 21 Jan 2008 23:48:42 +0000 http://cosmicvariance.com/2008/01/20/where-the-planes-are/#comment-308795 I want to know when they start to do this. I want to know when they start to do this.

]]> By: Count Iblis http://cosmicvariance.com/2008/01/20/where-the-planes-are/#comment-308794 Count Iblis Mon, 21 Jan 2008 22:27:57 +0000 http://cosmicvariance.com/2008/01/20/where-the-planes-are/#comment-308794 You can also follow planes on shortwave. E.g., planes crossing the Northern Atlantic will talk to ATC on 8864 KHz, 8879 KHz, 8891 KHz and 8906 KHz. You can also follow planes on shortwave. E.g., planes crossing the Northern Atlantic will talk to ATC on 8864 KHz, 8879 KHz, 8891 KHz and 8906 KHz.

]]> By: Sean http://cosmicvariance.com/2008/01/20/where-the-planes-are/#comment-308784 Sean Mon, 21 Jan 2008 17:03:47 +0000 http://cosmicvariance.com/2008/01/20/where-the-planes-are/#comment-308784 Knowing the position of one particular random plane wouldn't do the trick, but I suspect that clicking many times would indeed be bemusing. It certainly wouldn't be very amusing, which is what I was (clumsily) alluding to. Knowing the position of one particular random plane wouldn’t do the trick, but I suspect that clicking many times would indeed be bemusing. It certainly wouldn’t be very amusing, which is what I was (clumsily) alluding to.

]]> By: Cyde Weys http://cosmicvariance.com/2008/01/20/where-the-planes-are/#comment-308781 Cyde Weys Mon, 21 Jan 2008 15:49:01 +0000 http://cosmicvariance.com/2008/01/20/where-the-planes-are/#comment-308781 Bemused? How will knowing where a random plane is above the United States bemuse me? (You may be confusing bemused with amused; they have completely different meanings.) Bemused? How will knowing where a random plane is above the United States bemuse me? (You may be confusing bemused with amused; they have completely different meanings.)

]]> By: Hal S http://cosmicvariance.com/2008/01/20/where-the-planes-are/#comment-308779 Hal S Mon, 21 Jan 2008 15:36:41 +0000 http://cosmicvariance.com/2008/01/20/where-the-planes-are/#comment-308779 Pieter Kok #7 If these were military jets, then absolutely its a bad idea. For civilian jets however, its not really providing any of the "bad guys" useful info. It's relatively easy (and the key word is relatively) to predict locations of commercial flights, so its really just a convenience for customers. Despite public assertions that the government is completely incompetant, this is one area they got covered pretty well, and if there was any real danger (or rather if it increased the risk of danger), they wouldn't let this stuff be broadcast. Its always possible to hypothesize the "bad guys" having some advanced weapon they could use to hit airplanes, but their ability to use this info to help in targeting is of limited value if any. Pieter Kok #7

If these were military jets, then absolutely its a bad idea. For civilian jets however, its not really providing any of the “bad guys” useful info. It’s relatively easy (and the key word is relatively) to predict locations of commercial flights, so its really just a convenience for customers.

Despite public assertions that the government is completely incompetant, this is one area they got covered pretty well, and if there was any real danger (or rather if it increased the risk of danger), they wouldn’t let this stuff be broadcast.

Its always possible to hypothesize the “bad guys” having some advanced weapon they could use to hit airplanes, but their ability to use this info to help in targeting is of limited value if any.

]]> By: B http://cosmicvariance.com/2008/01/20/where-the-planes-are/#comment-308778 B Mon, 21 Jan 2008 15:31:14 +0000 http://cosmicvariance.com/2008/01/20/where-the-planes-are/#comment-308778 Lufthansa has a tracker but not on Google maps. It doesn't always work though. The last time my husband came in from FRA it showed 'the plane is now ready for take off' until it was landed in YYZ. It's a bit morbid but I was wondering whether they have an emergency icon to appear in case of a plane crash. Like, a little explosion and debris or so. Lufthansa has a tracker but not on Google maps. It doesn’t always work though. The last time my husband came in from FRA it showed ‘the plane is now ready for take off’ until it was landed in YYZ.

It’s a bit morbid but I was wondering whether they have an emergency icon to appear in case of a plane crash. Like, a little explosion and debris or so.

]]> By: Pieter Kok http://cosmicvariance.com/2008/01/20/where-the-planes-are/#comment-308776 Pieter Kok Mon, 21 Jan 2008 14:20:00 +0000 http://cosmicvariance.com/2008/01/20/where-the-planes-are/#comment-308776 I don't want to sound like an alarmist, and this is indeed a neat feature (a bit like the flight tracker on my mac), but isn't this much mode dangerous than bringing your own liquids through security into departures? I don’t want to sound like an alarmist, and this is indeed a neat feature (a bit like the flight tracker on my mac), but isn’t this much mode dangerous than bringing your own liquids through security into departures?

]]> By: JScarry http://cosmicvariance.com/2008/01/20/where-the-planes-are/#comment-308763 JScarry Mon, 21 Jan 2008 04:17:11 +0000 http://cosmicvariance.com/2008/01/20/where-the-planes-are/#comment-308763 I am also a fan of <a href="http://flightaware.com/live/" rel="nofollow">Flight Aware</a> to track flights. It tracks airline flights as well as any flight with an IFR flight plan. (Maybe VFR flight plans but I doubt it.) It's kind of fun to fly somewhere then look up the ground track afterwards. You can also look up flights by kind of aircraft as well. It's a wonderful time waster. Adrian: This shows the actual location of the plane, so the airline can't lie to you. It won't tell you whether the plane will have to hold for 45 minutes when it gets close to a congested airport or whether it will take a while for a slot to open at the gate. I am also a fan of Flight Aware to track flights. It tracks airline flights as well as any flight with an IFR flight plan. (Maybe VFR flight plans but I doubt it.) It’s kind of fun to fly somewhere then look up the ground track afterwards. You can also look up flights by kind of aircraft as well. It’s a wonderful time waster.

Adrian: This shows the actual location of the plane, so the airline can’t lie to you. It won’t tell you whether the plane will have to hold for 45 minutes when it gets close to a congested airport or whether it will take a while for a slot to open at the gate.

]]> By: Nik http://cosmicvariance.com/2008/01/20/where-the-planes-are/#comment-308758 Nik Mon, 21 Jan 2008 03:37:10 +0000 http://cosmicvariance.com/2008/01/20/where-the-planes-are/#comment-308758 If you happen to be interested in flights above Switzerland, there is this project of the Winterthur school of engineering, which has its own antenna and projects the planes true position onto Google maps. <a href="http://radar.zhaw.ch/" rel="nofollow">radar.zhaw.ch</a> If you happen to be interested in flights above Switzerland, there is this project of the Winterthur school of engineering, which has its own antenna and projects the planes true position onto Google maps. radar.zhaw.ch

]]> By: Adrian http://cosmicvariance.com/2008/01/20/where-the-planes-are/#comment-308757 Adrian Mon, 21 Jan 2008 02:40:27 +0000 http://cosmicvariance.com/2008/01/20/where-the-planes-are/#comment-308757 Unfortunately it still doesn't help when the airlines will happily tell you that a flight took off 45m ago when in reality it is still sitting on the ground delayed! Unfortunately it still doesn’t help when the airlines will happily tell you that a flight took off 45m ago when in reality it is still sitting on the ground delayed!

]]> By: Alan http://cosmicvariance.com/2008/01/20/where-the-planes-are/#comment-308753 Alan Mon, 21 Jan 2008 01:58:08 +0000 http://cosmicvariance.com/2008/01/20/where-the-planes-are/#comment-308753 Or <a href="http://flightaware.com/" rel="nofollow">FlightAware</a>. Or FlightAware.

]]> By: George http://cosmicvariance.com/2008/01/20/where-the-planes-are/#comment-308751 George Mon, 21 Jan 2008 01:08:20 +0000 http://cosmicvariance.com/2008/01/20/where-the-planes-are/#comment-308751 Try: www.flightview.com Try:

http://www.flightview.com

]]> By: Ellipsis http://cosmicvariance.com/2008/01/20/where-the-planes-are/#comment-308749 Ellipsis Mon, 21 Jan 2008 00:54:11 +0000 http://cosmicvariance.com/2008/01/20/where-the-planes-are/#comment-308749 Hmmm, does Delta have a Google map location for the luggage of mine that they lost 2 years ago? Or the AAS poster that they also "misplaced"? Glad to hear that they know where (most of) their airplanes are, at least, though. Hmmm, does Delta have a Google map location for the luggage of mine that they lost 2 years ago? Or the AAS poster that they also “misplaced”?
Glad to hear that they know where (most of) their airplanes are, at least, though.

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