If you’ve ever looked up at a passing plane and wondered where it’s coming from or where it’s going, then I have an app for you. FlightRadar24 shows thousands of aircraft moving around the world in real time on a detailed interactive map, giving you a view that gets you as close to being an air traffic controller as possible.
Open the app or site and you’ll immediately spot planes crisscrossing continents, taking off, and lining up for landings. You’re able to click on any aircraft and get a wealth of information, including its flight number, airline, departure and arrival airports, altitude, speed, aircraft type, and route. Watching all of that data update live is fascinating, even if you’re not an aviation enthusiast.
One of my favorite features is the ability to identify aircraft flying overhead. Hear a jet pass by your house? Open FlightRadar24, find the plane above your location, and you can see exactly where it’s headed. With a subscription to its premium plan, the service also offers a 3D view that lets you follow a flight from the pilot’s perspective—it lets you live out the pilot fantasy along with that of an air traffic controller.
Behind the scenes, FlightRadar24 collects data from a global network of receivers that track aircraft transponders. Even though some private aircraft and military aircraft don’t transmit this data, you can still get an impressively detailed picture of air traffic across the world.
You don’t need any aviation knowledge to enjoy it either—trust me, I’m an amateur myself. Whether you’re tracking a friend’s flight, checking airport traffic before a trip, or simply satisfying your curiosity about the skies above us, FlightRadar24 offers a fascinating look at the constant movement happening overhead every day.
You can check out the FlightRadar24 site or download it for iOS and Android.
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