VFR flights on Flightaware

Unit74

Unit74

Final Approach
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Unit74
so previously, VFR flights did not show up. I logged in to my account yesterday and was supposed to see my last three flights. One was just burning turns in the pattern, but it showed up. I'm ADSB out and can only rationalize they are pulling the info from the towers.

Flew to DeLand Fl Sunday and both my trip there and back were on FA. I was on FF for those.


Can y'all 2020 compliant go google your tails and see if you are now showing up VFR? Previously none of my flights showed up, now they are.
 
My understanding is that they get everything and then do their best to match the data with a tail. Unless you've told them to hold it private, which you can do.

If you're ADS-B Out, they've got a serial number on the item. If you have Mode S, it can show up. If you're on a discrete squawk, it'll likely show up. If you're 1200 and Mode C only, there's nothing for them to work with.
 
You also need to go into your Flightaware account settings and ensure "Position Only Flights" are turned on. Flightaware gets a lot of its ADS-B information from members that have receivers at their homes or businesses.
 
FlightAware now has thousands of ADS-B receivers in their network. I don't like the fact that the altitude shown in my flight logs is pressure altitude when the reporting facility is listed as "FlightAware ADS-B". FlightAware ought to have software that can apply the proper correction based on the local altimeter setting and show the corrected altitude. If the reporting facility is ATC, then the altitude is corrected.

That being said, my most recent VFR cross-country flight did not show up in FlightAware at all. I used FF on the return trip. And yes, I'm fully ADS-B compliant.
 
midwestpa24 said:
You also need to go into your Flightaware account settings and ensure "Position Only Flights" are turned on. Flightaware gets a lot of its ADS-B information from members that have receivers at their homes or businesses.
Click to expand...

Thanks for that tip. I was unaware of the "Position Only Flights". I just checked that box, and presto! my VFR flights on Saturday appeared, along with a lot of other flights around the patch.

Cool!
 
With Flightaware, you get what you pay for (its free...). It works well 95% of the time, but I've even seen IFR flights including airliners that may occasionally not show up. Its not a perfect system, but it is not bad.
 
Unit74 said:
I'm ADSB out and can only rationalize they are pulling the info from the towers.
Click to expand...
I think they have their own receiver network.

Unit74 said:
Flew to DeLand Fl Sunday and both my trip there and back were on FA. I was on FF for those.
Can y'all 2020 compliant go google your tails and see if you are now showing up VFR? Previously none of my flights showed up, now they are.
Click to expand...

Yep, my flights started showing up in FlightAware after we got ADS-B out, FF or not.
 
Had adsb out installed a couple weeks ago and all flights show up now. Interestingly, my last flight showed 0 towers talking to the Stratus while the entire flight (just pattern work) displayed on Flightaware, so apparently it doesn't work both ways.
 
Lando said:
Had adsb out installed a couple weeks ago and all flights show up now. Interestingly, my last flight showed 0 towers talking to the Stratus while the entire flight (just pattern work) displayed on Flightaware, so apparently it doesn't work both ways.
Click to expand...

That is because Flightaware is not using the FAA towers, they have their own network of ADS-B receivers.
 
Yep it's been interesting tossing various peoples airplanes into FA and seeing them whenever they're up. "Aircraft seen in flight near X..." and there it is. As long as it has Mode-S or ADS-B 978, it's in the FA system now.

Not even blocking the information via FAA stops a network of distributed cheap SDR based receivers scattered everywhere on a network with no encryption.
 
Without ADS-B out I see roughly 90% of my VFR Flight Following flights on Flight Aware.

Perhaps it's regional?
 
Ravioli said:
Without ADS-B out I see roughly 90% of my VFR Flight Following flights on Flight Aware.

Perhaps it's regional?
Click to expand...

Just wherever they've got receivers. It's a volunteer network. Head out west over forest land and below FAA radar and you'll disappear again around here.
 
Ravioli said:
Without ADS-B out I see roughly 90% of my VFR Flight Following flights on Flight Aware.

Perhaps it's regional?
Click to expand...


Must be. I typically fly east of TX and south of Ohio and almost never did my VFR flights, even with FF show up. Now, a few turns in the pattern are showing up whilst never leaving the aerodrome.
 
I would say in the last month that I see more of my VFR flights... I have 978 ads-b out (previously Flight Aware would only pick up the 1090 ads-b) Now as soon as I take off from my home airport it will say I am spotted in flight (I receive an e-mail or text)
 
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