Originally Posted by
sluggoaafa
or in DECS: FILFlight#
You will see, SCHEDULE, PLAN, ACTUAL. This will show you your scheduled departure, then it will show you what time you plan on taking off (even with ATC "WHEELS UP" into/out of ORD/MIA/JFK or anywhere) and what time you actually took off
Wheels up is not exclusive for ATC holds. Maybe at Eagle, but not Mainline. Either that or because they at 30 years Seniority, they're old and koo-koo
The FIL entry is for ACARS and delay reporting. If you looked at your planned OFF time, it will tell you one of two things... 1. IF there is flow control, and the dispatcher has the updated time, it will usually list your planned OFF time as your WHEELS UP time. 2. If there is no flow control, then, based on historical data, time of day, etc... the dispatcher lists the estimated OFF time for you.
The FIL entry is based on flight planning by the dispatcher and is only going to be available once the flight plan is created one hour before departure. Wheels up times due to ATC can change once the flight is blocked out, and that will only change the "planned" OFF time in the FIL entry if the crew or dispatcher updates it.
Example:
PERF SKED PLAN
DFW 0720 0720
DFW 0736
HOU 0821
-4 HOU 0830 0826
ON-TIME ANALYSIS--
The dispatcher is planning for the flight to block out on time at 720am this morning. There is no ATC flow to houston, so based on average taxi times and delays 730am in the morning, he's planning on the flight being off the ground at 736am. The dispatcher, based on winds and cruise airspeed, is planning on the flight arriving at 0826, which is 4 minutes ahead of schedule. This is all HYPOTHETICAL based on what the numbers in the flight plan say, not what is actually happening.
Oh, and Wheels up time is the same anywhere in aviation. It's not unique to Eagle. Remember, Eagle and AA use the same exact computer systems, it's all the same crap.