Website to identify flight based on location/date/time?
Apr 2, 2019, 11:55 am
#1
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Website to identify flight based on location/date/time?
I was thinking about this the other day and wondering, if I know the location, date, and time I saw a particular plane traveling across the sky, is there a way to find out what flight it was at a later date? I know I can view/track flights that are currently in the sky right now using many different websites, but what if I wanted to see what flights were in a certain area at a different time (I'm only talking about something a week ago...not data from years ago). Thanks!
Apr 9, 2019, 3:00 am
#2
Moderator: Hyatt; FlyerTalk Evangelist
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I was thinking about this the other day and wondering, if I know the location, date, and time I saw a particular plane traveling across the sky, is there a way to find out what flight it was at a later date? I know I can view/track flights that are currently in the sky right now using many different websites, but what if I wanted to see what flights were in a certain area at a different time (I'm only talking about something a week ago...not data from years ago). Thanks!
They also have smartphone apps which may or may not have the same 2-week limitation.
Apr 9, 2019, 7:47 am
#3
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One possibility is http://planefinder.net which has a historical playback feature -- if you click on the "playback" button in the upper right you can change the date within a 2 week range. They have data going back to I think 2011, and I'm certain the entire time period used to be available in playback, because I used it to look up some older international flights when I was filling in some gaps in my flight log last December, but I can't figure out a way to get past 2 weeks anymore, which is a pity.
They also have smartphone apps which may or may not have the same 2-week limitation.
They also have smartphone apps which may or may not have the same 2-week limitation.
Apr 9, 2019, 10:28 am
#4
Moderator: Hyatt; FlyerTalk Evangelist
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Thanks for the reply! I can't seem to get to the historical data on planefinder.net. I see the link for "Historical Flight Data", and when I click on it, it brings up another page, but I don't seem to be able to search for historical data anywhere. What I really want to be able to do is center the map on a certain area, and then go back to a certain time period, and see what flights flew near there at that time.
Click on the playback button in the toolbar on the upper right:
the dropdown menus let you change the date and time.
Apr 9, 2019, 10:47 am
#5
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: DEN
Programs: UA 1K 0.7MM (trying to get to 1MM!)
Posts: 1,272
One possibility is http://planefinder.net which has a historical playback feature -- if you click on the "playback" button in the upper right you can change the date within a 2 week range. They have data going back to I think 2011, and I'm certain the entire time period used to be available in playback, because I used it to look up some older international flights when I was filling in some gaps in my flight log last December, but I can't figure out a way to get past 2 weeks anymore, which is a pity.
They also have smartphone apps which may or may not have the same 2-week limitation.
They also have smartphone apps which may or may not have the same 2-week limitation.
Apr 9, 2019, 2:28 pm
#6
Moderator: Hyatt; FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: WAS
Programs: :rolleyes:, DL DM, Mlife Plat, Caesars Diam, Marriott Tit, UA Gold, Hyatt Glob, invol FT beta tester
Posts: 18,931
Apr 9, 2019, 2:34 pm
#7
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2013
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Programs: UA 1K 0.7MM (trying to get to 1MM!)
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I tried that as well, but if you change your computer date to 1 week ago, and then select a date on the website that's more than 2 weeks ago, it seems to skip forward to the date of your computer in order to replay the data...
May 23, 2019, 7:19 am
#8
Join Date: Mar 2019
Posts: 34
I talked with someone from Planefinder around the time this thread started and they said that they had to stop offering unlimited data because of data theft on the website. Unfortunately I tried moving the clock back but it doesn't work. Here's why: if you move the clock back and try to play back, it doesn't work and only shows you the current flights.
When you say it skips forward to the date of your computer I think you mean it skips forward to the actual date.
When you say it skips forward to the date of your computer I think you mean it skips forward to the actual date.
Last edited by TWA884; May 23, 2019 at 9:56 am Reason: Merge consecutive posts by the same member