THE BLOG / FIELD NOTES
Flight Tracking Guides
Practical notes for exploring the sky and making sense of what a flight tracker can—and can’t—tell you.
Flight Number vs Callsign: Why BA117 Can Become BAW117
Understand IATA flight numbers, ICAO operator codes and radio callsigns without confusing a ticket identifier with what a tracker displays.
Read the guide ↗
ADS-B vs MLAT vs Radar: What a Flight Tracker Is Actually Showing
Learn the difference between aircraft broadcasts, multilateration and radar—and why coverage can vary by aircraft, altitude and location.
Read the guide ↗
Why Two Flight Trackers Can Show Different Positions
Different update times, data sources, filters and interpolation can make two flight maps disagree even when both are functioning normally.
Read the guide ↗
Barometric Altitude vs Geometric Altitude on a Flight Tracker
Why a tracker can show more than one altitude, why the values can differ, and why neither should be treated as a cockpit instrument.
Read the guide ↗
Ground Speed vs Airspeed: Why the Number on a Tracker Is Different
A flight tracker commonly shows speed over the ground, while pilots also work with airspeed. Wind is why the numbers can diverge.
Read the guide ↗
Squawk 7700, 7600 and 7500: What a Flight Tracker Can—and Cannot—Tell You
Understand the well-known emergency transponder codes without turning a single tracker field into speculation about an incident.
Read the guide ↗
Scheduled, Estimated and Actual Flight Times: Read the Right Clock
Understand flight-time labels, local dates and landing versus gate arrival before planning your journey.
Read the guide ↗
Tracking Connecting Flights: Check Both Legs, Not Just the Map
A practical checklist for following a connection without confusing aircraft location with boarding eligibility.
Read the guide ↗
A Flight Looks Diverted on the Map: What Should You Check?
Separate an unusual track from a confirmed diversion, then find the information that matters to passengers.
Read the guide ↗
How to Track a Flight by Number or Callsign
Find a live flight using its number or callsign, open its 3D map details, and troubleshoot codeshares, missing matches and date confusion.
Read the guide ↗
How to Use a 3D Flight Tracker on Mobile and Desktop
Explore the 3D flight map, understand aircraft details and airport weather, and learn what the display can and cannot confirm.
Read the guide ↗
Airport Weather on a Flight Tracker: What It Tells You
Understand airport temperature, weather-report times and forecasts on a flight map—and why they do not confirm a delay or cancellation.
Read the guide ↗
Flight Position vs Flight Status: What Is the Difference?
Flight position and passenger flight status answer different questions. Here is how to use both.
Read the guide ↗
Why Is My Flight Not Showing on the Tracker?
A gap in tracking data is not an explanation of what happened to an aircraft.
Read the guide ↗
Airport Pickup Checklist: Track an Arrival Before You Leave
A short, practical checklist for checking the flight before an airport pickup.
Read the guide ↗