Flight Tracking

[fjohnson]

Before buying an iPhone flight-tracking app, I thought I should check out where the top apps get their flight data and learn which source has the most accurate data.

At their web site, I learned that the leading app, FlightTrack, gets data from FlightStats. I googled FlightStats and found 1,570,000 hits, with lots of praise for its data.

Flight Tracker is cheaper that FlightTrack, but their web site does not give their data source, so I wrote to their support email address. They responded:

> Our Flight Tracker data comes from a 3rd party flight data
> service, know as Custom Online Services.

I googled "Custom Online Services" and found nothing! So, I wrote Flight Tracker again and inquired further. Their response:

> It's a private 3rd party service. It's not for public
> access - just developer services.

What do you think: Am I gullible to thing that "Custom Online Services" is "private" and "not for public access" and is thus listed nowhere on the web? Or is "Custom Online Services" simply fictitious?

P.S. Sure, I could just buy both apps, but am now curious about this possible subterfuge. Or am I just being suspicious?

 

[simongr]

Welcome fjohnson.

I have to ask, how much time are going to spend working out which app is more accurate compared to the amount of time lost if the app you choose isnt 100% accurate.

The number of google results is not a reflection of the quality of the source - Hitler gets 30,000,000 results...

 

[harvyk]

Why not use one of the many free websites out there? Also just about every airline and airport has up to date departure and arrival information available freely to anyone...

I know it's not as "cool" as having a nifty little iPhone app, but the information is already out there ready for you to collect.

I also believe there is a guy that is putting together a free flight tracking website... Infact he posted here about a month ago asking for suggestions in which the FF community would like to see included... Maybe add that to your favs instead...

Just a thought...

 

[openseat]

Virgin Blue | Qantas | Jetstar - Flight Information Tracker - Arrivals and Departures

But it doesn't seem to function any more.

 

[medhead]

Why not use one of the many free websites out there? Also just about every airline and airport has up to date departure and arrival information available freely to anyone...

I know it's not as "cool" as having a nifty little iPhone app, but the information is already out there ready for you to collect.

I also believe there is a guy that is putting together a free flight tracking website... Infact he posted here about a month ago asking for suggestions in which the FF community would like to see included... Maybe add that to your favs instead...

Just a thought...

Useful information, but perhaps it misses the mark slightly. Knowing when a flight is going to arrive and depart is not the same thing as seeing the flight track over a map. There are plenty of useful but not cool apps for iphone that tell me the flight times. Very useful information to have.

But some other people might also like to see where the flight is at a particular point in time. I'd be very interested in this type of feature in a few weeks just to be able to follow my bros flight MUC-BNE. My Mac Mini claims to have flight tracker program but trying it out it doesn't seem to work very well. I think I worked out that it was trakc based on distance and flight time rather than the actual flight arrangement.

For this reason I hadn't bothered too much on the iphone flight tracking apps. But I would be very interested in some useful feedback on these apps, not so much because it is a "cool" app, but because I want to see that type of information.

 

[medhead]

Well I just splashed out and got Flights Pro for $5.99 for my iPhone.
Basically, only to track my bros EK flight DXB to BNE.

Seems pretty good, does the tracking thing only by the look. But I couldn't be bovvered with itinerary managers based on itrip (or whatever). I'd rather a one that allows me to manually do the itinerary.

Also it seems a bit slow at times. But it is functional and based on my limited use hasn't annoyed me.