OpenFlights.org -- free flight mapping tool

[ncr]

ncr, I've also added the flight reason "Other" that you requested.

Kiitos.

I also noticed the site now calculates correctly the number of airports visited (as mentioned) - it had shown 2 in excess, in my case.

[jpatokal]

OpenFlights is creeping towards its "hard" release date, maybe as soon as next week, so here's an update on what's new since I last posted.

• Autocomplete for everything -- no more separate input boxes and pulldowns, everything (airports, airlines, planes) is now autocompleted. Airlines are now optional, just leave it empty if you don't remember.
• Basic input mode -- if you're not concerned with plane types, registration numbers and all that jazz, you can opt for "Basic" mode when adding flights. This also lets you enter up to four flights at a time for maximum efficiency.
• Megafilter -- From the "More..." button below the filter, you can now choose to filter your flights by eg. distance, class of travel, reason to travel, registration number, your personal notes/tags and more. Can be combined with other filter options, so now you can see eg. "Flights for work in 2008" or "Flights in Singapore Airlines business class", and "Top 10"/"Analyze" also get filtered.

If you want to give me the nicest Christmas present possible, then please log in and find all the bugs before release day

[jpatokal]

Feature of the day: OpenFlights now supports 3D mapping through Google Earth!



Just export your flights as KML and load the result into Google Earth, or any other visualization program that supports KML, and you'll get an interactive 3D flight map. More about it on the blog:

Give your flights a spin in 3D on Google Earth

[ncr]

Sweet! Well done. Thanks for that.

Airports are sized and color-coded, from big and yellow (busiest) to small and green (least visited), and you can click on them for more information. Flight routes take into account the airport’s altitude and even approximate takeoff and landing paths, although runways and actual approach paths are not accounted for.

Looks really interesting in 3-D (oblique view), with the flight paths bending down on approach...... and the busy airports (hubs) appearing like spiders.

[jpatokal]

Looks really interesting in 3-D (oblique view), with the flight paths bending down on approach...... and the busy airports (hubs) appearing like spiders.

Nice screenshot! And yeah, you wouldn't believe the amount of math that went into programming those flight paths, even though they're a drastic simplification of the real thing.

Math geekery: Ascent is represented by the recursive function z(0) = start_altitude, z(n)=z(n-1) + A*n until z > ((cruise_altitude - start_altitude) / 2 + start_altitude), then z(n)=z(n-1) - A*n until z > cruise_altitude, where A is
(cruise_altitude - start_altitude) / (100 meters / mile). I'm still not sure what the limit of n from start_altitude to cruise_altitude really is, but "19" seems to work pretty nicely

Why this is wrong: Currently speed is assumed to be constant (~500 mi/hr) and the rate of ascent is calibrated to produce the curve. In reality, an airplane (737) accelerates from ~150 mph at takeoff to ~550 mph at cruising altitude, while ascent speed goes from 0 ft/min at takeoff to 2200 ft/min at ~10,000 ft, dropping down to 1500 ft/min by 26,000 ft and 0 ft/min again at cruising altitude. Descents are roughly the opposite: 2500 ft/min until 10,000 ft, then 800-3000 fpm until slowing down to 200-400 fpm from runway threshold to touchdown.

[jpatokal]

OpenFlights banners are here! Works on phpBB as well:



Details at the blog.

[jpatokal]

OpenFlights can now show you all routes operated from virtually any airport around the planet:



Just enter any airport name, city or IATA code into the new "Search" bar. Details in the blog:

http://openflights.org/blog/2009/06/...ing-the-world/

[jpatokal]

And now airline route maps as well!



More on the blog.