Discrepancy between V2 and V3

vortexcms · August 25, 2019, 9:22pm

Using V2 InboundFlightInfo for WJA516 today one can get the inbound flight (WJA513). But when performing the same request with V3 FlightInfoStatus there is no inbound_faFlightID.
Why doesn’t V3 provide the same information as V2?

V2
stdClass Object
(
[faFlightID] => WJA513-1566535566-airline-0205
[ident] => WJA513
[aircrafttype] => B737
[filed_ete] => 04:00:00
[filed_time] => 1566535566
[filed_departuretime] => 1566776340
[filed_airspeed_kts] => 445
[filed_airspeed_mach] =>
[filed_altitude] => 380
[route] => AVSEP5 VIGLO SSM YQT UDBOX VLN J504 YEA SPRAE BINVO ROBTI NORIP3
[actualdeparturetime] => 0
[estimatedarrivaltime] => 1566790792
[actualarrivaltime] => 0
[diverted] =>
[origin] => CYYZ
[destination] => CYLW
[originName] =>
[originCity] =>
[destinationName] =>
[destinationCity] =>
)

V3
stdClass Object
(
[ident] => WJA516
[faFlightID] => WJA516-1566535566-airline-0143
[airline] => WJA
[airline_iata] => WS
[flightnumber] => 516
[tailnumber] => C-GWSQ
[type] => Form_Airline
[codeshares] => DAL7221
[blocked] =>
[diverted] =>
[cancelled] =>
[origin] => stdClass Object
(
[code] => CYLW
[city] => Kelowna, British Columbia
[alternate_ident] => YLW
[airport_name] => Kelowna Int’l
)

[destination] => stdClass Object
    (
        [code] => CYYZ
        [city] => Toronto, Ontario
        [alternate_ident] => YYZ
        [airport_name] => Toronto Pearson Int'l
    )

[filed_ete] => 14280
[route] => KETTL MEETO 5300N/10000W KALLU TRUDY OTNIK BOXUM5
[filed_altitude] => 390
[display_filed_altitude] => 39,000 feet
[filed_airspeed_kts] => 444
[distance_filed] => 1907
[filed_departure_time] => stdClass Object
    (
        [epoch] => 1566799800
        [tz] => PDT
        [dow] => Sunday
        [time] => 11:10PM
        [date] => 2019/08/25
        [localtime] => 1566774600
    )

[estimated_departure_time] => stdClass Object
    (
        [epoch] => 1566799800
        [tz] => PDT
        [dow] => Sunday
        [time] => 11:10PM
        [date] => 2019/08/25
        [localtime] => 1566774600
    )

[actual_departure_time] => stdClass Object
    (
        [epoch] => 0
    )

[departure_delay] => 0
[filed_arrival_time] => stdClass Object
    (
        [epoch] => 1566814080
        [tz] => EDT
        [dow] => Monday
        [time] => 06:08AM
        [date] => 2019/08/26
        [localtime] => 1566799680
    )

[estimated_arrival_time] => stdClass Object
    (
        [epoch] => 1566814129
        [tz] => EDT
        [dow] => Monday
        [time] => 06:08AM
        [date] => 2019/08/26
        [localtime] => 1566799729
    )

[actual_arrival_time] => stdClass Object
    (
        [epoch] => 0
    )

[arrival_delay] => 0
[filed_blockout_time] => stdClass Object
    (
        [epoch] => 1566799200
        [tz] => PDT
        [dow] => Sunday
        [time] => 11:00PM
        [date] => 2019/08/25
        [localtime] => 1566774000
    )

[estimated_blockout_time] => stdClass Object
    (
        [epoch] => 1566799200
        [tz] => PDT
        [dow] => Sunday
        [time] => 11:00PM
        [date] => 2019/08/25
        [localtime] => 1566774000
    )

[actual_blockout_time] => stdClass Object
    (
        [epoch] => 0
    )

[filed_blockin_time] => stdClass Object
    (
        [epoch] => 1566814260
        [tz] => EDT
        [dow] => Monday
        [time] => 06:11AM
        [date] => 2019/08/26
        [localtime] => 1566799860
    )

[estimated_blockin_time] => stdClass Object
    (
        [epoch] => 1566814260
        [tz] => EDT
        [dow] => Monday
        [time] => 06:11AM
        [date] => 2019/08/26
        [localtime] => 1566799860
    )

[actual_blockin_time] => stdClass Object
    (
        [epoch] => 0
    )

[status] => Scheduled
[progress_percent] => -1
[aircrafttype] => B737
[full_aircrafttype] => B737
[terminal_dest] => 3
[gate_orig] => 7
[seats_cabin_first] => 0
[seats_cabin_business] => 0
[seats_cabin_coach] => 134
[adhoc] =>

)

msousajit · August 26, 2019, 9:23am

Hello, I’m just an user of API v3, specifically using that method.

I’m not helping you because I don’t even know that is the real meaning of that inbound. I’m following the thread because I’m curious when sometimes the method returns that key.

The documentation states this:

Unique identifier assigned by FlightAware of the previous flight of the aircraft serving this flight, if known

What I am suppose to do with that? When I receive that inbound, I can ask FlightInfoStatus with that faFlightId, and what the result means?
The result that has the indication of inbound is most the updated right? Is that an indication that the flight is making extra leg (previous leg)?

Normally I don’t want to do anything with that inbound flight, since it is the “former” flight identification? Am I wrong?

If you or any FlightAware staff can help me, I’ll appreciate.

obj · August 26, 2019, 12:21pm

I believe this is the same data used for the “where is my plane now?” feature on the main flight page for scheduled flights that have not yet departed.

msousajit · August 26, 2019, 12:52pm

Hi @obj . I didn’t get it at all. Can you elaborate or demonstrate ii somehow?
Thanks.

vortexcms · August 26, 2019, 1:38pm

Yes when a plane departs from an airport it had to arrive at the airport first. This would be the inbound flight (ie. the flight that the same aircraft flew prior to that departure). As the other person said, it provides the “where is my plane now” functionality or “track inbound flight” link.

The problem with V3 is that while this information is readily available with V2 calls, with V3 the information is almost never returned (I just tried a whole bunch of flights and inbound_faFlightID is missing yet V2 readily gives the information (and the information is available on the website). So clearly (to me) something is broken with V3… and this information is important and preventing me from using V3.

Can someone at FlightAware address this?

dogrock · August 27, 2019, 4:50pm

I’ve spotted the scenario where XML3 would have trouble producing an inbound faFlightID and have a pending solution.

This would resolve missing inbound faFlightIDs in XML3 AirportBoards, FleetBoards and FlightInfoStatus in cases where they can be found in XML2.

vortexcms · August 27, 2019, 5:43pm

Great, let me now when the solution has been applied and I will recheck V2 vs V3 for inbound and see if the information is now consistent. Much appreciated.

msousajit · August 28, 2019, 11:40am

@vortexcms Thanks for the response.

If I well understood, we can get the exact same information if we track the plane by its tail number. It will give us the previous (inbound flights) anyways

dogrock · August 29, 2019, 8:46pm

This fix has gone live. You should see inbound_faFlightID (when known) in XML V3 requests more frequently now.

vortexcms · September 2, 2019, 3:21pm

Thank you - I do see inbound_faFlightID more often now. It still doesn’t match V2 however…

Take WEN3344-1567226770-airline-0063
It has no inbound recorded for V3.

But with V2 it returns WEN3343-1567226764-airline-0074

Is there perhaps still something preventing V3 from obtaining the correct info?
Thanks!

vortexcms · September 23, 2019, 8:25pm

This issue is still not resolved… there are plenty of flights that still return no inbound flight via V3 but do via V2.

For example, here are some flights that have no inbound flight via V3 but do via V2:
WSW223-1569082200-schedule-0000
WSW320-1569083100-schedule-0000

I’ve got thousands of examples so let me know if you need anymore.

Thanks!

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Discrepancy between V2 and V3

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