Negative time in V3 for arrival_time for FlightInfoStatus

FlightAware AeroAPI
1

Hello,

I get a negative time for “estimated_arrival_time”, “actual_arrival_time” for FlightInfoStatus (XML V3) and ident N542LM:



       "filed_arrival_time": {
          "epoch": 1501876440,
          "tz": "AKDT",
          "dow": "Freitag",
          "time": "11:54VORM.",
          "date": "04.08.2017",
          "localtime": 1501847640
        },
        "estimated_arrival_time": {
          "epoch": -1,
          "tz": "AHST",
          "dow": "Mittwoch",
          "time": "01:59NACHM.",
          "date": "31.12.1969",
          "localtime": -36001
        },
        "actual_arrival_time": {
          "epoch": -1,
          "tz": "AHST",
          "dow": "Mittwoch",
          "time": "01:59NACHM.",
          "date": "31.12.1969",
          "localtime": -36001
        },
        "arrival_delay": -150187644

“filed_arrival_time” seem to be correct. Is this a bug or is there a misunderstanding from my side?

Thanks,
Stefan

2

It’s a bug in FlightInfoStatus. If the estimated_arrival_time or actual_arrival_time are not known it’s supposed to put an epoch of 0, but in some cases a -1 is being set. For right now just treat an epoch of -1 as unknown (ie the flight hasn’t departed or arrived) and I’ll update on the forums when that is fixed.

3

But why is there an actual arrival time on the website for N542LM and how do I get this value?

de.flightaware.com/live/flight/N542LM

4

Looks like there is a bug related to this flight because we have a diverted entry on that same flight_id as well. I’ve filed a ticket for it and we’ll look into why FlightInfoStatus is not displaying both results (the diverted flight and the complete flight).

5

Hi there. I realize this post was from 2017, but I am upgrading to v3, and I’m noticing the same result with Cancelled Flights (the -1 issue with a 1969 date/time in the estimated times). Please see faFlightID UAL411-1579239951-airline-0239 as an example.
{
“ident” => “UAL411”,
“faFlightID” => “UAL411-1579239951-airline-0239”,
“airline” => “UAL”,
“airline_iata” => “UA”,
“flightnumber” => “411”,
“tailnumber” => “N37252”,
“type” => “Form_Airline”,
“codeshares” => “SAS3930,CMP2702,ANZ2590,LOT4378,ANZ2590,ANZ2582,LOT4376,LOT4376”,
“blocked” => false,
“diverted” => false,
“cancelled” => false,
“origin” => {
“code” => “KMCO”,
“city” => “Orlando, FL”,
“alternate_ident” => “MCO”,
“airport_name” => “Orlando Intl”
},
“destination” => {
“code” => “KORD”,
“city” => “Chicago, IL”,
“alternate_ident” => “ORD”,
“airport_name” => “Chicago O’Hare Intl”
},
“filed_ete” => 8340,
“route” => “MCOY2 GUANO FEMON Q87 VIYAP Q69 OLBEC Q69 GURGE CANTR QUIWE BENBY DOOGE Q63 HEVAN MZZ VEECK4”,
“filed_altitude” => 310,
“display_filed_altitude” => “31,000 feet”,
“filed_airspeed_kts” => 472,
“distance_filed” => 1120,
“filed_departure_time” => {
“epoch” => 1579469880,
“tz” => “EST”,
“dow” => “Sunday”,
“time” => “16:38”,
“date” => “01/19/2020”,
“localtime” => 1579451880
},
“estimated_departure_time” => {
“epoch” => 1579474800,
“tz” => “EST”,
“dow” => “Sunday”,
“time” => “18:00”,
“date” => “01/19/2020”,
“localtime” => 1579456800
},
“actual_departure_time” => {
“epoch” => 1579475459,
“tz” => “EST”,
“dow” => “Sunday”,
“time” => “18:10”,
“date” => “01/19/2020”,
“localtime” => 1579457459
},
“departure_delay” => 4620,
“filed_arrival_time” => {
“epoch” => 1579478220,
“tz” => “CST”,
“dow” => “Sunday”,
“time” => “17:57”,
“date” => “01/19/2020”,
“localtime” => 1579456620
},
“estimated_arrival_time” => {
“epoch” => 1579483686,
“tz” => “CST”,
“dow” => “Sunday”,
“time” => “19:28”,
“date” => “01/19/2020”,
“localtime” => 1579462086
},
“actual_arrival_time” => {
“epoch” => 1579483686,
“tz” => “CST”,
“dow” => “Sunday”,
“time” => “19:28”,
“date” => “01/19/2020”,
“localtime” => 1579462086
},
“arrival_delay” => 3660,
“filed_blockout_time” => {
“epoch” => 1579469280,
“tz” => “EST”,
“dow” => “Sunday”,
“time” => “16:28”,
“date” => “01/19/2020”,
“localtime” => 1579451280
},
“estimated_blockout_time” => {
“epoch” => 1579473900,
“tz” => “EST”,
“dow” => “Sunday”,
“time” => “17:45”,
“date” => “01/19/2020”,
“localtime” => 1579455900
},
“actual_blockout_time” => {
“epoch” => 1579473900,
“tz” => “EST”,
“dow” => “Sunday”,
“time” => “17:45”,
“date” => “01/19/2020”,
“localtime” => 1579455900
},
“filed_blockin_time” => {
“epoch” => 1579480200,
“tz” => “CST”,
“dow” => “Sunday”,
“time” => “18:30”,
“date” => “01/19/2020”,
“localtime” => 1579458600
},
“estimated_blockin_time” => {
“epoch” => 1579484100,
“tz” => “CST”,
“dow” => “Sunday”,
“time” => “19:35”,
“date” => “01/19/2020”,
“localtime” => 1579462500
},
“actual_blockin_time” => {
“epoch” => 1579483860,
“tz” => “CST”,
“dow” => “Sunday”,
“time” => “19:31”,
“date” => “01/19/2020”,
“localtime” => 1579462260
},
“status” => “Arrived / Delayed”,
“progress_percent” => 100,
“aircrafttype” => “B738”,
“full_aircrafttype” => “B738”,
“terminal_dest” => “1”,
“gate_dest” => “B16”,
“gate_orig” => “41”,
“bag_claim” => “10”,
“seats_cabin_first” => 16,
“seats_cabin_coach” => 150,
“inbound_faFlightID” => “UAL848-1579239951-airline-0003”,
“adhoc” => false
}

6

None of the timestamps in that flight appear to be -1 or 1969. Are you sure that is the data you intended to paste?

7

Yes, thank you for that. I failed to copy the correct one. It should be faFlightID UAL411-1579047766-fa-0004

{
“ident” => “UAL411”,
“faFlightID” => “UAL411-1579047766-fa-0004”,
“airline” => “UAL”,
“airline_iata” => “UA”,
“flightnumber” => “411”,
“tailnumber” => “N14231”,
“type” => “Form_Airline”,
“codeshares” => “SAS3930,CMP2702,ANZ2590,LOT4378,ANZ2590,ANZ2582,LOT4376,LOT4376”,
“blocked” => false,
“diverted” => false,
“cancelled” => true,
“origin” => {
“code” => “KMCO”,
“city” => “Orlando, FL”,
“alternate_ident” => “MCO”,
“airport_name” => “Orlando Intl”
},
“destination” => {
“code” => “KORD”,
“city” => “Chicago, IL”,
“alternate_ident” => “ORD”,
“airport_name” => “Chicago O’Hare Intl”
},
“filed_ete” => 8820,
“route” => “CAMDT BRUTS Q118 MZZ VEECK4”,
“filed_altitude” => 320,
“display_filed_altitude” => “32,000 feet”,
“filed_airspeed_kts” => 358,
“distance_filed” => 1008,
“filed_departure_time” => {
“epoch” => 1579297080,
“tz” => “EST”,
“dow” => “Friday”,
“time” => “16:38”,
“date” => “01/17/2020”,
“localtime” => 1579279080
},
“estimated_departure_time” => {
“epoch” => 1579304700,
“tz” => “EST”,
“dow” => “Friday”,
“time” => “18:45”,
“date” => “01/17/2020”,
“localtime” => 1579286700
},
“actual_departure_time” => {
“epoch” => -1,
“tz” => “EST”,
“dow” => “Wednesday”,
“time” => “18:59”,
“date” => “12/31/1969”,
“localtime” => -18001
},
“departure_delay” => 7320,
“filed_arrival_time” => {
“epoch” => 1579305900,
“tz” => “CST”,
“dow” => “Friday”,
“time” => “18:05”,
“date” => “01/17/2020”,
“localtime” => 1579284300
},
“estimated_arrival_time” => {
“epoch” => -1,
“tz” => “CST”,
“dow” => “Wednesday”,
“time” => “17:59”,
“date” => “12/31/1969”,
“localtime” => -21601
},
“actual_arrival_time” => {
“epoch” => -1,
“tz” => “CST”,
“dow” => “Wednesday”,
“time” => “17:59”,
“date” => “12/31/1969”,
“localtime” => -21601
},
“arrival_delay” => 6900,
“status” => “Cancelled”,
“progress_percent” => 100,
“aircrafttype” => “B738”,
“full_aircrafttype” => “B738”,
“adhoc” => false
}

8

As mentioned previously, the epoch values of -1 (flight cancelled) and 0 (event has not yet occurred) are used as special indicators by FlightXML 2 and 3. The presence of the translated values corresponding to 1970/1969 are simply artifacts that your app should avoid accessing as soon as you detect the special -1 or 0 epoch values.

9

As of today, the special negative (and zero) timestamps have been fixed in FlightXML3 to no longer attempt to represent them in translated textual or parsed timestamps. The “epoch” field will still be present (with values such as 0 or -1) however the other elements will no longer be generated for those.

1 Like