I listen to approach/dep control and flights that have already landed show up as “50 miles remaining” on arrival, or those already handed off to center are listed as not yet departed. I’d be willing to pay a bit to get something reasonably close to real-time. Maybe it isn’t doable, but it would be
nice. And please don’t bitch at me if this has been addressed, I did some searching and didn’t find it. 
The majority of the delay (5-6 minutes) is imposed by the FAA for security. Unless you are an operator, you are not supposed to have undelayed data.
As far as I know, FA processes the data as fast as possible after the FAA delay, unless you need Commerical Services, extra dollars are thankfully not needed.
By the way, welcome to FlightAware!
I never get delays that large, I usually just get the 5 minutes that FA claims.
The message board software is new to me, trying to dope it out.
I wasn’t aware of any FAA delay requirements for a ‘delay’, news to me.
Do you know how that would enhance security?..it doesn’t sound sensible to me…?
I’m not an ‘operator’, I’m just a pilot and this information is really just a diversion for me when I’m farting around with the computer between trips so it isn’t a big deal either way…I just thought it would be nice to have some better coordination. The information around this area (KTUL) is always at least 10 and usually 15 to 20 minutes behind.
Thanks for the note.
KS
…Do you know how that would enhance security?..it doesn’t sound sensible to me…?
Terrorism! Someone might want to attack a certain plane. And the delay would hopefully throw it off.
BTW: I have seen flights over the pacific that show arrived earlier than what I’ve heard on the scanner. Whats with that?
I’m not a terrorist, but I would have thought that after a while the terrorist would figure things out and get to a launching position 10 minutes earlier!
That’s why, like I tell others, you should spend an hour or so going through the forum and the Questions/Answers. Had you done that, you would have known that the FAA imposes the delay.
I’m totally against have a paid/non-paid subscriber service. It’s working fine now. Don’t break it if it ain’t broke.
I expect the reasoning goes something like this:
-
If Bad guy is going to use a AA missile to bring down an aircraft he needs the aircraft to be low and relativily slow (10,000 I think is the top range of shoulder launched missles, and most can only get to ~5,000) This also tends to put the aircraft over populated areas for added effect.
-
Being in a populated area presents additional difficulties. You stand a very good change of being observed before you can launch. Need to get setup, etc. Therefore having acurate info of when a target is going to appear would be very helpful. Also, by the time the aircraft is @ 5000 , they are typically off the published approach and being vectored by ATC, making predictions of future location and timing difficult (with 6 min delay).
So Bad guy need to either set up along final approach (which hopefully is being watch closely for suspicious activity, or setup elsewhere and make do.
Most likely the biggest reason is the flying public would be nervous (justified or not) with the data being avail. Would rather a 6 min delay than an all out ban!
It’s just one of those things that’s just there and you just deal with it.
remember how they delayed the super bowl last year in case some random anatomy was somehow displayed…
the delay is meant to give the higher-ups time to censor information if needed. Also, limiting real time info to the general public is usually considered a good way to discourage people from using it for other than general (when is my mother in law gonna land) uses.
dm
remember how they delayed the super bowl last year in case some random anatomy was somehow displayed…
Yeah, you gotta watch out for them learjets. I hear they’re constantly showwing their boobs.