i think that this would be a good idea. I have seen that when a flight is scheduled to depart later in the day it says when the flight arrived like (arrived 21 hours ago). It also says it scheduled which it is. So my idea is maybe have a clock countdown of when the flight is going to leave that way with out looking at the clock on the computer you see that it’s leaving in a minute and 15 seconds. To me that builds up the intensity level, it reminds me of when i saw the space shuttle launch off(which if you have never seen before try to see before its to late). Thats my idea hope you like it and if you don’t maybe read it again to make sure of it. 
Great Idea, I Agree!!! 
All the countdown (“leaving in a minute and 15 seconds”) will do is show you how few flights leave on schedule. Besides, it’s not like in 75 seconds, you’ll see some ‘action’. No, then you have to wait 5 or six minutes to see that it got into the air. That’s the minimum ‘live’ delay, per FAA regulation.
A countdown is bound to make folks unhappy with FA because FA is “too slow”. They don’t think about the FAA-mandated security delay. FA would not be to blame.
For that reason, I think the ‘countdown’ is a loser.
Dude what the hell are you talking about, make it on a delayed timer then there problem solved with that. Okay then hows about making it an option that people can choose i know that i wouldn’t be the only one using it.
It’s deff not a loser 
what do others think of this idea??? Everyone that reads this state you opinion.
It’s already on a 5 minute delayed timer!
How, exactly, would delaying it more solve the problem, dude?
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James
Nitro,
While the idea would be good, the problem is that the flight planned doesn’t hit the FAA system until a very short X amount of time. I have filed IFR flight plans the night before and it not show up until 60 minutes before I depart on the Flight Aware website.
Not sure how it works on when it hits the FAA system as I have file through DUATS and Flight Services with erratic results. So, your countdown idea would only be for the very short X amount of time before departure, not many hours before.
Also, it’s based on a “scheduled” departure. Bug smasher like me may depart earlier then scheduled skewing the timer, or delays would skew the countdown departure time too.
Allen
You asked: I think the idea sux.
I understand that you are just learning about aviation, so let me explain. The planned time of departure is just exactly that, a plan. The actual time of departure can vary by a full hour before or after the planned time and still be within the rules. It can also be revised at any time that the pilot or the airline thinks it need to be to something completely different because of gate delays, mechanical problems, and so on. If there is a weather delay or ground stop at the destination, ATC can hold the flight indefinately (much more than an hour) without updating the time at all since they know locally that the flight has checked in for clearance. Airliners often have to pull away from the gate with their passengers and sit somewhere on the ramp for hours and hours waiting for release.
In real life, airplanes virtually never depart at exactly the minute that is planned. Anytime that you see that happen, it is only a coincidence. Even when they are running “exactly” on schedule the actual departure time will often vary by 5 or 10 minutes or more due to taxi times and other inbound and outbound traffic that the subject aircraft will have to wait for. It is not unusual at all to get to the end of the taxiway and be the next in line for take off and then have to wait for several minutes for planes to land before you can go.
So the scheduled departure time will never be correct down to the minute, so therefore a countdown timer would never be correct and would then be useless. Hope this helps.
Now please quit using the “evil” face. It makes you look immature and it doesn’t make a lot of sense to get mad at another user just because you don’t understand their answer.
Two words: Dumb idea.
Why? It takes away resources that could be used for something useful.
Icons? Fun to use in moderation. Need them? No.
All you are right, i really wasn’t thinking about that and i should have known that how can i be so stupid SORRY 
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