Webtrak

[Sarah C]

The only problem with it is it isn't real time. The current flights are shown 40 minutes late. Still, it is better than nothing.

[NickN]

Pay the 25 Euros and get PlanePlotter which is real time.

[Pavitar Singh]

From Airservices:

WebTrak

WebTrak is an innovative system providing the community with information on where and how high aircraft fly, as well as noise levels of these operations.

It allows members of the public access to detailed information on aircraft operations around major airports.

WebTrak is part of the largest integrated Noise and Flight Path Monitoring System in the world.

How does it work?
WebTrak uses information from air traffic control secondary surveillance radars to monitor aircraft:

within 55 km of the airport
up to a height of 3000m above ground level
Aircraft noise data is downloaded daily from noise monitors strategically located about the communities close to the airport.

The information is then displayed on a detailed map (road or aerial) which enables the user to zoom down to their street level.

In Current Flights mode you can view current operations (delayed by 40 minutes for aviation security reasons) around the airport.

In Replay Mode you can access flight information and noise data for the previous two weeks.

[Matt D]

The BAA also have this service for Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted etc.

http://lhr.webtrak-lochard.com/template/index.html

[Peter Casey]

The layout reminds me of a Software ATC Simulator I used to have called Tracon.

Terminal Radar Approach Control, also had a radar sweep on it too, and for memory you could throw in some cloud coverage as well and hand off to towers with the ILS too. A Great Program !!

Rgds
Peter

[Philip Argy]

Originally Posted by Sarah C

The only problem with it is it isn't real time. The current flights are shown 40 minutes late. Still, it is better than nothing.

If you untick 'current' and set the display time to 24, 48 or 72 hours before current time you will often get a close approximation of current activity, obviously subject to similar weather and on-schedule movements. I find it more useful than the real time less 40 minutes display simply because it better approximates the scheduled movements.

Does anyone know what the moving 'Beacon' symbols are - they seem to do tight circuits at low altitude?

[Henry Sackville]

'Beacon' appears to represent a transponder squawk code. Most are squawking VFR code 1200. Is it possible that it is because these have no flight plan filed, or maybe it has something to do with the level of ident sent in their ADS-B signal?

[Mick F]

VFR aircraft not currently under RADAR surveillance.

Mick

[Mark D]

Originally Posted by Philip Argy

Does anyone know what the moving 'Beacon' symbols are - they seem to do tight circuits at low altitude?

Tracks not associated with a flight plan in the ATC system, so VFR in Class G or the restricted areas over the harbour.

My understanding is that the login that was published on PPRune was not originally intended for public consumption, but for Airservices internal use. A different level of access was to be available publically. Looks like the same data either way now.

As it's designed for noise issues no tracks are shown above 10,000 feet

THe mention of ADS-B in the thread has me curious... at this stage I *think* the noise monitoring system that supplies this data doesn't have ADS-B info sent to it. But I could be wrong! :-)

Official public link is now via here:
http://www.airservices.gov.au/aviati...se/default.asp

[Grahame Hutchison]

WebTrak is quite a good representation of the activity in and around YSSY and YSBK (another useful resource). The Robinson R44 departed YSSY and then tracked up the coast and the VFR aircraft out of Bankstown squak 1200 on their Transponder. I like the way you can bring up the small window for each aircraft and show the altitude changing as the track (the line to the aircraft also moves with it). I don't know whether there is a limitation on the number of individual windows, as these would not appear from new aircraft after a while.

I was thinking of doing a Harbour Scenic 1 tomorrow morning so it will be interesting to have a look and see what happens when I get the clearance and a new squak code. I assume it will still show as General Aviation but with the new clearance code.