Radar is an absolutely stunning Google Map created by ZHAW (Zurich University of Applied Sciences). As the name Radar might suggest this is a map that shows Swiss air traffic in real-time.
The current location of airplanes is shown on the map with small plane icons. The flight-path that each plane has taken is shown by a coloured line. The colour of the line indicates the altitude of the plane.
If you click on an individual plane icon the map centres on that plane and remains focused on the plane's flight. A tabbed information window also opens with the flight details of the plane, showing the altitude, speed and its current position in latitude and longitude. If you click on the airplane tab you are also given a photograph and the manufacturing details of the individual plane.
At the moment the map just seems to be tracking flights out of Kloten Airport (Zurich). This map is not only fun to watch and interact with but is very useful for anyone who needs to meet someone off a flight. I hope they add more airports soon.
Other Flight-related Google Maps mashups
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2 comments:
I used this a couple of months ago to track the flight bringing my kids back from holiday. The tracking only seems to extend to the range of the Zurich radar.
To make the experience even more geeky, I listened to the streamed audio from the Zurich control tower (via www.liveatc.net). The flight tracking at the airport's own website enabled us see where the same plane was headed afterwards, so the kids got to observe "their" plane taking off again.
For a change the holiday didn't end at the airport terminal.
And here the Trains
http://www.swisstrains.ch/
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