Anyone else got into flightradar24 over lockdown?
26
SomewhereUpMyArse · 13/02/2021 08:15
I think I've found the Bolivian President's aircraft!
I never even heard of this site prior to lockdown but after noticing really loud aircraft overhead always on the same day and time I googled to see what was happening and found it.
Now I can while away far too many happy hours looking at planes all over the place, imagining who's in them and what they're up to.
Please tell me I'm not alone!
CeefBurry · 13/02/2021 08:18
Love flight radar
Not always accurate though
My DH was flying after Christmas. His plane disappeared and I was absolutely freaked out beyond words.
I love to plane spot ( ex cabin crew as well) but not as avidly as I used to.
SomewhereUpMyArse · 13/02/2021 08:22
Omg that must have been terrifying!
I have seen them "disappear" off the map and then reappear though - guess it's to do with how they're tracked?
Not had it happen to a plane with someone I know in it though!
I reckon the Bolivian President is on his way to Medellin. He's headed in that direction.
Lovemusic33 · 13/02/2021 08:23
I have become adicted too, tue kids think I'm crazy when I rush to my ipad every time I hear a aircraft. I often follow the fighter jets flying over Anglesey and cornwall/Devon 🤣. We have a lot of army activity here, mainly helicopters but they are often not showing on the app. Also I watch whats going in and out of the airports.
Lovemusic33 · 13/02/2021 08:24
Oh....I also follow the air ambulance. Im really sad 🤣🤣
SomewhereUpMyArse · 13/02/2021 08:33
Apparently if you get the premium version you can see all the military ones too. Just saying.
The Bolivian President is moving across Colombia and not stopping at Medellin. He started in Buenos Aires! That's one hell of a flight!
JustZooming · 13/02/2021 08:34
I like to look at it at times and I’m in Australia. Early last year when NZ and Australia went into lockdown there wasn’t a single flight on radar in NZ from time to time, super weird. And I was looking at Morocco too back then as we had planned a trip to Morocco last Easter and when they shut borders flights in and out were practically non existent too. It was interesting the way some countries didn’t seem to change though.
whatswithtodaytoday · 13/02/2021 08:35
I love it 😁 It's great at the moment as there are fewer flights, so you can easily see what's what. In early lockdown we only saw 2 or 3 a day!
cherryolives · 13/02/2021 08:48
@CeefBurry
Not always accurate though
My DH was flying after Christmas. His plane disappeared and I was absolutely freaked out beyond words.
I love to plane spot ( ex cabin crew as well) but not as avidly as I used to.
That happened with my DS's plane when he was doing his first long flight without me.
londongirl12 · 13/02/2021 08:53
https://www.marinetraffic.com/en/ais/home/centerx:-12.0/centery:25.0/zoom:4
This one freaks me out, so many ships!!!! 😳
cherryolives · 13/02/2021 08:56
There's still not much in NZ
firesidetartan · 13/02/2021 09:08
It is 10pm in NZ though.
Skinnytailedsquirrel · 13/02/2021 09:09
I find myself waving at aeroplanes going overhead now, just like I did when I was a child. Fantastic having such a quiet sky (we live near a flightpath)
SomewhereUpMyArse · 13/02/2021 09:22
So happy that other people do this!
I don't think this is the Bolivian President after all. He's headed out over the Caribbean, probably going to Miami, so it's just a dodgy guy in a high fast plane.
cherryolives · 13/02/2021 09:26
@firesidetartan
I thought flights left and went overnight on the long haul routes ?
firesidetartan · 13/02/2021 09:33
You would need to look at the arrival/departures, long haul flights have already departed, still due to depart or inbound from destinations - none of which will show on a screen shot above NZ itself.
midnightstar66 · 13/02/2021 09:42
I love flight radar - pre covid dc and I used to sit in a restaurant looking over the ship port and watch the planes coming in to land while waiting for our meals. We could see what was coming on flight radar and where from and predict what moment we'd actually be able to see the plane from the window.
SomewhereUpMyArse · 13/02/2021 10:08
@midnightstar66 that sounds awesome!
@rslsys gawd, don't let me get into another one!
Our guy from Buenos Aires is now landing in Jamaica. Guess it's drugs/war criminal then? Big private jet going fast at 45000 feet throughout.
ShaunaTheSheep · 13/02/2021 10:19
I’m near a major airport and can see planes from my home office window. I used FR a lot last summer when there were barely any planes going over.
Couple of years ago my DC were on separate transatlantic flights and I watched them follow each other home through the night 
firesidetartan · 13/02/2021 10:20
Any details of the aircraft? I can't find anything!
Big private jet going fast at 45000 feet throughout.
Sounds dramatic but it's standard for a lot of the private jets.
tommika · 13/02/2021 10:28
Flightradar slightly backfired on me for a secret valentines weekend.
Whilst on the way she commented on a plane passing by that she always wonders where they are going. I told her to get my phone out and open flightradar.
I thought that I had just had a brilliant idea to keep her distracted for long enough to miss the road signs and keep the surprise for as long as possible.
Once we arrived at the hotel, got to our room, ignoring the basket of champagne, chocolates etc that I had previously dropped off she looked out at the sea view ..... “Is there a tracker for ships as well?” .....
2021mumma · 13/02/2021 10:32
Yes I have and was getting so frustrated seeing passenger planes coming in from China, US etc thinking this virus is never going to stop unless we close our borders
MerlinsSaggyLeftTit · 13/02/2021 10:36
Yes! During first lockdown there was such a dip in the amount of planes that when the kids saw or heard one it was great excitement. It's usually the local air ambulance.
“Is there a tracker for ships as well?"
This made me giggle @tommika goes off to Google ship tracker
CeefBurry · 13/02/2021 10:58
The worst thing was .. I checked the arrival airport. There was ' No Status'
for arrival time. I went to BAs website... nothing.
I have horrendous anxiety as it is and was on medication the day DH, so to not know he was okay was terrifying.
I do love flight radar though and find it strangely therapeutic ( as long as family members are not flying)
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