Live Flight Data Channels

LiveTraffic can read from the following sources, called channels. LiveTraffic can even read several channels at the same time. Warnings apply, see Basic Settings.

Please support the people providing the data LiveTraffic builds upon!

The infrastructure for world-wide coverage of ADS-B data costs a lot of money that public networks don't really have. They rely on your support. If we LiveTraffic users consume the data then we cause load on their infrastructure. In return we should give something. There are different ways you can help those communities:

Support them with ADS-B receivers to increase coverage. It really isn't all that difficult and would help the entire community:

• ​OpenSky - Improve Coverage with your own receiver or by funding one

• ​ADS-B Exchange - How to feed with your own receiver, scripts readily available

Typically, one receiver can feed into several networks in parallel.

Maintain data, especially data about aircrafts and routes. This in turn has an immediate effect in LiveTraffc: If an aircraft is properly maintained then it is shown with correct model and livery. If you find a wrong one go to OpenSky Aircraft Database and add/correct the data (requires a login, which is completely free).

Donate money, ideally regularly, so that the communities have a calculation basis. OpenSky Sponsoring, ADS-B Exchange Donations.

Display of Aircraft

Well, yea...that's what it's all about:

• Aircraft 3D model as per installed CSL libraries. LiveTraffic uses the very same library (xplanemp) as XSquawkBox and X-IvAp do. Expect pretty similar behaviour.

• Aircraft labels (the yellow text), content configurable, can also be switched off

• Basic flight modelling: LiveTraffic tries to mimic those aircraft movements, which are not transported by the flight data:

  • Rotate, Pitch, Flare

  • Turns, Roll (Roll yet simple, better curve modelling to come)

  • Acceleration, Deceleration

  • Gear and Flap movement

  • Lights (Beacon, Navigation, Landing, Taxi)

• Landing Simulation in case no more flight data available during approach, so that the aircrafts continue their descend down to the ground, roll out, stop, and only then vanish.

• Hide any aircraft, thereby even impersonate an existing aircraft and taking over its position in the queues.

• External camera view: Hop on any plane's tail and watch it manoeuvring.

Aircraft and Flight Information

LiveTraffic can show aircraft information and updated dynamic flight data (like position, speed, altitude and so on) about the aircrafts as shown in X-Plane (which supposingly is very close to reality minus buffering period, but LiveTraffic certainly needs to interpolate between available data points).

A/C Info Window

• Shows aircraft info for one or more aircrafts right inside X-Plane.

• Aircrafts selectable by transponder code, registration, call sign, flight number, and index within LiveTraffic, or

• Auto-selecting the closest aircraft in viewing direction.

• Multiple a/c info windows can be opened in parallel.

• Options for camera view and hiding planes.

Output Channels

LiveTraffic can send data about the aircrafts it creates to others:

• ​ForeFlight, both user's plane and traffic (details)

Data Refs

LiveTraffic makes good use of X-Plane's data ref feature. Historically, this was just meant to ease my development life as I could use the DataRefEditor plugin to change the configuration and read aircrafts' status. Thus, it became the backbone of the configuration object in LiveTraffic and remains available to the outside world.

TCAS, Maps, and other Tools

TCAS has good chances to work as well as other tools built upon X-Plane's so-called "AI planes". Some TCAS and map implementations require a number of AI aircrafts to be set up, see installation.

​Here's a list of collected feedback...mostly positive actually 🙂.