Flight Traffic Animations
The individual frames of the flight traffic animations were made by FlyteTrax, a program from FlyteComm, Inc. FlyteTrax displays the real-time geographic location of airborne IFR (Instrument Flight Rules) air traffic anywhere in the FAA air traffic system. On start-up, the program connects to the FlyteComm server through the Internet and receives the current database of air traffic activity. Once the initial database is downloaded, aircraft movement messages are directed through the Internet to the FlyteTrax program. The position of flights is updated every minute. For most customers, the actual data is delayed by five minutes for security reasons. Frames were captured at one minute intervals. A 24-hour animation consists of 1440 frames (60 minutes x 24 hours) that were brought into another program to create the animations. Each animation file can be played at three different speeds. A "SLOW" animation shows the 24-hour day in 1 minute and 36 seconds, corresponding with an effective time-lapse ratio of 1:900 (900 seconds are shown in one second). The "NORMAL" animation depicts the 24 hour period in 48 seconds for a ratio of 1:1,800 (1,800 seconds are shown in 1 second). A third "FAST" animation shows the 24 hour day in 24 seconds for a time lapse ratio of 1:3,600 (3,600 seconds are shown in one second).

Flight Traffic Animations

The individual frames of the flight traffic animations were made by FlyteTrax, a program from FlyteComm, Inc. FlyteTrax displays the real-time geographic location of airborne IFR (Instrument Flight Rules) air traffic anywhere in the FAA air traffic system. On start-up, the program connects to the FlyteComm server through the Internet and receives the current database of air traffic activity. Once the initial database is downloaded, aircraft movement messages are directed through the Internet to the FlyteTrax program. The position of flights is updated every minute. For most customers, the actual data is delayed by five minutes for security reasons.

Frames were captured at one minute intervals. A 24-hour animation consists of 1440 frames (60 minutes x 24 hours) that were brought into another program to create the animations. Each animation file can be played at three different speeds. A "SLOW" animation shows the 24-hour day in 1 minute and 36 seconds, corresponding with an effective time-lapse ratio of 1:900 (900 seconds are shown in one second). The "NORMAL" animation depicts the 24 hour period in 48 seconds for a ratio of 1:1,800 (1,800 seconds are shown in 1 second). A third "FAST" animation shows the 24 hour day in 24 seconds for a time lapse ratio of 1:3,600 (3,600 seconds are shown in one second).