What does position only flight mean?

Understanding Position-Only Flight Tracking

FlightAware, a popular flight tracking service, relies heavily on filed flight plans to provide detailed information about aircraft movements. However, in certain scenarios, flights may appear as “position-only” on the tracking system. Understanding what this means is crucial for flight enthusiasts and aviation professionals alike.

Filed Flight Plans vs. Position-Only Flights

When an airline schedules a flight, it typically files a flight plan with the appropriate authorities. This plan includes various details such as the aircraft’s departure and destination airports, expected route, and altitude. FlightAware uses these filed flight plans to anticipate the aircraft’s progress and provide real-time updates.

However, not all flights have filed flight plans. In some cases, airlines may operate unscheduled flights or visual flight rules (VFR) flights. Unscheduled flights are unplanned or ad hoc operations that deviate from the airline’s regular schedule. VFR flights, on the other hand, are conducted under visual meteorological conditions (VMC) and do not require a filed flight plan.

How Position-Only Tracking Works

When an aircraft without a filed flight plan takes off, FlightAware relies solely on received position data to determine its location. This data is typically transmitted by the aircraft’s transponder, which is a device that sends out identifying and positional information.

The position-only tracking method provides basic information about the aircraft’s current latitude and longitude. However, it does not include details such as the aircraft’s planned route, altitude, or estimated arrival time. As a result, position-only flights appear on the FlightAware tracking system with a simplified label and limited flight information.

Limitations of Position-Only Tracking

While position-only tracking provides some basic information about unscheduled or VFR flights, it has certain limitations. Without a filed flight plan, FlightAware cannot predict the aircraft’s future trajectory or provide accurate estimates of its arrival time.

Additionally, position-only tracking may be less precise than data derived from filed flight plans. This is because transponders can sometimes experience errors or interference, which can result in slight inaccuracies in the reported position.

Conclusion

Position-only flight tracking on FlightAware offers a basic level of visibility into unscheduled and VFR flights. By understanding the limitations of this tracking method, users can supplement the information provided by FlightAware with additional sources, such as airport announcements or pilot reports, to gain a more comprehensive understanding of flight operations.