CASE STUDY

GCR developed a Web based GIS application which accepts data from the Federal Aviation Administration Air Traffic Control System data feed (120 records per second).

The FAA data identifies the position, altitude and airspeed of every civilian aircraft in the airspace of the United States and Canada. GCR presents the data in a web-browser GIS interface for pay-only users to search and view an airport's inbound and outbound flight traffic. In addition, users can search for a given flight and view the position of any aircraft on a map graphic generated using an ESRI ArcIMS Internet mapping software.

Aviation professionals use this application to get up-to-the-minute flight information, including real-time aircraft position, departure and destination airports, aircraft type, current altitude and ground speed, departure time, and estimated time for arrival of flights in US and Canadian airspace. These easily accessible data and maps allows corporate flight departments, charter operators, fractionals, cargo airlines, regional airlines and fixed-based operators to monitor the location and estimated arrival times of flights in progress.
The Flight Tracker System also guides travelers through the clutter of chronic flight delays, and gives them up to the minute information on the actual location and status of all commercial flights in the US and Canada.

Over 1,800 customers located in the United States, Canada and Mexico have used the Flightpath web services since 1999. It has proven to be a powerful, easy-to-use tool. The Flightpath web application offers flight dispatch, corporate flight departments and fixed-based operators an invaluable resource to plan more effectively and respond better to delays, thus saving valuable time and resources in meeting customer needs.