This looks like an interesting traffic generator for X-Plane. If I understand it correctly (never a sure thing), it takes publicly available information from ADS-B and then uses that data to call up object models from a library (Bluebell) and then puts it all into motion around you. It should somewhat accurately provide near real time traffic. Looks like the kind of cool programming @fearlessfrog would appreciate…
- Channels for live tracking data: OpenSky Network, ADS-B Exchange
- Displays aircrafts (and some ground vehicles) based on tracking data, using matching CSL models
- TCAS support…no guarantees but seems to work pretty well
- info on aircraft/flight as labels to the planes or in info windows
- basic flight modelling for rotate, pitch, flare; acceleration, deceleration; gear, flaps; lights; landing and take-off prediction
- auto-land in case of live tracking data interruption on approach
Limitations:
LiveTraffic relies heavily on available live flight data. This data:
- can and will be inaccurate,
- never includes all planes in the air,
- is geographically restricted to the coverage the channels provide,
- often misses moving planes on the ground as ADS-B receiver coverage is more difficult the lower a plane flies,
- provides by design only positional data every few seconds but no reliable paths or vectors,
- does not include situational or configuration info (pitch, roll; gear, flaps, …).
This inevitably leads to some aircraft:
- not sticking exactly to taxi routes on the ground,
- touching down before or after the beginning of the runway,
- hovering above it,
- missing the runway by a few meters or even landing off-site,
- appearing and disappearing at will,
- performing funny maneuvers like full circles or flying extremely slow,
- missing from the scenery due to limited coverage, which most often happens to exactly those flights you’d really really like to follow.
So with all of that in mind, I plan to give it a whirl tonight…