flight-tracker

# Flight Tracker

Track flights in real-time and search flight schedules between airports.

## Quick Commands

### Live Flight Tracking

#### Flights over a region (bounding box)
```bash
# Switzerland (lat_min, lat_max, lon_min, lon_max)
curl -s "https://opensky-network.org/api/states/all?lamin=45.8&lomin=5.9&lamax=47.8&lomax=10.5" | \
  jq -r '.states[] | "\(.[1]) - \(.[2]) | Alt: \(.[7])m | Speed: \(.[9])m/s | From: \(.[5])"'
```

### Track specific flight by callsign
```bash
curl -s "https://opensky-network.org/api/states/all?icao24=<aircraft-icao>" | jq .
```

#### Get live flight info
```bash
# Use helper script
python3 scripts/track.py --region switzerland
python3 scripts/track.py --callsign SWR123
python3 scripts/track.py --airport LSZH
```

### Flight Schedules

Search for scheduled flights between airports:

```bash
# Basic usage (shows search links)
python3 scripts/schedule.py HAM ZRH

# With specific date
python3 scripts/schedule.py --from HAM --to ZRH --date 2026-01-15

# With API key (optional, for detailed results)
export AVIATIONSTACK_API_KEY='your_key_here'
python3 scripts/schedule.py HAM ZRH
```

**Without API key:** Shows helpful search links (Google Flights, FlightRadar24, airline websites)

**With API key:** Fetches live schedule data with departure/arrival times, terminals, gates, and status

Free API key available at [aviationstack.com](https://aviationstack.com) (100 requests/month)

## Regions

Pre-defined regions in the script:

- **switzerland**: Swiss airspace
- **europe**: European airspace (rough bounds)
- **zurich**: Area around Zurich
- **geneva**: Area around Geneva

## API Endpoints

### All states
```bash
GET https://opensky-network.org/api/states/all
```

Optional parameters:
- `lamin`, `lomin`, `lamax`, `lomax`: Bounding box
- `icao24`: Specific aircraft (hex code)
- `time`: Unix timestamp (0 = now)

### Response Format

Each flight state contains:
```
[0]  icao24      - Aircraft ICAO24 address (hex)
[1]  callsign    - Flight callsign (e.g., "SWR123")
[2]  origin_country - Country name
[5]  origin      - Origin airport (if available)
[7]  baro_altitude - Altitude in meters
[9]  velocity    - Speed in m/s
[10] heading     - Direction in degrees
[11] vertical_rate - Climb/descent rate in m/s
```

## Airport Codes

### ICAO (for live tracking)
- **LSZH** - Zurich
- **LSGG** - Geneva
- **LSZB** - Bern
- **LSZA** - Lugano
- **LFSB** - Basel-Mulhouse (EuroAirport)

### IATA (for schedules)
- **ZRH** - Zurich
- **GVA** - Geneva
- **BSL** - Basel
- **BRN** - Bern
- **LUG** - Lugano
- **HAM** - Hamburg
- **FRA** - Frankfurt
- **MUC** - Munich
- **BER** - Berlin
- **LHR** - London Heathrow
- **CDG** - Paris CDG
- **AMS** - Amsterdam

## Notes

### Live Tracking (OpenSky Network)
- Free API with rate limits (anonymous: 400/day)
- Real-time data from ADS-B receivers worldwide
- No API key required
- Data updated every 10 seconds
- Create account for higher limits and historical data

### Flight Schedules (AviationStack)
- Optional API key for detailed schedule data
- Free tier: 100 requests/month
- Without API: provides search links to Google Flights, FlightRadar24, etc.
- Supports date-specific queries