Newbie

[Eanor]

Hello, I'm new, and fascinated. I looked for but did not find an answer to the following question: Why is it that sometimes I will see a flight heading from, for example, from north heading south, and the information on the flight will say that it is flying from Houston to Minneapolis-- in the exact opposite direction that it apparently is going?

[Oblivian]

Route errors. There is 3 different databases being crossed referenced. If flight numbers change on different routes it causes these errors. It is very hard to keep the information correct when a lot of airlines change them around freuently.

[fungus]

Hello, I'm new, and fascinated. I looked for but did not find an answer to the following question: Why is it that sometimes I will see a flight heading from, for example, from north heading south, and the information on the flight will say that it is flying from Houston to Minneapolis-- in the exact opposite direction that it apparently is going?

Firstly, welcome to FR24;

That situation can also arise if the pilot/s dont change the callsign for the return journey and so our database will show the incorrect information and for the reasons Oblivian has outlined. They can also at times enter an incorrect or incomplete callsign into the ADS-B transponder on the aircraft. Here in Australia ATC (Air Traffic Control) are now requiring pilots to fix any discrepencies in their callsigns in the lead-up to December this year requiring mandatory ADS-B fitment and use for all aircraft engaged in RPT (Regular Public Transport) operations flying at or above FL290 (29,000ft) and so the data in the to/from field should be correct in most cases. As time goes by this requirement will filter throughout the world. See this link if interested in that issue; http://forum.flightradar24.com/threa...e-mandate-2013

When I started using my basestation receiver back in 2008 I also witnessed an aircraft here on departure from Sydney whose pilot must have been having a bad day on the flightdeck. As the callsign he had entered a rather vulgar (and unrepeatable on here) name for the female anatomy into the transponder and it was broadcasting to anyone who had a receiver at the time. Perhaps a salutory warning to all pilots to use caution when entering data into the transponder callsign field.

Regards,
Gregg