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Short, plain explanations of what you see on the live streams: why that plane is circling, what the numbers on a runway mean, and what a squawk code is.
- Why do planes fly in circles?
A holding pattern is a racetrack-shaped loop that keeps aircraft in an orderly queue when they cannot land yet. - What is a go-around?
A go-around is when a pilot breaks off a landing, climbs away and tries again. It is a normal safety procedure. - What is a squawk code?
A squawk is a four-digit number an aircraft sends from its transponder so air traffic control can tell it apart on radar. - What do runway numbers mean?
A runway number is its compass direction, divided by ten and rounded. Runway 27 points roughly west. - Why do planes take off into the wind?
Wind flowing over the wings gives extra lift, so an aircraft facing the wind needs less runway and speed to take off or land. - Callsign, registration and hex: what is the difference?
A callsign names a flight, a registration names a particular aircraft, and a hex code is the aircraft’s unique radio address. - What is wake turbulence?
Large aircraft leave swirling air behind them, so controllers keep a gap between aircraft to keep everyone safe. - What are flight levels?
Above a certain height, aircraft stop quoting feet above the ground and use a shared pressure scale called flight levels. - Radio phrases explained
Pilots and controllers use a fixed set of short phrases so that nothing is misunderstood. - How does flight tracking work?
AirLive shows aircraft from ADS-B signals, which aircraft broadcast and volunteers’ receivers pick up.