Every aircraft on this map is a real pilot flying right now in Microsoft Flight Simulator, X-Plane 12 or Prepar3D. The JSV Flight Logger sends a position report every few seconds while a flight is under way, so the map shows where each aircraft is, how high and how fast it is going, and how far along the route it has come. Select a flight to see its flown track, its filed route and the airframe itself.
Positions come straight from the simulator through the flight logger. Between reports the map moves each aircraft along its heading, so the picture stays smooth.
Selecting a flight draws the track it has actually flown alongside the route filed through SimBrief dispatch, so you can see where it has deviated.
Optional overlays add precipitation radar, METAR stations and SIGMET or AIRMET hazard areas, sourced from NOAA and RainViewer.
Pick any of the 289 airlines on the roster, dispatch through SimBrief and your flight appears here too. Membership is free.
The map polls for new positions every 30 seconds. Between polls each aircraft is moved along its last reported heading and ground speed, so it keeps moving rather than jumping. When a fresh report arrives the aircraft eases onto its true position.
Flights that are boarding, taxiing or paused are shown in grey and do not move. A flight also stops updating if the pilot pauses the simulator or loses connection, in which case it stays at its last reported position until tracking resumes or the flight is filed.
Grey aircraft are on the ground, green are climbing, blue are en route at cruise, amber are descending or on approach, and purple have landed. Red marks a diverted or emergency flight.
Yes. Selecting a flight adds its callsign to the address bar, so the link you copy opens the map with that flight already selected, for as long as it is still flying.
No. The live map is open to everyone. You need a free JetStream Virtual account only if you want to fly and appear on it yourself.