The data comes from the FAA command center near DC. Any IFR aircraft
will be there with the exception of some, if not all, of the tower
enroute tracks. Tower enroute is specifically designed to avoid getting
the center involved. Flight following likewise will also show up if you
are on a center code. If you are only talking to the local TRACON that
wouldn't show up as that data doesn't get forwarded to the command
center unless the center uses the TRACON's radar data. You would have
no way of knowing that in advance.



Wiz wrote:
Group:

Does anyone here know the data source for flightaware, and how it
works? Recently, I flew from Hampton Roads Executive (KPVG) in
Virginia to Montgomery County Airpark (KGAI) in Gaithersburg, MD, via
the scenic route up the Eastern shore Virginia and Maryland. I was
VFR, not on a flight plan, although I did have a flight plan on file
for my final leg in the Washington, DC ADIZ, from Easton to
Gaithersburg. I did have flight following by Patuxent after leaving
Norfolk class C. After landing I looked in Flightaware, and was
surprised to see that it had traced my whole route. The data was funny
(for instance, it said I had arrived 17 hours ago), but the track was
right and I know no one has take the plane along the route for a long,
long time. Just got me wondering they were able to display my whole
track even though I was VFR. Was it because I was in the system for
flight following?

Thanks,
Wiz