"Steven P. McNicoll" wrote in message
hlink.net...

"John Clonts" wrote in message
om...

I subscribe to fboweb for flight tracking. I see routes described
like these examples:

SAT.V163.LZZ..JEN.KNEAD5.GKY/1754
ABI.V77.SJT..JCT..STV..SAT/0245
RBD./.TPL..BAZ
F18./.JEN256001..SEP/2202
MFE./.CRP357001..CWK..T74*
BMQ..GRK150004..TPL/1756
ABI..3536/10059..PPA/1709
OKC./.ACT.V15.CLL.BLUBL1.7XS0/2251
SAT./.GRK347035..JEN.KNEAD5.ADS

PNE./.MANTA.V139.HTO.V308.ORW.ORW011.GRAYM.GRAYM2.LWM
ILE./.ROCKK060034..LIT

Questions:
1) Is this exactly the format in which they exist on ATC computers
and/or flight progress strips;


This is exactly how they are input; one dot between unlike items
(route/fix)
and two dots between like items (route/route or fix/fix). The dots don't
print out on the strips.



if so
2) Mostly it's pretty self-explanatory. But is there a definitive
explanation of the format somewhere?


There is an explanation in the N4 flight data processing manual, haven't
seen one in years.



3) I infer that "..: means "direct",


Two dots between fixes means direct between those fixes, two dots between
routes means track the first route to intercept the second.



and that the trailing "/2251" is an ETA.


Yes.



But what is "./."? Radar Vectors?


No, it means the route was truncated. This is an active enroute strip,
the
controller only cares about the route into his airspace and beyond. How
the
aircraft got from the departure point to the last fix outside the airspace
in question is just dropped.



And what is the trailing "*" on "T74*"?


The meaning of * varies with it's position in the route. Placed after the
destination it means any preferential arrival route has been suppressed.



Great, thanks!
John