Welcome back to the podcast! Today, let’s debunk some common myths about aviation data that programmers often believe — and, spoiler alert, many of these are just not true.

At FlightAware, we’ve learned that the real world of aviation is messy. For example, we might assume flights always depart from a gate or within a few hours of their scheduled time, but that’s not always the case. Flights don’t always follow strict schedules, and gates can be changing or ambiguous.

Another misconception? That flight numbers are unique and unambiguous. In reality, a single flight number might be used for multiple flights, or a registration code could be mistaken for a flight number. And don’t forget airport codes — they’re more complex than just ICAO and IATA identifiers, with regional variations and overlapping codes.

So, next time you’re building a flight tracking app, remember: aviation data is complex, and assumptions can lead to errors. Embrace the mess — it’s part of the challenge! Thanks for listening.