reply to post by dplum517
"ONE" person??? Doesn't that effectively describe
you??
Well, I see you define your "location" as Salt Lake City? (I will abbreviate it as SLC, since it is easier and is the IATA airport code. for the
ICAO code, which we will use later, it is KSLC. The "K" denotes it as a U.S. mainland airport. The ICAO code is unique for every major -- and some
non-major -- airports world wide).
Walk with me....I'll do the talking......
Taking you by the hand I will guide. (You have to do some legwork, though....):
Go to
flightaware.com...
Play around with the interactive map....expand it, mouse-over the airplanes, learn it. (BLUE airplane icons, you can ignore --- unless you have a
friend or loved one on them --- BLUE means they are "local", arriving/departing from the airport that is the focus of the view. You want to watch
the GREEN airplane icons, to see them pass over, and compare, when you go outside and LOOK in the sky, as they may, or may not, make contrails as they
fly overhead).
Next, for orientation, you will also have to do more learning (and legwork) at this site:
www.skyvector.com...
It provides a FREE source for aviation Aeronautical Charts online. Again, you must navigate the site.
I don't know WHAT will load when you first visit the site....depends on your IP, I suppose. Doesn't matter, though....it will load with SOME local
VFR Chart. (It often defaults to Los Angeles, CA for some reason).
Upper left corner, is a box.....type in KLSC, and click "Go". It THEN takes you to the SLC "Terminal Area Chart".....this is what pilots refer
to, when flying low altitude and VFR, in
YOUR area.
(IF you take some flying lessons, this will make even more sense).....IF you can afford it....and have some spare time......
ONCE that screen loads up, look for a button labeled "Enroute H-3". When you click on that, will display the HIGH altitude aeronautical
navigational charts.....and NOW you can see, in a better way, the sorts of routes that commercial jets fly, as they PASS OVERHEAD your area.
ALL of those black lines drawn on the Chart, that are labelled with a "J" and a -number? THOSE are "Jet Airways"....."jet routes"....defined
"highways" in the sky. BUT.....get this....we DO NOT HAVE TO ALWAYS stay on those routes!!!!! Air Traffic Control (ATC) may offer, either by
request of for their own purposes, DIFFERENT directions of travel....ALL depending on the flight plan for each airplane. (YOU can look
THAT up
back on the "FlightAware" website....when you look up specific flight numbers. I CAN HELP YOU DECIPHER what they mean......).