Show HN: Abuse inflight WiFi APIs to track your flight | Hacker News Reader

Show HN: Abuse inflight WiFi APIs to track your flight

github.com

105 pointsnotmysql_23 comments

I like the random facts in the payload! That's fun! [0]

[0]: https://github.com/NalinPlad/OuterFlightTracker/blob/main/tr...

Getting patched in 5, 4, 3...

Is it just coincidence that two separate posts on first page of HN talk about the same topic? I thought one was a duplicate before reading

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=37691232

You can read my comment[1] on that post, we actually both independently discovered this and I made a CLI around it during the flight a few months ago. I just realized I never posted it on HN so i'm posting it now

[1]: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=37691478

This is what HN mod-nerdery calls a 'followup dupe' - something that ends up on the front page as a direct consequence of something else that's already on the front page. Since there's only so much front page, you're better off waiting for a less dupey time.

i always like the follow up dupes. it's like it's trending. the topic is fresh on my mind so i always click on the dupe. but maybe that's just me.

That's a matter of taste of course but the important thing is that they get moderated away. So if you want others to see/respond to something related, add it as a comment to the ongoing thread or wait until the air of dupeyness clears.

are you a mod? curious how you know that "they get moderated away". hard disagree that is "the important thing" like it's a good thing.

It's the important thing because that's what happens so it's useful for posters to know. I just happen to know about it reading the moderation log and also wasting too much time here, like many other users. It is definitely a good thing if you think about it but that's not what I was talking about.

I was wondering why it suddenly dropped of the front page..

Probably someone saw that, realized they did the same thing (or knew about someone that did) and submitted it as well.

Generally, how much weight does one place on how long a project took to implement from a recruiter or interviewing standpoint?

I added it because the most interesting part of the project to me was that I made the whole thing while on the plane without an internet connection :)

Nice! Is there a way someone can hit the same endpoints while not on a plane? From an environment perspective it’s a great use of time if the API is only available while in the air.

You cant access these in flight APIs in exactly the same way as you can while on the plane, but the same information can be found for almost all flight in the air that use ADS-B, and there are many services that offer this as an API[1]

[1]: https://opensky-network.org/

And if you want to have some fun, you can buy a SDR (software defined radio) for $20 or $30, and receive this signal from the airplanes flying over your house.

This project actually inspired me to get one and I've had fun decoding satellite imagery from NOAA satellites too[0]

[0]: https://www.rtl-sdr.com/rtl-sdr-tutorial-receiving-noaa-weat...

Nice! Move over elevator pitches, now we've got mile-high hacks!

I'm not in the recruiting space, but as a grumpy 40something man, I've grown incredibly sceptical of stated timelines, since they're clearly a form of bragging (and hence probably utter bollocks). Even if they were true, it's easy to build some wizz-bang in a few hours after you spent months learning the necessary tools.

It's tough to even get people to glance at side projects in my experience.

Generally, does it add much to question a message in the footer with smaller text than usual, that seems to have been a offhand comment from the author?

It probably took you longer to formulate and write your comment than what it took for the author to add that in the bottom of the README.

It’s in the description of the repository as well. I’m not understanding where the hostility is coming from.

I genuinely want to understand if recruiters or hiring managers take time spent on a project into account when looking at candidates. For example if two candidates implemented some sort of basic API, do they look at the candidate who took two hours to implement it more favorably than the one that took 5 or 6 hours? Should people, in general, include time taken somewhere on a project page? Is there a threshold where it’s more hurtful than helpful?

Your point being?

Reply on news.ycombinator.com