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Cool: New “Control Tower Mode” On United Airlines
United Airlines has added a nifty new “Control Tower” mode to its inboard IFE screens, allowing passengers to track the planes around them in real-time. JonNYC shares about a new component of United’s inflight-entertainment system that allows passengers to track the aircraft around them while on the ground, including where they are headed: Have you ever wondered where the airplane parked next to yours is heading? How about when you’re taxiing, and you see a plane take off? Well, you’re in luck,… (liveandletsfly.com) More...
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Years ago United had "channel 9" on the inflight entertainment headset-you could listen to the cockpit. I loved it. It was very relaxing and you knew a few seconds ahead of time when the plane was going to change course or altitude. Miss that.
About 7 months ago I was flying from KEWR to KSFO and asked the pilot if we could have channel 9. He was happy I asked him and said absolutely. Unfortunately it was not functioning bur when we reached San Francisco he personally apologized for its non operation, Such a lovely gentleman.
That was common on a lot of airlines then:
American Airlines Flight 191 occurred. That was abandoned.
American Airlines Flight 191 occurred. That was abandoned.
This is not the same thing. AAL 191 had in-flight live video, so they actually watched their catastrophy. These systems are nothing more than FlightAware / FlightRadar / ADS-B Exchange / RadarBox type in-seat entertainment. Short of an incursion or mid-air watching the system is not going to "show" you the flight.
Channel 9 is still there on some planes. It's called "From the Flight Deck," and it's buried in the entertainment options of the app or the seatback display. But I haven't heard it in years. When I can find it, the channel is usually just a hiss. When I have asked a flight attendant if it can be turned on, they either never heard of the channel or say "It's up to the pilot." In channel 9 days, more pilots left it on than turned it off; but I think these days even the pilots may not know the option is there. Still, many of us would love to have it back. It's a unique feature for United, and now that they've added the Control Tower Mode, they might be willing to make it more available.
By the way, if you can get on the Internet (currently free for T-Mobile customers on United), a good way to track your flight (and any others) is with FlightRadar24.
By the way, if you can get on the Internet (currently free for T-Mobile customers on United), a good way to track your flight (and any others) is with FlightRadar24.
I used to listen that that channel all of the time (it's been many years). I particularly used to love hearing all of the approach chatter as I neared my destination...
Thank you! next time I fly United I will look for it. I love to track the flights on Flight Radar, but I particularly enjoy hearing the specific conversation of my plane. I guess I'd have to hop through the centers on Live ATC as we traveled.
