# Planefinder Flight Scraper (`romy/planefinder-flight-scraper`) Actor Planefinder Flight Scraper retrieves the historical flight timeline for aircraft identified by flight number, ATC callsign, or ADS-B hex code using https://planefinder.net mobile API. Each run returns all recent legs flown by the queried aircraft - **URL**: https://apify.com/romy/planefinder-flight-scraper.md - **Developed by:** [Romy](https://apify.com/romy) (community) - **Categories:** Travel - **Stats:** 2 total users, 1 monthly users, 0.0% runs succeeded, NaN bookmarks - **User rating**: No ratings yet ## Pricing from $30.00 / 1,000 results This Actor is paid per event. You are not charged for the Apify platform usage, but only a fixed price for specific events. Learn more: https://docs.apify.com/platform/actors/running/actors-in-store#pay-per-event ## What's an Apify Actor? Actors are a software tools running on the Apify platform, for all kinds of web data extraction and automation use cases. In Batch mode, an Actor accepts a well-defined JSON input, performs an action which can take anything from a few seconds to a few hours, and optionally produces a well-defined JSON output, datasets with results, or files in key-value store. In Standby mode, an Actor provides a web server which can be used as a website, API, or an MCP server. Actors are written with capital "A". ## How to integrate an Actor? If asked about integration, you help developers integrate Actors into their projects. You adapt to their stack and deliver integrations that are safe, well-documented, and production-ready. The best way to integrate Actors is as follows. In JavaScript/TypeScript projects, use official [JavaScript/TypeScript client](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js.md): ```bash npm install apify-client ``` In Python projects, use official [Python client library](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python.md): ```bash pip install apify-client ``` In shell scripts, use [Apify CLI](https://docs.apify.com/cli/docs.md): ````bash # MacOS / Linux curl -fsSL https://apify.com/install-cli.sh | bash # Windows irm https://apify.com/install-cli.ps1 | iex ```bash In AI frameworks, you might use the [Apify MCP server](https://docs.apify.com/platform/integrations/mcp.md). If your project is in a different language, use the [REST API](https://docs.apify.com/api/v2.md). For usage examples, see the [API](#api) section below. For more details, see Apify documentation as [Markdown index](https://docs.apify.com/llms.txt) and [Markdown full-text](https://docs.apify.com/llms-full.txt). # README ### What does Planefinder Flight Scraper do? **Planefinder Flight Scraper** retrieves the historical flight timeline for aircraft identified by flight number, ATC callsign, or ADS-B hex code using [Planefinder's](https://planefinder.net) mobile API. Each run returns all recent legs flown by the queried aircraft — useful for tracking flight history, building route databases, or investigating specific tail numbers. Results are pushed directly to an Apify dataset. Use Apify's scheduling and integrations to automate data collection at any cadence. ### Why use Planefinder Flight Scraper? - **Flight history tracking** — retrieve every leg flown recently by a specific flight number or tail number. - **Route analysis** — understand which routes an airline or aircraft has been operating. - **Delay research** — compare scheduled vs. actual departure and arrival timestamps across multiple legs. - **Aviation data pipelines** — combine with airport scrapers to build comprehensive flight event feeds. ### How to use Planefinder Flight Scraper 1. Open the Actor and click **Try for free**. 2. In the **Input** tab, enter one or more flight numbers, callsigns, or ADS-B hex codes. 3. Click **Start** and wait for the run to finish. 4. Download results from the **Output** tab in JSON, CSV, or Excel format. ### Input At least one of `flight_numbers`, `callsigns`, or `adshex_codes` must be provided. | Field | Type | Description | |-------|------|-------------| | `flight_numbers` | array | IATA flight numbers (e.g. `["GA401", "JT123"]`) | | `callsigns` | array | ATC callsigns (e.g. `["GIA401", "JSA123"]`) | | `adshex_codes` | array | ADS-B transponder hex codes (e.g. `["8A02E4"]`) | ```json { "flight_numbers": ["GA401"], "callsigns": [], "adshex_codes": [] } ```` ### Output Each item represents one historical flight leg. You can download the dataset in various formats such as JSON, HTML, CSV, or Excel. ```json { "query_type": "flight_number", "query_value": "GA401", "flight_number": "GA401", "callsign": "GIA401", "reg": "PK-GFA", "type": "B77W", "dep_apt": "CGK", "arr_apt": "DPS", "airline_code": "GIA", "dep_status": 0, "arr_status": 0, "dep_ts": 1748000000, "arr_ts": 1748003600, "dep_schd_ts": 1748000000, "arr_schd_ts": 1748003600 } ``` ### Data table | Field | Description | |-------|-------------| | `query_type` | How the aircraft was looked up: `flight_number`, `callsign`, or `adshex` | | `query_value` | The specific value used for the query | | `flight_number` | IATA flight number | | `callsign` | ATC callsign | | `reg` | Aircraft registration | | `type` | ICAO aircraft type code | | `dep_apt` | Departure airport IATA | | `arr_apt` | Arrival airport IATA | | `airline_code` | ICAO airline code | | `dep_ts` | Actual departure Unix timestamp | | `arr_ts` | Actual arrival Unix timestamp | | `dep_schd_ts` | Scheduled departure Unix timestamp | | `arr_schd_ts` | Scheduled arrival Unix timestamp | ### Tips - Mix all three identifier types in a single run — each result includes a `query_type` field so you can trace which input produced it. - Use ADS-B hex codes (`adshex_codes`) to track a specific physical aircraft regardless of which flight number it's operating. - Combine with the Planefinder Airport Scraper to correlate live departures with historical timelines. ### FAQ and support This Actor uses Planefinder's public mobile API for informational purposes only. Do not use the data for commercial redistribution without verifying Planefinder's terms of service. For bugs or feature requests, open an issue on the Actor's Issues tab. Custom scraping solutions are available on request. # Actor input Schema ## `flight_numbers` (type: `array`): IATA flight numbers to look up (e.g. \["GA401", "JT123"]) ## `callsigns` (type: `array`): ATC callsigns to look up (e.g. \["GIA401", "JSA123"]) ## `adshex_codes` (type: `array`): ADS-B transponder hex codes to look up (e.g. \["8A02E4"]) ## Actor input object example ```json { "flight_numbers": [], "callsigns": [], "adshex_codes": [] } ``` # Actor output Schema ## `results` (type: `string`): No description # API You can run this Actor programmatically using our API. Below are code examples in JavaScript, Python, and CLI, as well as the OpenAPI specification and MCP server setup. ## JavaScript example ```javascript import { ApifyClient } from 'apify-client'; // Initialize the ApifyClient with your Apify API token // Replace the '' with your token const client = new ApifyClient({ token: '', }); // Prepare Actor input const input = {}; // Run the Actor and wait for it to finish const run = await client.actor("romy/planefinder-flight-scraper").call(input); // Fetch and print Actor results from the run's dataset (if any) console.log('Results from dataset'); console.log(`💾 Check your data here: https://console.apify.com/storage/datasets/${run.defaultDatasetId}`); const { items } = await client.dataset(run.defaultDatasetId).listItems(); items.forEach((item) => { console.dir(item); }); // 📚 Want to learn more 📖? Go to → https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js/docs ``` ## Python example ```python from apify_client import ApifyClient # Initialize the ApifyClient with your Apify API token # Replace '' with your token. client = ApifyClient("") # Prepare the Actor input run_input = {} # Run the Actor and wait for it to finish run = client.actor("romy/planefinder-flight-scraper").call(run_input=run_input) # Fetch and print Actor results from the run's dataset (if there are any) print("💾 Check your data here: https://console.apify.com/storage/datasets/" + run["defaultDatasetId"]) for item in client.dataset(run["defaultDatasetId"]).iterate_items(): print(item) # 📚 Want to learn more 📖? Go to → https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python/docs/quick-start ``` ## CLI example ```bash echo '{}' | apify call romy/planefinder-flight-scraper --silent --output-dataset ``` ## MCP server setup ```json { "mcpServers": { "apify": { "command": "npx", "args": [ "mcp-remote", "https://mcp.apify.com/?tools=romy/planefinder-flight-scraper", "--header", "Authorization: Bearer " ] } } } ``` ## OpenAPI specification ```json { "openapi": "3.0.1", "info": { "title": "Planefinder Flight Scraper", "description": "Planefinder Flight Scraper retrieves the historical flight timeline for aircraft identified by flight number, ATC callsign, or ADS-B hex code using https://planefinder.net mobile API. Each run returns all recent legs flown by the queried aircraft", "version": "0.0", "x-build-id": "HGNmXE4XYqYOncTc5" }, "servers": [ { "url": "https://api.apify.com/v2" } ], "paths": { "/acts/romy~planefinder-flight-scraper/run-sync-get-dataset-items": { "post": { "operationId": "run-sync-get-dataset-items-romy-planefinder-flight-scraper", "x-openai-isConsequential": false, "summary": "Executes an Actor, waits for its completion, and returns Actor's dataset items in response.", "tags": [ "Run Actor" ], "requestBody": { "required": true, "content": { "application/json": { "schema": { "$ref": "#/components/schemas/inputSchema" } } } }, "parameters": [ { "name": "token", "in": "query", "required": true, "schema": { "type": "string" }, "description": "Enter your Apify token here" } ], "responses": { "200": { "description": "OK" } } } }, "/acts/romy~planefinder-flight-scraper/runs": { "post": { "operationId": "runs-sync-romy-planefinder-flight-scraper", "x-openai-isConsequential": false, "summary": "Executes an Actor and returns information about the initiated run in response.", "tags": [ "Run Actor" ], "requestBody": { "required": true, "content": { "application/json": { "schema": { "$ref": "#/components/schemas/inputSchema" } } } }, "parameters": [ { "name": "token", "in": "query", "required": true, "schema": { "type": "string" }, "description": "Enter your Apify token here" } ], "responses": { "200": { "description": "OK", "content": { "application/json": { "schema": { "$ref": "#/components/schemas/runsResponseSchema" } } } } } } }, "/acts/romy~planefinder-flight-scraper/run-sync": { "post": { "operationId": "run-sync-romy-planefinder-flight-scraper", "x-openai-isConsequential": false, "summary": "Executes an Actor, waits for completion, and returns the OUTPUT from Key-value store in response.", "tags": [ "Run Actor" ], "requestBody": { "required": true, "content": { "application/json": { "schema": { "$ref": "#/components/schemas/inputSchema" } } } }, "parameters": [ { "name": "token", "in": "query", "required": true, "schema": { "type": "string" }, "description": "Enter your Apify token here" } ], "responses": { "200": { "description": "OK" } } } } }, "components": { "schemas": { "inputSchema": { "type": "object", "properties": { "flight_numbers": { "title": "Flight Numbers", "type": "array", "description": "IATA flight numbers to look up (e.g. [\"GA401\", \"JT123\"])", "default": [], "items": { "type": "string" } }, "callsigns": { "title": "Callsigns", "type": "array", "description": "ATC callsigns to look up (e.g. [\"GIA401\", \"JSA123\"])", "default": [], "items": { "type": "string" } }, "adshex_codes": { "title": "ADS-B Hex Codes", "type": "array", "description": "ADS-B transponder hex codes to look up (e.g. [\"8A02E4\"])", "default": [], "items": { "type": "string" } } } }, "runsResponseSchema": { "type": "object", "properties": { "data": { "type": "object", "properties": { "id": { "type": "string" }, "actId": { "type": "string" }, "userId": { "type": "string" }, "startedAt": { "type": "string", "format": "date-time", "example": "2025-01-08T00:00:00.000Z" }, "finishedAt": { "type": "string", "format": "date-time", "example": "2025-01-08T00:00:00.000Z" }, "status": { "type": "string", "example": "READY" }, "meta": { "type": "object", "properties": { "origin": { "type": "string", "example": "API" }, "userAgent": { "type": "string" } } }, "stats": { "type": "object", "properties": { "inputBodyLen": { "type": "integer", "example": 2000 }, "rebootCount": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "restartCount": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "resurrectCount": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "computeUnits": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 } } }, "options": { "type": "object", "properties": { "build": { "type": "string", "example": "latest" }, "timeoutSecs": { "type": "integer", "example": 300 }, "memoryMbytes": { "type": "integer", "example": 1024 }, "diskMbytes": { "type": "integer", "example": 2048 } } }, "buildId": { "type": "string" }, "defaultKeyValueStoreId": { "type": "string" }, "defaultDatasetId": { "type": "string" }, "defaultRequestQueueId": { "type": "string" }, "buildNumber": { "type": "string", "example": "1.0.0" }, "containerUrl": { "type": "string" }, "usage": { "type": "object", "properties": { "ACTOR_COMPUTE_UNITS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "DATASET_READS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "DATASET_WRITES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "KEY_VALUE_STORE_READS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "KEY_VALUE_STORE_WRITES": { "type": "integer", "example": 1 }, "KEY_VALUE_STORE_LISTS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "REQUEST_QUEUE_READS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "REQUEST_QUEUE_WRITES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "DATA_TRANSFER_INTERNAL_GBYTES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "DATA_TRANSFER_EXTERNAL_GBYTES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "PROXY_RESIDENTIAL_TRANSFER_GBYTES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "PROXY_SERPS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 } } }, "usageTotalUsd": { "type": "number", "example": 0.00005 }, "usageUsd": { "type": "object", "properties": { "ACTOR_COMPUTE_UNITS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "DATASET_READS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "DATASET_WRITES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "KEY_VALUE_STORE_READS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "KEY_VALUE_STORE_WRITES": { "type": "number", "example": 0.00005 }, "KEY_VALUE_STORE_LISTS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "REQUEST_QUEUE_READS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "REQUEST_QUEUE_WRITES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "DATA_TRANSFER_INTERNAL_GBYTES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "DATA_TRANSFER_EXTERNAL_GBYTES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "PROXY_RESIDENTIAL_TRANSFER_GBYTES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "PROXY_SERPS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 } } } } } } } } } } ```