Siri "Planes Overhead"

AviationAddict · Thu Mar 27, 2014 8:55 pm

I tried searching the forums for this topic and didn't find anything but I apologize if this has already been discussed.

A buddy of mine just texted me and told me to speak the phrase "Planes Overhead" to Siri on my iPhone. A few seconds later a graph detailing all the commerical flights flying over or near my current GPS local were displayed along with with their altitudes and their angle relative to my position. My office is under the flight path to BOS and sure enough the B6 flight Siri said was right overhead was drifting past the window at that moment! Pretty cool little feature.

BravoEchoNov · Thu Mar 27, 2014 9:07 pm

Very cool thanks for sharing!

MaxiAir · Thu Mar 27, 2014 9:18 pm

I just get web search results!

Vasu · Thu Mar 27, 2014 9:22 pm

Same here... Just a web search!

MAH4546 · Thu Mar 27, 2014 9:23 pm

Works for me. Might need to have a newer version? I have a 5S.

AviationAddict · Thu Mar 27, 2014 9:34 pm

I'm on a 4S and it works...my guess is probably location and/or network

Ytraveller · Thu Mar 27, 2014 9:39 pm

It works for me too! You can see it is by Wolfram Alpha; if you google "planes overhead Wolfram Alpha", it’ll come up, and if you click on the flights there’s a lot of interesting information about them. Here’s some pics:

[Edited 2014-03-27 14:40:08]

[Edited 2014-03-27 14:43:50]

Yflyer · Thu Mar 27, 2014 9:43 pm

Quoting MaxiAir (Reply 2):
I just get web search results!

Wolfram Alpha, the first result in your web search, does pretty much what the OP describes when you enter "planes overhead" (which we did have a thread on a few years back I think). I wonder if some newer versions of Siri automatically take you to the Wolfram Alpha site when you say "planes overhead" while odder versions just do the web search.

TruemanQLD · Thu Mar 27, 2014 9:51 pm

Doesn't work for me. Dare say this is a USA-only feature. At least at the moment

timpdx · Thu Mar 27, 2014 10:01 pm

Wolfram Alpha has had this feature for a few years now. This is what Siri pulls up I believe.

dtw2hyd · Thu Mar 27, 2014 10:30 pm

That's nice. Latest fr24 app on iOS has an augmented reality(AR) feature, point iOS device to see planes.

ER757 · Thu Mar 27, 2014 10:55 pm

Works great for me on my 4S - a 787-9 is close by at the moment - one of the advantages of living near Seattle.
Cool feature I'll definitely use. Often times I'll see a four-holer or 777 flying way up there, directly overhead, even with binoculars I can't see the tail or the sides of the fuselage and always wonder who and what it is. Now Siri can tell me.
Thanks Aviationaddict - you're my new hero

KC135Hydraulics · Thu Mar 27, 2014 11:01 pm

Works! There was a Metroliner flying over my base when I did it. How cool!

cessna53996 · Thu Mar 27, 2014 11:05 pm

Not a great feature IMO. (1) Because I find Siri useless to begin with and (2) this is what FlightRadar24 is for.

hOMSaR · Fri Mar 28, 2014 12:35 am

I have a 5S with the latest iOS update, and I just get a web search.

Scooter · Fri Mar 28, 2014 12:37 am

Pretty cool! I had no idea this was a Siri "feature" but I just tried it on my 5S and it worked like a charm.

hz747300 · Fri Mar 28, 2014 12:54 am

I am in Hong Kong, only received a web search.

ArmitageShanks · Fri Mar 28, 2014 1:44 am

Someone's been wasting time on Buzzfeed.

longhauler · Fri Mar 28, 2014 1:53 am

Works for me in Canada.

KBUF · Fri Mar 28, 2014 2:01 am

Works like a charm for me, I can see what's above me en route to BUF and YYZ.

syncmaster · Fri Mar 28, 2014 5:58 am

Not working for me here, I just get the web search results. Even told Siri to specifically check Wolfram Alpha and it said it couldn't find anything.

wzafar · Fri Mar 28, 2014 7:14 am

Hasn't worked for me in Australia...

RyanairGuru · Fri Mar 28, 2014 7:56 am

Quoting TruemanQLD (Reply 8):
Doesn't work for me

Quoting wzafar (Reply 21):
Hasn't worked for me in Australia...

We can add this to the massive list of things that Siri can't do in Australia

flyingcat · Fri Mar 28, 2014 8:51 am

Works great for me

iPhone 5S on T-Mobile

gocaps16 · Fri Mar 28, 2014 11:12 am

I guess it doesn't work in Japan. I only get a web search. Seems like a pretty cool feature as the departing aircraft from Tokyo-Haneda flies over my house.

axelesgg · Fri Mar 28, 2014 1:43 pm

Does anyone know if it only works on iOS 5.1?

Cush · Fri Mar 28, 2014 2:46 pm

This is hands down the BEST feature ever.

You just made my Friday. Thank you SOOOO much!

I

Norcal773 · Fri Mar 28, 2014 3:59 pm

Holy shit, Thanks for sharing! For a guy who works for Apple, I should have known this... I didn't!

bwest · Fri Mar 28, 2014 4:29 pm

Just the web results here... guess I'll stick with FlightRadar24...

SEA · Fri Mar 28, 2014 5:15 pm

Quoting axelesgg (Reply 25):
Does anyone know if it only works on iOS 5.1?

All the screenshots are from iOS 7, so I'm sure it works with more than just iOS 5.

novak500 · Fri Mar 28, 2014 7:12 pm

I have to agree with cessna53996

Quoting cessna53996 (Reply 13):
(1) Because I find Siri useless to begin with

When I try it, Siri tries to call my acupuncturist

fwyakcub · Fri Mar 28, 2014 7:15 pm

Works great in Cowtown. Now if Siri could do something about cloud cover, I could see the planes that are nearby! Thanks for sharing this! Happy Friday to everyone

ER757 · Fri Mar 28, 2014 7:16 pm

Quoting SEA (Reply 29):
All the screenshots are from iOS 7, so I'm sure it works with more than just iOS 5.

Yep - I have iOS7 as well and works fine.

tjwgrr · Fri Mar 28, 2014 7:18 pm

Quoting flyingcaT (Reply 23):
Works great for me

iPhone 5S on T-Mobile

Me too- iPhone 5 iOS 7.1 on Verizon.

Looking forward to trying it out on a blue sky day with some chem-, er I mean con-trails overhead......

ER757 · Fri Mar 28, 2014 7:33 pm

Quoting tjwgrr (Reply 33):
Looking forward to trying it out on a blue sky day with some chem-, er I mean con-trails overhead..

Made my day!!!!

b777erj145 · Fri Mar 28, 2014 7:49 pm

My sister has Iphone and she told me about this earlier this week. I think it is only available in USA and Canada.
BTW Android rocks!!

manny · Fri Mar 28, 2014 8:54 pm

For those who are unable to make it work please verify your location settings and allow Siri access to your location. Then it will work.

toering · Fri Mar 28, 2014 9:27 pm

This is funny because everyone at work is talking about this because it was a big Facebook posting last night!
Must be why this is getting out now. Very cool. How long has this been avalible?

Spacepope · Fri Mar 28, 2014 9:30 pm

Quoting toering (Reply 37):

This is funny because everyone at work is talking about this because it was a big Facebook posting last night!
Must be why this is getting out now. Very cool. How long has this been avalible?

Several years. Problem is that very few people knew about/how to use Wolfram Alpha.

axelesgg · Sat Mar 29, 2014 2:43 pm

Quoting SEA (Reply 29):
Reply 25

Silly me, living in the past. I meant 7.1 ofc

hOMSaR · Sat Mar 29, 2014 11:18 pm

Quoting manny (Reply 36):
For those who are unable to make it work please verify your location settings and allow Siri access to your location. Then it will work.

This did the trick! Thanks.

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