aviation nerds

[Buzzard]

I'm following a flight from YYC to Puerto Vallarta on flightaware this afternoon and watched it take a pretty unusual jog in its path half way over Montana. It basically does a u turn back to Canada, then when almost to the border, u turns back to the original path. Other than the predictable smart ass answers (firecracker bomber on board, pilots sleeping, drunk, having sex, all of the above, etc.) any idea why?

You can see it here

[HPLovecraft]

Not sure... weather seems to have been fine in Montana today. Possible UFO attack?

Looks like they may have diverted toward Great Falls or Helena, then done a round about to get back on course?

[MRCboicgy]

I track my flights all the time after the fact, and a recent flight back to calgary from california had a weird thing like that in the flight path,right above Glacier NP. I know for a fact we didn't do anything squirrly, so maybe there's a spot that doesn't track well.

[Buzzard]

Originally Posted by MRCboicgy

I track my flights all the time after the fact, and a recent flight back to calgary from california had a weird thing like that in the flight path,right above Glacier NP. I know for a fact we didn't do anything squirrly, so maybe there's a spot that doesn't track well.

Yeah I was thinking it's likely just a bug in the program. If you look at the track log though, it does show the changed directions, but they're instant. In other words they were heading south one minute, north the next. There was no banking west, gradually north. Must be some bug.

http://flightaware.com/live/flight/W.../MMPR/tracklog

[BlackArcher101]

I agree... bug.

[HPLovecraft]

I don't get it. So the plane turned around because of a giant bug?

[Bigtime]

Mothra?

[Acey]

FlightAware is pretty glitchy.

[mykalberta]

Possible medical isssue that they thought might require turn back since it would be cheaper to turn around and land back in Calgary than land somewhere in the US.