Table of Contents

USA (NARCAP / R. Haines, rev. for CAIPAN 2014 — updated links 2026)

1. Aerophysics

2. Astronomy

3. Geophysics

4. Oceanography

5. Meteorology - in-flight

6. Radar antenna sites

7. Airport(s)

8. Orbital imagery

9. Rocket launch data

10. Incident databases

11. Near-miss events

12. Accident databases

13. Accident / incident investigation

14. Operational - flight-related

15. FAA forms

16. Aircraft

17. ATC operations

19. Accidents - thematic

20. Flight simulation

21. Electronics (avionics)

1) , 8) , 9) , 10) , 14)
www.eldoradoweather.com provides a wealth of near-real-time weather data and forecasts, including printable maps, quick-replay barographs, etc.
2)
greenwichmeantime.com contains a wealth of practical information on GMT, conversion to local time, local time anywhere, etc.
3)
USGS seismic data lets you search the archives using multiple search options. The resulting graphics are clear.
4)
Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS). Image date: March 30 to April 30, 2014, 8-day average. Measures 1 mm of sea depth.
5)
INTERMAGNET network (International Real-Time Magnetic Observatory Network). Collects / analyzes digital data every minute for USGS observatories since 1985. For World Data Centre data going back to 1985, see: http://www.wdc.bgs.ac.uk/catalog/master.html
6)
This seismic monitoring site provides many free research sub-sites under the Data & Products heading: real-time H index, HEZF (for 15 stations, mostly in the U.S.), K index display, Dst index, and others.
7)
Ultrasonic monitoring is carried out by the Los Alamos National Laboratory (since 1981), with six sensor arrays in the western U.S. and one on Ascension Island. Data streams are sent to the U.S. Air Force Technical Applications Center (AFTAC) and the Prototype International Data Center (PIDC) in Alexandria, Virginia. The sensors detect nuclear explosions, space-shuttle launches and reentries, small-missile launches, atmospheric projectile reentries, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, gas explosions, etc.
11)
Climate data prior to the 1980s must be purchased from the National Climatic Data Center (NCDC): http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/
12)
To use weather.cnn.com, enter the city name and/or ZIP code.
13)
Weatherspark.com provides interesting near-real-time data: temp., dew point, wind, pressure, humidity (U.S. radar only). Maps with color topography, rotating zoom.
15)
Includes all NAS radar systems capable of transmitting MOSAIC data. Since Dec. 2012, systems without a slave configuration can record only audio data (no video).
16)
International airport codes provide information on runway lengths, abbreviations, codes, etc. for more than 9,000 airports.
17)
Google-Earth (Version 7.1.2.2041) allows flexible user controls for 3D observation, zoom, overlays, annotations, 360-degree ground-level views, etc.
18)
All data are free but must be requested. Links to the requested data are then provided.
19)
Planet: JSR space report (rocket launch data): 2 updates per month, crewed and uncrewed launches (by the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics).
20)
Uses ADS-B transponder signals. Only about sixty percent of commercial aircraft are currently equipped with ADS-B transponders.
21)
The Flightstats website contains a wealth of real-time flight information: schedules, delays, current status, etc.
22)
ICAO report on aircraft makes and models: 157 pp (ECCAIRS 4.2.8). Assigns a unique number to every aircraft in the world.
23)
Skyvector.com navigation charts are free.