The project
AirTrack is a self-hosted aircraft spotting and logging system built for enthusiasts who take their hobby seriously. It combines field sightings with registry data to build a private, searchable archive of aircraft movements, types, airlines, and routes — all stored locally on your own machine.
The goal was simple: build a tool that works the way a spotter actually works. Offline in the field, detailed enough to be useful, and fast enough to not get in the way. No cloud dependency, no subscription, no data going anywhere you didn't put it.
Why self-hosted?
Most aviation apps either require an internet connection, lock your data behind a subscription, or aren't built with serious hobbyists in mind. AirTrack is different — it runs on your own hardware, stores everything locally, and works just as well at a remote airfield with no signal as it does at home.
It runs inside Docker, so the same installation works on a Windows laptop, an Ubuntu desktop, or a Raspberry Pi tucked away in a bag. Wherever you spot, AirTrack comes with you.
What it tracks
- Aircraft registrations, types, and operators
- Airline and fleet information
- Departure and arrival routes
- Sighting dates, locations, and notes
- Photos attached to individual aircraft records
- Rare types, military aircraft, and special liveries
- Personal spotting stats and milestone reports
About the developer
AirTrack was designed and built by Trevor, a plane spotter and software developer based in Dean Park, NSW, Australia. The project grew out of frustration with existing tools — either too simple, too cloud-dependent, or not built with the Australian spotting community in mind.
What started as a personal logbook eventually became a full-featured system with multiple editions, an auto-update system, a companion Android app, and a licensing platform. It's still a passion project, but it's one that's been refined through real-world use at real airports.