Flight manual · Getting started

MODE 1090 at a Glance

Understand what MODE 1090 does and which parts are available on each Apple platform.

Availability: iPhone · iPad · Mac · Apple Watch · Apple TV · Free + Premium. Checked for app version: 1.0.0.

Outcome

MODE 1090 turns the live aircraft around you into a focused radar, a verified sighting collection and platform-specific views for every Apple screen.

MODE 1090 live radar with nearby aircraft on iPhone

How to do it

  1. Open Sky on iPhone, iPad or Mac to see nearby live traffic and its current data age.
  2. Select an aircraft to inspect callsign, registration, type, altitude, speed, route information and available photo attribution.
  3. On iPhone or iPad, open Sky Scanner to align the device with an aircraft you can actually see and save a verified sighting.
  4. Open Collection on iPhone, iPad or Mac to search, filter and review the aircraft you have confirmed.
  5. Use the native Apple Watch and Apple TV apps for their purpose-built radar, list, detail and display controls.
MODE 1090 live radar and nearby list on iPad
MODE 1090 live radar workspace on Mac
MODE 1090 radar on Apple Watch Ultra
Full-screen MODE 1090 radar on Apple TV

Good to know

  • The iPhone does not receive 1090 MHz radio signals. MODE 1090 visualizes live data from configured aviation data providers.
  • Apple Watch and Apple TV are focused companion experiences; account, collection, backup and scanner tools remain on iPhone, iPad and Mac.
  • MODE 1090 is a discovery and spotting product, not a certified navigation or air-traffic-control system.
If the result looks different, open Settings > Help and send the visible status together with device, operating system and app version.
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