Originally Posted by
DaveReidUK
No argument there, although I wasn't aware that FR24 used any kind of estimating algorithm other than crude extrapolation and dumb joining-the-dots.
I probably got the idea from some of the FR24 forum posts like this one from 'FlightAware Staff':
The current mlat server tracking filter has trouble with things that are maneuvering hard, as you've probably noticed (it's a constant-velocity Kalman filter which works well enough for commercial flights most of the time)
MLAT - This flight is restricted from public view: ADS-B Flight Tracking
This was discussing an mlat plot of maneuvering fighters but it does seem to explain some of the FR24 plotting behavior as the ADS-B coverage gets spotty.