Install Required Packages
- Ensure you have Node.js and npm installed on your machine.
- Install the
axios package for making HTTP requests to the FlightAware API.
- Use
dotenv to manage environment variables securely.
npm install axios dotenv
Set Up Environment Variables
- Create a file named
.env in the root of your project.
- Add your FlightAware API credentials: API Key, Username, or any other required authentication method.
FLIGHTAWARE_API_KEY=your_api_key
FLIGHTAWARE_USERNAME=your_username
Implement API Request in Node.js
- Create a new file, for example,
flightInfo.js.
- Load the required modules and your environment variables.
require('dotenv').config();
const axios = require('axios');
const apiKey = process.env.FLIGHTAWARE_API_KEY;
const username = process.env.FLIGHTAWARE_USERNAME;
Define a Function to Fetch Flight Data
- Create an asynchronous function to fetch flight information.
- Use the FlightAware API endpoint: commonly
FlightXML3.
- Configure the function to handle API responses and errors effectively.
async function fetchFlightInfo(flightNumber) {
const url = `https://flightxml.flightaware.com/json/FlightXML3/FlightInfoStatus`;
try {
const response = await axios.get(url, {
params: { ident: flightNumber },
auth: {
username: username,
password: apiKey
}
});
console.log(response.data);
} catch (error) {
console.error(`Error fetching flight info: ${error}`);
}
}
Call the Function with Desired Parameters
- Specify the flight number or any other query parameter needed for your request.
- Execute your function to retrieve and display flight information.
fetchFlightInfo('AA100'); // Example flight number
Handle Different API Responses
- Ensure your function properly manages responses such as invalid flight numbers or network issues.
- Consider enhancing your function to parse and format the response data for improved readability.
// In the fetchFlightInfo function
if (response && response.data && response.data.FlightInfoStatusResult) {
const flights = response.data.FlightInfoStatusResult.flights;
flights.forEach(flight => {
console.log(`Flight: ${flight.ident}, Status: ${flight.status}`);
});
} else {
console.log('No flight data available or response format changed.');
}
Secure Your API Key
- Regularly rotate your API keys to avoid unauthorized access.
- Use a secure place like
.env file managed by a version control system like Git, but ensure it's ignored in your .gitignore file.
This detailed guideline will enable you to effectively use the FlightAware API with Node.js, ensuring both functionality and security in retrieving flight information.
