NASA: Air traffic simulation

The NASA Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate (now there’s a mouthful) has published a movie of a simulation called "Day in the Life of air traffic over the United States" (QuickTime movie).

The rather blocky graphics are reminiscent of the displays in the movie War Games, but the results are pleasing in the same way that watching an aquarium can be. Planes flow and ebb according to time of day, looking like so many ants.

Also linked from the ARMD is the Dryden Aircraft Graphics Collection, a large database of airplane line graphics. They are downloadable in high-resolution GIF or even EPS, but keep in mind the NASA reproduction guidelines.

Via BoingBoing.