Methodology
ADS-B Exchange Flight Data
Aircraft are required to frequently broadcast information including their precise location, altitude, and speed. This information is received by a worldwide network of volunteers with antennas and aggregated by ADS-B Exchange.
Source of Error: The data itself is extremely precise. However, there are few enough volunteers outside the United States and Europe that coverage may be limited, leading to underestimation of flight time and distance.
Ground Control Registration Database
Aircraft are assigned identification numbers known as tail numbers. Jack Sweeney's Ground Control continuously updates a database containing the tail numbers of aircraft owned by well-known people and organizations.
Source of Error: As the registered owner of an aircraft is typically a corporation or trust, determining plane ownership is often challenging. The database is inevitably incomplete, leading to potential underestimation of all statistics.
Time & Distance Statistics
Conklin & de Decker Database
Fuel consumption varies significantly between aircraft. Conklin & de Decker Digital Solutions provides thorough data on performance and operating costs, including fuel consumption, for owners and operators of jets, turboprops, helicopters, and piston aircraft.
Fuel Consumption Statistics
U.S. Energy Information Administration
The U.S. EIA releases data on carbon dioxide emissions coefficients for various types of fuel.