Hourly Distribution

10. Hourly Distribution Global 24-Hour Flight Activity Pattern | February 2026 Note: All times in UTC (Coordinated Universal Time). Based on departure time. Peak Hour 16:00 15,964 flights (7.56%) Secondary Peak 17:00 15,920 flights (7.54%)

Lowest Hour 05:00 2,229 flights (1.06%) Peak/Trough Ratio 7.2x Activity variation Global Hourly Departure Distribution (UTC) — February 2026 8% 6% 4% 2% 0% h=84, y=146 --> h=64, y=166 --> h=48, y=182 --> h=36, y=194 --> h=28, y=202 --> h=27, y=203 LOWEST --> h=30, y=200 --> h=35, y=195 --> h=36, y=194 --> h=40, y=190 --> h=49, y=181 --> h=64, y=166 --> h=99, y=131 --> h=142, y=88 --> h=170, y=60 --> h=188, y=42 --> h=189, y=41 PEAK --> h=189, y=41 --> h=187, y=43 --> h=184, y=46 --> h=181, y=49 --> h=170, y=60 --> h=148, y=82 --> h=116, y=114 --> 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 Hour of Day (UTC) Peak: 7.56%

Global Activity Pattern Global business aviation activity exhibits a pronounced single-peak pattern centered on 16:00 UTC (7.56% of daily flights). The core operating window spans 14:00-21:00 UTC, capturing 56.7% of all departures within this 8-hour block.

The activity curve reflects the dominance of North American operations, where 16:00 UTC corresponds to late-morning departures on the U.S. East Coast (11:00 EST) and early morning on the West Coast (08:00 PST), capturing the buildup of business day operations across the continent.

Trough Period Analysis The minimum activity window occurs between 04:00-06:00 UTC, with each hour registering approximately 1.1-1.2% of daily flights. This corresponds to early morning hours in Europe and late night in the Americas—the global "quiet period" for business aviation.

The 7.2x peak-to-trough ratio indicates significant operational concentration, creating both scheduling challenges during peak hours and potential efficiency opportunities during off-peak periods for operators seeking slot availability or reduced congestion.

Comparison with January Compared to January, February's peak hour shifted from 17:00 to 16:00 UTC, with the peak percentage decreasing slightly to 7.56%. The overall distribution shows a broad plateau across the 15:00-20:00 UTC window, with six consecutive hours above 7.24%.

The peak-to-trough ratio remained steady at 7.2x, consistent with January levels. Total hourly volume of 211,153 flights reflects the shorter month and continued winter seasonal patterns typical for early in the year. Operational Implications

The pronounced hourly variation creates significant capacity utilization challenges for airports, air traffic control systems, and ground service providers. Peak hours see demand that is over 7 times higher than trough periods.

For operators, this distribution pattern presents both constraints and opportunities—premium pricing during peak hours, while off-peak operations can benefit from reduced congestion, faster turnaround times, and potentially lower operating costs at some facilities.