Hourly Distribution

10. Hourly Distribution Global 24-Hour Flight Activity Pattern | March 2026 Note: All times in UTC (Coordinated Universal Time). Based on departure time. Peak Hour 15:00 28,967 flights (8.03%) Secondary Peak 14:00 27,576 flights (7.65%)

Lowest Hour 05:00 3,095 flights (0.86%) Peak/Trough Ratio 9.4x Activity variation Global Hourly Departure Distribution (UTC) — March 2026 9% 6.75% 4.5% 2.25% 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: 8.03%

Global Activity Pattern Global business aviation activity exhibits a broad afternoon plateau centered on 15:00 UTC (8.03% of daily flights). The core operating window spans 13:00-21:00 UTC, capturing approximately 58.2% of all departures within this 9-hour block.

The activity curve reflects the dominance of North American operations, where 15:00 UTC corresponds to late morning departures on the U.S. East Coast (10:00 EST) and early morning on the West Coast (07:00 PST), capturing the buildup of business-day operations across the continent.

Trough Period Analysis The minimum activity window occurs between 03:00-06:00 UTC, with each hour registering approximately 0.86-1.11% 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 9.4x 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 February Compared to February's 15:00 UTC peak, March maintains the same afternoon concentration pattern but with significantly higher absolute volumes. Total hourly flights of 360,596 reflect March's 31-day calendar advantage and the strong spring seasonal rebound from February's trough.

The peak-to-trough ratio of 9.4x reflects stable daily usage patterns, consistent with prior periods. Total monthly volume of 360,596 flights represents a substantial expansion from February, driven by the broad-based seasonal recovery across all regions.

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 9.4 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.