Haze and visibility

[Leo O'Farrell]

Flew back from Sacramento towards Oakland in the late afternoon. The haze was impairing visibility. Used flight following and kept and eye out, could see well to the ground but it was really hard to navigate and scan for traffic.

Think some smoke from forest fires is really mixing into the air. Sunglasses helped a little bit. Other techniques, outside of not flying into the setting sun?

 

[Shawn]

Haze is common in the central valley...and the fires aren't helping. It is often clearer at higher elevations. I find my self often climbing higher than my planned route in the central valley to get above the haze.

 

[James331]

Get well above or under it, polarized shades help a little, or just go IFR if it's that bad

 

[jordane93]

Fly earlier in the day if possible, use VOR's/GPS, ask for an approach if it gets that hard to find the airport.

 

[Silvaire]

Haze can be somewhat deceptive. For instance flying back to Oakland from Sacramento you may not see the familiar landmarks such as Diablo or Brushy Peak but the fact is they're 20 or 30 miles away and although you think there's no visibility it's actually still 5 or 10 and it's not really a factor concerning traffic. It's not like a big airplane is gonna just pop out of the haze all of a sudden right in front of you. Having the sun in your face is the big factor and is just as much an issue in clear weather.

As for navigation, we get kind of spoiled in this area because it's nearly impossible to get lost with all of the prominent mountains, lakes and rivers. Mt Diablo for instance is something that you can practically see from half the state much of the time. Think of the haze as practice for when you go to Oshkosh and have to navigate in the flatlands of the Midwest. Thankfully every town has a big honkin' water tower with it's name painted on it.

 

[DesertNomad]

This year is not so bad. In Reno last August there were about 3 weeks when visibility did not go over 1 mile in the valleys north of the city.

 

[sourdough44]

With haze & smoke I'd be on instruments more, as long as the legalities are covered. That would go for terrain clearance too.

No I'm not talking of operating IMC without a clearance, just lean on the crutch a bit.

 

[flyingcheesehead]

Sounds like a great reason to fly IFR. That sort of experience is the reason that I started flying IFR any time the vis is at or below 5 miles.

 

[timwinters]

I was once overtaken by a baron on a cross county. I was on FF and he was IFR. He passed 500' directly under me, same heading. I decided to test my eyes (I have 20/20 vision) and determine how long I could see an airplane. It was a slow day on the radio and I warned center of my plan. They agreed to play along. When I could no longer see the baron, I called center and asked the distance...


...three miles. Admittedly, the "visual target" presented by a plane flying directly away from you at the same altitude is smallest possible. But, still, I knew where it was!

When ATC calls traffic at ten miles I just laugh to myself but, of course, respond with "looking". But don't waste my time...well unless I'm in the Akron area and it's the blimp.

 

[CTLSi]

Flew back from Sacramento towards Oakland in the late afternoon. The haze was impairing visibility. Used flight following and kept and eye out, could see well to the ground but it was really hard to navigate and scan for traffic.

Think some smoke from forest fires is really mixing into the air. Sunglasses helped a little bit. Other techniques, outside of not flying into the setting sun?

Not smoke, all the fires are far north in CA of Sacramento and the winds have been coming from the south-southwest. Yesterday and each afternoon for the past two weeks its convective heat. The dewpoint temp spread is close in the mornings also lately causing light ground fog. Later in the day it's the convective heat keeping dust in the air along with excess water molecules.

 

[gismo]

I was once overtaken by a baron on a cross county. I was on FF and he was IFR. He passed 500' directly under me, same heading. I decided to test my eyes (I have 20/20 vision) and determine how long I could see an airplane. It was a slow day on the radio and I warned center of my plan. They agreed to play along. When I could no longer see the baron, I called center and asked the distance...


...three miles. Admittedly, the "visual target" presented by a plane flying directly away from you at the same altitude is smallest possible. But, still, I knew where it was!

When ATC calls traffic at ten miles I just laugh to myself but, of course, respond with "looking". But don't waste my time...well unless I'm in the Akron area and it's the blimp.

Aside from airliners and large military transports I've never been able to spot other traffic further away than 2-3 miles and that's when the visibility is pretty good and I have a pretty good idea where to look.

But once a plane is spotted I find it much easier to keep it in sight that it was to spot it in the first place.