Aztec Driver
Line Up and Wait
I did a multiple leg charter today. On the one leg around Philadelphia, while on VFR flight following, I had an airliner get annoyed with me. The controller told me to fly 120 and descend to 2500, before turning south on course, which I did. As I reached 2500 and started to turn on course, the controller reconfirms that I am free to turn on course. As I round out from my turn, above and to the right, 2-3 miles away is a 777 heading east and crossing my path, at what looked like 300-500 feet above. He stayed ahead of me, I constantly had him in sight, and there was no danger, however, it must have set off his TCAS, because, as the controller called out traffic to the airliner, the pilot radioed back that he has it on TCAS and has to climb immediately. I was still at 2500. The pilot then radios back that "that guy was only 300 feet below me, what is he doing that close to me?"
The controller replied that "he is flying around VFR." He then verified my altitude at 2500.
I am wondering if the controller was expecting me to continue my descent, or if, possibly, my transponder or altimeter are off enough to give that much of an error on altitude reporting. This seems to be a situation where the controller got us too close together, or am I missing something that I should have done better.
All in all, it was a grueling early morning constantly moving charter.
The controller replied that "he is flying around VFR." He then verified my altitude at 2500.
I am wondering if the controller was expecting me to continue my descent, or if, possibly, my transponder or altimeter are off enough to give that much of an error on altitude reporting. This seems to be a situation where the controller got us too close together, or am I missing something that I should have done better.
All in all, it was a grueling early morning constantly moving charter.