Ever wonder just how close that other plane was???

[121Dispatch]

After doing some approaches at a distant uncontrolled airport, my flying buddy and I decided to do a couple more approaches at a towered field on the way home. After he completed a couple approaches, we decided to continue home on a westerly heading. On our way back, tower contacted us to advise of traffic at 10 o'clock and 2 miles heading northeast. "Negative contact" The next call came shortly after...traffic now 10-11 o'clock and 1/2 mile, indicating 100kts, altitude not reported. I was checking high and low, but never did see the traffic. Next report from tower was that traffic was behind us, and no longer a factor.
We were heading into the sun, so it was very difficult to see anything ahead of us. The other plane was not on tower freq, so I'll never know if they had us in sight...and for all I know it could have been several thousand feet above us.
There's just something about flying VFR on the weekends with obstucted visibilities that gives me the heebie jeebies.

 

[Henning]

There's just something about flying VFR on the weekends with obstucted visibilities that gives me the heebie jeebies.

Yeah that's why I like it way down low, waaayyyyyy down. The only trafic I get is military practicing terrain flying while I'm flying pipeline. Almost got smacked by a flight of F-16s in CO, jinked up and could see in the planes and 3 of 4 were head down, and the fourth jerked up as he buzzed under me. North of Dyess in TX I had a B1B pass about 25' over me and I was about 150-200 agl, and it nearly slammed me to the ground. I give that old PA 12 some credit for not breaking, it was violent. Almost had a T-38 cream me as I crossed the threshold end of the runway with the wheels below the fence, that was a rolling pop up, you should have seen the instructor. I give credit there to the General there at the time when they called me in to land on my way back thru just wanted to know why it almost went wrong (Because the tower which handles the civilian runway doesn't handle the training jets nor does it communicate with the pill boxes which do handle them) and my opinion on what to do to prevent a further occurance (when the tower clears me for my twice a week run thru, have them call the box controllers to advise them I'm coming thru).

 

[Let'sgoflying!]

ooo I hate "merging targets"; ever notice how atc's voice is soo casual when everyone is vrf ('its not my problemo')

 

[mikea]

ooo I hate "merging targets"; ever notice how atc's voice is soo casual when everyone is vrf ('its not my problemo')

As Rod Machado says,

"Is the controller going to have a problem with that?"
- "No."
"Why? Because he is..."
- "ON THE GROUND!"

 

[jdwatson]

Re: Vectors

This might be the place where one would ask the tower for "vectors to avoid the traffic". -- Mike

That's what I ask for if I haven't found them... summer haze around NC is blinding into the sun. I mostly fly IFR for some relief.

 

[gismo]

Re: Vectors

That's what I ask for if I haven't found them... summer haze around NC is blinding into the sun. I mostly fly IFR for some relief.

And you won't generally get traffic avoidance vectors from the tower especially if you are VFR. AFaIK most towers aren't set up to vector traffic. You could however turn away on your own before the conflicting traffic gets too close for comfort rather than plodding along hoping to see it (assuming you are VFR). If you are IFR and talking to center or approach, asking for a vector usually works even though they aren't required to separate you from VFR traffic.

 

[121Dispatch]

agreed fella's...i normally file IFR everywhere. the problem is that I am flying as safety pilot for someone working on his IR. I usually prefer to stay VFR with him becuase we're just shooting approaches, doing timed turns, etc...

 

[121Dispatch]

My guess is that "FltPlanner" was really talking to center or approach/departure as you suggested. How about it, FltPlanner, was it really the tower? -- Mike

yep, it was tower...we just finished an approach at AHN (Class D) and kept him tuned in for a while on our way home...during which time, he asked if we were still with him, and proceeded to advise of the traffic

 

[etsisk]

Re: Vectors

That's what I ask for if I haven't found them... summer haze around NC is blinding into the sun. I mostly fly IFR for some relief.

And if it isn't blinding into the sun, it's just plain blinding! Man, it's hard to see sometimes . . . sheesh.

But it gets better when the thunderstorms start!

 

[deafsound]

Had a near-hit today myself. I was flying along the Mass Turnpike at 1700', and 172 came up really big in the windshield. I don't think he ever saw us. We had to dive the heck out of the way really freakin fast.
The visibilty was about a million miles today.