How Close is Too Close

You can always change course. The other day I was flying In SE direction and there was another Cessna flying SE from west. fargo approach called me the traffic, I couldn’t see it with sun in my eyes. I asked for a heading change and they gave me a SE heading to fly, as soon as I turned I had visual on the traffic about 1.5 mile out same altitude. Per both of our flight track it seemed like we will eventually trade paint at some point. The Cessna still didn’t have me in sight. After some time I asked for a SW heading and decided to get around him from his 6 o clock. Worked out pretty well. Of course if one is not talking to ATC, a bets are off and you don’t know what the other person is going to do. Typically in that situation I will ask ATC for a different heading if I don’t hav the other traffic in sight and they have him/her on their radar.
 
I've spotted a lot of aircraft flying near at the same or nearly the same altitude with the help of ADS-B. My NGT-9000 also has ATAS, and for the last year I thought it might be broken, as I have received nary a disembodied voice warning during that time. But last week, as I was entering the downwind at the home drome, a Cessna also called in to enter the downwind, and popped up on both the ADS-B display and triggered the ATAS warning. I can tell you that if you get the audio warning the hazard aircraft is REALLY close. When you get the warning, you should either (a) make or have visual contact or (b) take evasive action. In this case, the Cessna was at the same altitude, maybe 1/2 mile away on a direct converging course, but I had visual contact just before receiving the ATAS warning. At least I know the ATAS works. :)
 
One time I was flying under the hood and ATC piped up saying someone just showed up on their scope. We were in the mountains so limited coverage. My safety pilot took over and we saw a twin pass underneath us by maybe 500’. On another occasion I was flying with another PoA member and a glider passed just under our nose. Probably less than 500’ feet. I saw it at the last second. The other guy didn’t see it until he turned around for a look. I’m assuming the glider was riding an updraft out of our line of sight. This was in the same general mountainous region.

During my primary training a pair of F16s overflew my cfi and I. Not sure how close but maybe 500-1000’? Close enough that their jet wash shook us a bit.
 
woodchucker said:
During my primary training a pair of F16s overflew my cfi and I. Not sure how close but maybe 500-1000’? Close enough that their jet wash shook us a bit.
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One time in SC in my C150, I was “buzzed” by two jets - one passing over and one under, both very close. I’m sure it was a game to them, but it did get my attention!
 
I was outbound about 5-8 miles from RYY once upon a time. Surprisingly, there was a Baron inbound at almost exactly my same altitude and on the reciprocal radial. We saw each other and passed with very little vertical separation. A hundred, maybe two hundred feet.

Then there was the time I was out at Easterbrook TX (College Station) and had to take evasive action to avoid a V-22 playing around waiting for a call for a practice flyover. I actually told the passenger (my wife) "Hey look, an Osprey. Based on what he's doing, he doesn't see us and we're gonna have to maneuver a little to avoid him." Yep.

And recently, I was flying to a nearby field, did my scan and saw something with a V-tail and long wings at my 3:00 headed directly for me. It was a half mile away and in a 90 degree bank. It completed the maneuver and ultimately entered the pattern and landed in front of me. First correct guess as to what has long wings and a V-tail (and is substantially faster than an RV-6) wins a cookie.

I ran into the pilot after landing and no, he didn't see me when we were airborne.
 
It's good to know how to tell early that you're going to miss an approaching aircraft. Inside 1 mile, don't worry much about rules or technology. Note where the approaching aircraft is on the window and whether it's moving left/right or up/down relative to that spot. If it's not moving at all, then you're going to collide if nothing changes. And so, if it's not moving at all, do something severe to make it start moving. And if it's moving a little, turn away from the direction it's moving to make it move more quickly and increase the miss distance. This works vertically as well as laterally. Spent a career in the F15 making this technique work for me.
 
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"A380, in sight"
... kinda difficult to NOT see the traffic. :)
 

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Oops. Above I meant wake turbulence. Lol. Not jet wash. That’s what I get for watching Top Gun one too many times.
 
kyleb said:
First correct guess as to what has long wings and a V-tail (and is substantially faster than an RV-6) wins a cookie.
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Fouga Magister?

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