astanley
En-Route
I was walking into a client office about 11:45 this morning.
This client is near an airport in Rhode Island; uncontrolled but popular with the transient turboprop / high-power single set.
I was crossing the "bridge" between the parking lot and the office when I heard two airplanes - I had seen what appeared to be a Cirrus or a Piper, heading NE as I got out of the car. I looked to the NE and saw a single-engine low wing plane with tip tanks on an intersecting flight path with the NE bound plane. I'd estimate that both planes were within 2500 AGL; not above 3000.
I froze, thinking "holy ^*#!" As I realized this, the "Cirrus" (it was a very white plane with setback gear, I really don't know the type) hauls over into a hard left bank, about 45 degrees. The planes were about 50' vertically apart, and they passed "without incident" The "cirrus" completed a 45 degree bank to the right to re-establish course and went along it's way. The WSW bound A/C did not change flight path in the slightest. It turned out to be a Bonanza, an F33 I think - I recognized it from the cockpit windows and the tail plus tip tanks.
I've been that close once, within about 500 laterally of another plane in the pattern, July of 2001 to be exact. I had goose bumps running down my arms and neck, I still can't believe what I just saw.
A lot of transient a/c duck low through this area, to get under the PVD class C, so I see a lot of "low" aircraft, plus the traffic from SFZ, which is just a few clicks to the SW.
Anyways, just wanted to share the story. I imagine that the "cirrus" pilot needed a change of drawers when he landed!
Cheers,
-Andrew
This client is near an airport in Rhode Island; uncontrolled but popular with the transient turboprop / high-power single set.
I was crossing the "bridge" between the parking lot and the office when I heard two airplanes - I had seen what appeared to be a Cirrus or a Piper, heading NE as I got out of the car. I looked to the NE and saw a single-engine low wing plane with tip tanks on an intersecting flight path with the NE bound plane. I'd estimate that both planes were within 2500 AGL; not above 3000.
I froze, thinking "holy ^*#!" As I realized this, the "Cirrus" (it was a very white plane with setback gear, I really don't know the type) hauls over into a hard left bank, about 45 degrees. The planes were about 50' vertically apart, and they passed "without incident" The "cirrus" completed a 45 degree bank to the right to re-establish course and went along it's way. The WSW bound A/C did not change flight path in the slightest. It turned out to be a Bonanza, an F33 I think - I recognized it from the cockpit windows and the tail plus tip tanks.
I've been that close once, within about 500 laterally of another plane in the pattern, July of 2001 to be exact. I had goose bumps running down my arms and neck, I still can't believe what I just saw.
A lot of transient a/c duck low through this area, to get under the PVD class C, so I see a lot of "low" aircraft, plus the traffic from SFZ, which is just a few clicks to the SW.
Anyways, just wanted to share the story. I imagine that the "cirrus" pilot needed a change of drawers when he landed!
Cheers,
-Andrew
