traffic 12'O clock... 3 miles out

WannFly

WannFly

Final Approach
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Priyo
alright funny story.. well wasn't that funny when it happened...

I was flying with my CFI with a death grip on the yoke, about 2900 ft when I hear Cessna ... traffic advisory (or something to that effect), 12'O clock 3 miles out at 3100 ft. my CFI replied looking for traffic.

here is what happened next:

  1. my mind started doing calculations at the speed of light.... I am travelling at 95 knots, the other dude is probably travelling at the same time.. and by the time I finish doing this 4th grade math, I would smell his deodorant
  2. ok lets try to find a plane now...where do I look? instead of looking straight ahead, I looked down on the road and started scanning... my CFI chuckled and said.. u know u aint driving right?
  3. ATC calls out, traffic no concern (or something like that, still new to radio calls, but at least now I can figure out when they are talking to me)
 
Your mental math presumes the traffic is heading straight forward. Always look in the "general direction" that ATC calls out but ATC doesn't often know what your aircraft heading actually is (just your ground track) and the plane may have moved relative to you from the time he started the callout.

By the way, the answer to the call out if you don't see the plane is "NEGATIVE CONTACT." The answer, if you do, is "TRAFFIC IN SIGHT." CFI's aren't always the best example.
 
I only know ONE pilot who actually spotted every contact ATC called out. Or at least he said he did.

It's interesting that my GF can usually find contacts much better than I can. Maybe I'm busy flying a plane or something, but when there is a traffic advisory she usually says "Got it" faster than I can say "Looking for...."
 
Usually ATC also mentions the direction of the other aircraft. Like "bugsmasher N12BS, traffic 12 o'clock, 3 miles, opposite direction, same altitude, a Cessna" :eek: or "bugsmasher N12BS, traffic 12 o'clock, 3 miles, southeast bound, 3,100 ft., a Cessna".

The first example would demand immediate action, if you don't have him in sight yet. In case of the second example, your reaction would depend on your own position, speed and whether you are climbing.

If you can't spot the traffic, tell ATC "bugsmasher N12BS, negative contact". If the traffic is close, you want to do this rather sooner than later. You can also ask ATC for a suggested heading, to help you avoid the traffic, if you can't find it. There is absolutely no shame in admitting that you haven't found the traffic yet. You'll be surprised about how tough it its to spot other aircraft, even after ATC told you where to look. You will also learn that some of them seem to be invisible, even though they are supposed to be only a few miles away.

This is by the way one oft the reasons, why my wife and I either use flight following or file IFR for cross country flight - I really like to have this additional set of eyes (ATC) help me look for traffic.
 
flyingron said:
Your mental math presumes the traffic is heading straight forward. Always look in the "general direction" that ATC calls out but ATC doesn't often know what your aircraft heading actually is (just your ground track) and the plane may have moved relative to you from the time he started the callout.

By the way, the answer to the call out if you don't see the plane is "NEGATIVE CONTACT." The answer, if you do, is "TRAFFIC IN SIGHT." CFI's aren't always the best example.
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Good info!

I always say "Looking for traffic..."
 
Another looking for traffic guy here. Will change that phrase. Thanks!
btw. it's even funnier when it is "12 o'clock, less than a mile, same altitude, type unknown". Had that near Charleston a week ago...
 
Should've said "no joy." You failed.
 
rolivi said:
It's interesting that my GF can usually find contacts much better than I can. Maybe I'm busy flying a plane or something, but when there is a traffic advisory she usually says "Got it" faster than I can say "Looking for...."
Click to expand...

My wife is the same way. She can spot traffic from the back seat faster than two pilots up front . . .
 
mtuomi said:
it's even funnier when it is "12 o'clock, less than a mile, same altitude, type unknown". Had that near Charleston a week ago...
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Mmm dunno about funnier (I know you didn't mean it that way) but don't go there again, please.
 
I only really perk up when I also hear the alarms going off in that background when ATC makes the traffic call to me!
 
Hank S said:
My wife is the same way. She can spot traffic from the back seat faster than two pilots up front . . .
Click to expand...

Same experience here. It's uncanny.
 
We always impressed on the kids that if they saw traffic they were to point it out. It was rare they caught one before we did, but they always tried. That was until Margy and Ian flew in the Ripon transition at Oshkosh one year. He went crazy because there were airplanes all over the place.
 
If you let go of the yoke.... the plane will fall out of the sky.... Unless you hear the beeping in the background and a slightly elevated voice from the controller with a "suggest you climb" You are just not trying. I always climb, just like for birds. Birds always dive.
 
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