Why we gotta look out the window!

[RotaryWingBob]

I flew some patterns in the Archer today because I haven't been flying it much. Runway 9 at N99 was in use and has right traffic.

On my last pattern, I announced my departure from 9 closed traffic and took off. I announced when I was on right downwind for 9 when I turned on to it. Abeam the numbers, I did the usual stuff and was about to turn base when I got a TIS alert. A couple of seconds later I spotted a Cessna at my altitude coming right at me. I elected a sharp diving right turn towards base leg, narrowly missing the Cessna. I don't think he ever saw me, and I think we would have exchanged paint had I not taken action. Thirty seconds later he announces he is on right downwind for 9. I guess he thinks that proper pattern entry for the downwind is to fly the wrong way on it and then do a 180...

Anyway, this is just a reminder about why we gotta keep our eyes outside of the cockpit.

 

[Len Lanetti]

Thirty seconds later he announces he is on right downwind for 9. I guess he thinks that proper pattern entry for the downwind is to fly the wrong way on it and then do a 180...

Bob,

Glad I didn't get to see you on Action News film at 11...not that it matters but I'd be willing to bet he was on the left downwind for 27 then did the 180.

Len

 

[RotaryWingBob]

Bob,

Glad I didn't get to see you on Action News film at 11...not that it matters but I'd be willing to bet he was on the left downwind for 27 then did the 180.

Len

The thought about 27 occured to me as well, Len. Had he listened on CTAF, he would have heard me and several other pilots announce runway 9. He also would have had a pretty good tail wind on 27...

Even if he were going for 27, it would have been a fairly unsafe entry to the downwind -- certainly entry on the 45 would have avoided this.

 

[sere]

I flew some patterns in the Archer today because I haven't been flying it much. Runway 9 at N99 was in use and has right traffic.

On my last pattern, I announced my departure from 9 closed traffic and took off. I announced when I was on right downwind for 9 when I turned on to it. Abeam the numbers, I did the usual stuff and was about to turn base when I got a TIS alert. A couple of seconds later I spotted a Cessna at my altitude coming right at me. I elected a sharp diving right turn towards base leg, narrowly missing the Cessna. I don't think he ever saw me, and I think we would have exchanged paint had I not taken action. Thirty seconds later he announces he is on right downwind for 9. I guess he thinks that proper pattern entry for the downwind is to fly the wrong way on it and then do a 180...

Anyway, this is just a reminder about why we gotta keep our eyes outside of the cockpit.

Glad to hear that it worked out for you. You are right we all must be very careful at all times.

 

[Iceman]

Abeam the numbers, I did the usual stuff and was about to turn base when I got a TIS alert. A couple of seconds later I spotted a Cessna at my altitude coming right at me. I elected a sharp diving right turn towards base leg, narrowly missing the Cessna.

It is defiantly important to keep your head out the window, but I feel this was yet another great save for traffic avoidance systems. We have one and I think it's worth its weight in gold!

 

[bbchien]

It is defiantly important to keep your head out the window, but I feel this was yet another great save for traffic avoidance systems. We have one and I think it's worth its weight in gold!

Whew. Wipe off brow. Change pants. There are some dumb clucks out there....but better alive and clucking than.....

After my near head to head at BTP last summer, I had to go back into the restaurant and have a diet Coke. I was shaking.

 

[Rudy]

This happened to me at Pittsburg, a guy was on the old frequency and i had to veer to avoid him, pretty scary especially on one of my supervised soloes.
I also saw a near collision once. The actual name of my home airport is Atkinson-Pittsburg Municipal and a guy on the runway was calling Atkinson traffic and the guy in the air was calling Pittsburg traffic, they saw each other at the last second and the airplane on final veered off. It is somewhat dangerous, the people around here know to listen for both but if there is two people from outta town something like this can happend.

 

[silver-eagle]

When I make local radio calls, I will often say "podunk traffic, warrior 123ab, clear of the active 6, podunk'. Right after the call, I hear "podunk unicom, what's your active?".
Now, I can discount a few of those calls a year to someone just switching onto the frequency but when it is nearly every day I'm there, it means you ain't listening. As I approach an airport, I get up on the local channel and listen for 10 or 15 miles before I go asking. You learn a lot from listening.

 

[fgcason]

I was doing bang and go's one day in a CE152 and some yahoo entered via the textbook 45 to downwind right on top of me. He (CE172) just called 4 miles out not 30 seconds previously, then two miles. He said he had the yellow cessna on downwind (me) in sight and he would maintain separation. He was coming in above me right over my wing so there was no way at all to see him. Two miles, he has me in sight, should be ok but keep trying to find him anyway... All of a sudden I see something HUGE come over the right wing about halfway to the strut attach point and sliding ahead of me. I threw everything against the ceiling and dove for 400 AGL halfway between downwind and the runway. I distinctly saw in much detail tire treads, nose gear scissors and the nut holding it all together, rivets on his belly, and the door and him looking straight ahead. All he had to say for himself was "cessna on downwind do you see me." I told him he damn near got us both killed and he needs to watch where he's going or quit flying for life.

IDGETS!

 

[mikea]

As I got home around 5 pm I had been monitoring the home base CTAF since I took off - nearly an hour. I heard not a peep at the ol' home airport. Winds nearby were 050 at 18 knots.

I announced I was 3 miles north maneuvering to enter on the 45 for 6. Then I got into the right spot and announced I was 3 miles northeast turning onto the 45 for 6. I look ahead and see a plane on the downwind for 9. Then he announced he was downwind for 9. Welcome to the radio buddy.

I'm wondering if I'm somehow obligated to take the crosswind and fall in behind him. I imagined the voice of Joe, my CFI. "We'll be fine landing behind him." Another CFI once said, "Don't let that guy fly YOUR plane!"

Now he gets concerned about me using the right runway. He helpfully tells me he'll hold short of 6 on landing. Thanks again.

BTW, the wind was straight down 6. I didn't need to touch the rudder.

 

[RotaryWingBob]

When I make local radio calls, I will often say "podunk traffic, warrior 123ab, clear of the active 6, podunk'. Right after the call, I hear "podunk unicom, what's your active?".
Now, I can discount a few of those calls a year to someone just switching onto the frequency but when it is nearly every day I'm there, it means you ain't listening. As I approach an airport, I get up on the local channel and listen for 10 or 15 miles before I go asking. You learn a lot from listening.

Ain't that the truth!