Close encounter with a Blackhawk today

[Michelle P]

This afternoon while out flying I had a close encounter with a Blackhawk
8 miles from the White House.
I had another close encounter with a Huey, several news copters, a
police copter, a 747, several Traffic Cessna's.
We just waved as we passed. ;-)
Ok now that I have your attention..... I fly one of those aircraft as
well. I fly Traffic survey over the skies of Washington DC.
Always one our toes below 1300 is too low and above 1500 puts us in the
Class B most of the time. Always talking to someone.
Michelle

[Jay Honeck]

> This afternoon while out flying I had a close encounter with a Blackhawk 8
> miles from the White House.
> I had another close encounter with a Huey, several news copters, a police
> copter, a 747, several Traffic Cessna's.
> We just waved as we passed. ;-)
> Ok now that I have your attention..... I fly one of those aircraft as
> well. I fly Traffic survey over the skies of Washington DC.
> Always one our toes below 1300 is too low and above 1500 puts us in the
> Class B most of the time. Always talking to someone.

Sounds like you're having fun with the new job, eh?

;-)
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

[Morgans]

"Michelle P" > wrote in message

I fly one of those aircraft as
> well. I fly Traffic survey over the skies of Washington DC.

So tell me the truth. Do you sit in your car and make sounds with your
mouth like "thwap-thwap-thwap-thwap-thwap" when your chopper is broke down
in the shop, whenever you go on air? <g>
--
Jim in NC

[Icebound]

"Michelle P" > wrote in message
ink.net...
....
> Ok now that I have your attention..... I fly one of those aircraft as
> well. I fly Traffic survey over the skies of Washington DC.
> Always one our toes below 1300 is too low and above 1500 puts us in the
> Class B most of the time. ...

In the database of NASA forms ( https://www.nasdac.faa.gov/ ) there is at
least one complaint that such low-flyers are common in the DC ADIZ and often
interfere with local airports' traffic patterns.

There is some interesting reading there. There are about 100 records for
2004, devoted strictly to the DC ADIZ... everything from NMACs and gear-up
landings due to ADIZ distractions, to inadvertent penetrations because of
slow controller response or outright controller errors, to outright mistaken
identity by investigators (one guy claimed to be working in his medical
practice, at the moment he was supposedly squawking 1200 through the ADIZ).

[Michelle P]

I typically file one NASA form a week. Usually from airspace incursions.
Last week they threw up a TFR inside the ADIZ and FRZ. The controller
called us and told us it was there but did not have details yet. General
location was given and we avoided it. Turns out he had the location
wrong and we flew right threw it.
I have had late responses and confusing one as well.

The near miss filings in the ADIZ do not surprise me. We are flying a
couple hundred feet about most of the local airport traffic patterns. We
are usually listening and talking on the local airport freq when in the
area. We can't always listen if National, Baltimore or Potomac is
talking frequently to us. Only one near miss report has come from me. A
helo in the pattern at Davison turned late for crosswind and came close
enough we could almost read the names on the uniforms.
Michelle

Icebound wrote:

>"Michelle P" > wrote in message
ink.net...
>...
>
>
>>Ok now that I have your attention..... I fly one of those aircraft as
>>well. I fly Traffic survey over the skies of Washington DC.
>>Always one our toes below 1300 is too low and above 1500 puts us in the
>>Class B most of the time. ...
>>
>>
>
>In the database of NASA forms ( https://www.nasdac.faa.gov/ ) there is at
>least one complaint that such low-flyers are common in the DC ADIZ and often
>interfere with local airports' traffic patterns.
>
>There is some interesting reading there. There are about 100 records for
>2004, devoted strictly to the DC ADIZ... everything from NMACs and gear-up
>landings due to ADIZ distractions, to inadvertent penetrations because of
>slow controller response or outright controller errors, to outright mistaken
>identity by investigators (one guy claimed to be working in his medical
>practice, at the moment he was supposedly squawking 1200 through the ADIZ).
>
>
>
>
>

[Michelle P]

Well we have three aircraft. We fly two at the same time one as a
spare. I fly a fixed wing. We do have several news choppers in the area.
I have yet to have a flight canceled due to a mechanical problem.
Weather is another issue.....
Michelle

Morgans wrote:

>"Michelle P" > wrote in message
>
>I fly one of those aircraft as
>
>
>>well. I fly Traffic survey over the skies of Washington DC.
>>
>>
>
>So tell me the truth. Do you sit in your car and make sounds with your
>mouth like "thwap-thwap-thwap-thwap-thwap" when your chopper is broke down
>in the shop, whenever you go on air? <g>
>
>

[Morgans]

"Michelle P" > wrote in message
ink.net...
> Well we have three aircraft. We fly two at the same time one as a
> spare. I fly a fixed wing. We do have several news choppers in the area.
> I have yet to have a flight canceled due to a mechanical problem.
> Weather is another issue.....
> Michelle


Sounds like a nice setup. You realize I was joking, right?

I saw a comedy skit about something like I was saying once. I don't
remember where, but it was pretty funny.

Good thing you don't fly one of those ugly fling wing things. I never did
trust them any further than I could throw one. <g>
--
Jim in NC

[Michelle P]

Icebound,
Today we had four traffic airplanes and two news helicopters in the same
vicinity. The controller just called all of our call signs and told us
to watch out for each other. Basically if the other aircraft is not at
our altitude we don't worry about it.
We are in an area most of the time that has so few aircraft, maybe a
dozen max that the controller lets us take care of ourselves.
Michelle

Icebound wrote:

>"Michelle P" > wrote in message
ink.net...
>...
>
>
>>Ok now that I have your attention..... I fly one of those aircraft as
>>well. I fly Traffic survey over the skies of Washington DC.
>>Always one our toes below 1300 is too low and above 1500 puts us in the
>>Class B most of the time. ...
>>
>>
>
>In the database of NASA forms ( https://www.nasdac.faa.gov/ ) there is at
>least one complaint that such low-flyers are common in the DC ADIZ and often
>interfere with local airports' traffic patterns.
>
>There is some interesting reading there. There are about 100 records for
>2004, devoted strictly to the DC ADIZ... everything from NMACs and gear-up
>landings due to ADIZ distractions, to inadvertent penetrations because of
>slow controller response or outright controller errors, to outright mistaken
>identity by investigators (one guy claimed to be working in his medical
>practice, at the moment he was supposedly squawking 1200 through the ADIZ).
>
>
>
>
>

[Brad Zeigler]

I fly traffic over Richmond. As long as I stay out of the RIC Class C
surface area, ATC leaves me alone at 2500.

Life is good once you get out of the ADIZ.

I hope they're paying you well.

"Michelle P" > wrote in message
ink.net...
> This afternoon while out flying I had a close encounter with a Blackhawk 8
> miles from the White House.
> I had another close encounter with a Huey, several news copters, a police
> copter, a 747, several Traffic Cessna's.
> We just waved as we passed. ;-)
> Ok now that I have your attention..... I fly one of those aircraft as
> well. I fly Traffic survey over the skies of Washington DC.
> Always one our toes below 1300 is too low and above 1500 puts us in the
> Class B most of the time. Always talking to someone.
> Michelle
>