Scared of mid-airs

"Roger" wrote in message
...
On Wed, 10 May 2006 15:20:32 -0700, Mark Hansen
wrote:

I've had thee close encounters since 1963. The last was nearly 10
years ago when landing. It was nearly dark and an ultralight pulled
right in front of me just a few hundred feet off the ground when I was
on final. The two previous "close encounters" were back in the 60's
and within a couple of weeks of each other.

Roger Halstead (K8RI & ARRL life member)
(N833R, S# CD-2 Worlds oldest Debonair)
www.rogerhalstead.com

Most midair collisions seem to happen on a line aligned with the center of
the runway and on an approach course. The classic midair, and probably the
most common, is a low wing airplane making a steep final above a highwing
airplane making a shallow final. Once they turn final, neither can see the
other.

The best cure is a thorough scan of the airport traffic area when
approaching and a good look all around during all of the turns in the
pattern. I also STRONGLY recommend at least a short wings level portion on
the base leg when you can excercise the opportunity to thoroughly scan to
your right for aircraft on a straight in approach. Remember, they can be on
just about any approach slope from 2 degrees up to around 10 degrees. More
than 10 degrees and it is probably a space shuttle and you are landing on
the wrong runway! :-)

Always look for people 100 feet or so above or below the pattern altitude.
Also remember that the former "standard" pattern altitude was 800 feet AGL
while the current "standard" pattern altitude seems to be 1000 feet AGL.
Most airports use one or the other for their pattern altitude. At a strange
airport you may easily find yourself proudly using the wrong one, or, if you
are useing the correct one someone else may be using the other. Always
check both carefully.

Also check the pattern on BOTH sides of the runway. Someone may think there
is a right/left hand pattern in effect and be using the incorrect one.
When winds are light and variable virtually any runway may be in use.

I remember one time starting my flare at the Flying W Ranch in New Jersey
and looking up and seeing a Cessna 310 doing the exact same thing at the
other end of the runway! It got MY attention! :-)

Also be extremely careful if there are intersecting runways. Even if they
only intersect or almost intersect at one end. I remember one very
interesting landing at Philadelphia Internation back in the sixties. I was
in a Piper Apache landing to the west. I was number two after a Boeing 720
landing to the south. Those runways kinda intersect at the east end of the
EW runway and the north end of the NS runway. The big Boeing went by and
touched down off to my left. I was on short final over the river when I
suddenly found my self rolling at a very rapid rate well past ninety
degrees. I didn't see anyway possible that I could stop the roll and roll
back before I landed so I pushed and cranked in the direction of the roll.
I completed the roll and came wings level and then the mains touched down.
I really hadn't intended an aileron roll on short final, but that's what
happened. My charter pax were two airline pilots flying in for their ride.
They were a bit pale when they climbed out of that Peachy Apache! Of
course I was the cool calm and collected high time charter jock. I thanked
them for the business, closed the door, and proceeded to get takeoff
clearance back the way I came in, and took off to the east. As I got out
over the river the door popped open. The cool, calm and collected high time
charter jock hadn't remembered to latch the darn door. I can say from
experience that if you are solo in a Piper Apache and the door pops open you
are NOT going to get it closed and latched unless you land. There was no
way I was going to turn around and go back into PHL! I flew on down to
Bridgeton, NJ and landed there and closed and latched the door. Then I flew
on home to MIV. Another day in the life of a charter jock! :-)

Highflyer
Highflight Aviation Services
Pinckneyville Airport ( PJY )