Bizjet protocol

Perhaps a change for the better...
Flying in the Sierras with some friends from Tehachapi, California
City and Minden, we were treated to a radio transmission on 123.3
(perhaps repeated on 5) from a jet descending through 19,000 into
Carson City:
"...Anyone on the Pine Nuts?"
The jet pilot must have been impressed by what happened last week.
Am I allowed to be impressed?
Jim

It is not that unusual to hear this, especially for jets into Carson,
but you hear the same few voices asking. I believe they only ask on .3
but I could be wrong.

Besides an accurate positon reply, I always thank them for asking, and
advise I'm squawking 0440 (Reno assigned code for gliders) if nearby.

Darryl
6DX


JS wrote:
Perhaps a change for the better...
Flying in the Sierras with some friends from Tehachapi, California
City and Minden, we were treated to a radio transmission on 123.3
(perhaps repeated on 5) from a jet descending through 19,000 into
Carson City:
"...Anyone on the Pine Nuts?"
The jet pilot must have been impressed by what happened last week.
Am I allowed to be impressed?
Jim

JS,

No . . . and actually, we've heard these transmissions from time-to-time
from the regulars that fly jets into and out of Carson City etc. Makes me
smile whenever they do it!

This is a repeat:

I was flying my 26E from the Pine Nuts towards the Sierra at 12.5K. I get an
alert on my TPAS (R-5) showing a 1200 squawk at 5 miles my altitude. I start
scanning in earnest, but nothing out front. Start making S-turns - - he's at
3 miles now on the TPAS.

When he's at 2 miles I pick him up visually on my left rear quarter and it
looks like he will intersect with him coming pretty close. I keep turning
back and forth to keep an eye on him and he passed across my bow at maybe
200 yards or a bit more.

A few moments later a Bonanza comes up on 123.3, states his position as east
of Minden at 12.5K, heading NW and asks, "Any gliders in the area?". I
respond, "You just passed in front of one!", to which he responds, "Oh! I
didn't see you." I told him I had him on my TPAS (as I was pretty proud of
that!).

From his 1200 squawk, I knew he was not talking to ATC and so had not been
advised of my presence. I was squawking 0440 (glider).

Without the TPAS, this was just another example of the Big Sky theory
actually working - - though I'm disinclined to bet my life on Big Sky. We've
doubtless all had similar "near misses". But, for the sake of luck and
probability, and also the TPAS, it could have been another mid-air.

bumper
ZZ

(Quit Vent kit & MKII Yaw string)
Minden, NV

"JS" wrote in message
ps.com...
Perhaps a change for the better...
Flying in the Sierras with some friends from Tehachapi, California
City and Minden, we were treated to a radio transmission on 123.3
(perhaps repeated on 5) from a jet descending through 19,000 into
Carson City:
"...Anyone on the Pine Nuts?"
The jet pilot must have been impressed by what happened last week.
Am I allowed to be impressed?
Jim

bumper wrote:

Without the TPAS, this was just another example of the Big Sky theory
actually working - - though I'm disinclined to bet my life on Big Sky. We've
doubtless all had similar "near misses". But, for the sake of luck and
probability, and also the TPAS, it could have been another mid-air.

When are you going to get one of the new ones that gives you the
quadrant to look at, tell us if it's worth the extra money?

--
Change "netto" to "net" to email me directly

Eric Greenwell - Washington State, USA

"Transponders in Sailplanes" on the Soaring Safety Foundation website
www.soaringsafety.org/prevention/articles.html

"A Guide to Self-launching Sailplane Operation" at www.motorglider.org

bumper wrote:


[snip]

Without the TPAS, this was just another example of the Big Sky theory
actually working - - though I'm disinclined to bet my life on Big Sky. We've
doubtless all had similar "near misses". But, for the sake of luck and
probability, and also the TPAS, it could have been another mid-air.

bumper
ZZ

This might be a good time to point out the similarity of the Big
Sky/Little Airplane theory of collision avoidance and the Big
Yard/Little Shoe theory of dog poop avoidance. Both work most of the
time, but adherents of these theories must be prepared for the
occasional atypical results.

I certainly don't know which tools are BEST for avoiding mid-airs, but
in your case TPAS certainly seems to have improved your odds.

So congrats, and thanks for the story.

Eric,

Thanks for the "kind offer"!

It would be nice to have a clue which direction to look, but that comes at a
hefty price of more than $1000 extra, plus a larger unit.

For me, the main benefit of TPAS is to me to get my eyes out there and
*scanning* with more intensity than normal. And normal for me is not always
as intense and consistent a scan as I'd like (g). I'll admit that I have
been taken by surprise by a non-transponder equipped glider coming at me
head on and about 150 feet below. It actually gave me a start, he was so
close, and I couldn't figure out how I had missed him for that long.

bumper
ZZ

(Quit Vent kit & MKII Yaw string)
Minden, NV





"Eric Greenwell" wrote in message
news:2IDKg.2037$%75.688@trnddc05...
bumper wrote:

Without the TPAS, this was just another example of the Big Sky theory
actually working - - though I'm disinclined to bet my life on Big Sky.
We've doubtless all had similar "near misses". But, for the sake of luck
and probability, and also the TPAS, it could have been another mid-air.

When are you going to get one of the new ones that gives you the quadrant
to look at, tell us if it's worth the extra money?

--
Change "netto" to "net" to email me directly

Eric Greenwell - Washington State, USA

"Transponders in Sailplanes" on the Soaring Safety Foundation website
www.soaringsafety.org/prevention/articles.html

"A Guide to Self-launching Sailplane Operation" at www.motorglider.org