Jab too close for comfort

[Al B]

Hi all,

 

I know this is something everyone already knows, but please, remember to keep a good lookout!

 

I was flying today just before midday. It was a fairly busy day at the field, and I was flying S&L roughly NW. I caught the end of a radio call: "do you have the Jabiru to the right sighted?". I couldn't see anyone, but thought I'd have a good look just to make sure. I ducked, so I could see past the wing, and oh there was a Jabiru sitting right in the blind spot. A dive and turn was promptly commenced.

 

If he hadn't had me sighted, would there have been an accident? No. The Jab was higher then me, but it would have been too close for comfort.

 

I guess the lesson is, always a good lookout and be aware of your blind spots. I'd like to apologise to that pilot, if he's reading this. I simply didn't see you.

 

Thanks,

 

Al

 

 

[Guest J430]

Where were you?

 

on the other hand as a Jab driver, I had some excellent alerted see and avaoid today with a C172.......must have spooked him how quick the mighty jab was thought!:)

 

J

 

 

[Guest Cralis]

Sorry to raise a really old post. Is there no options available for a TCAS for smaller aircraft? Like, maybe a portable one, that you could take with you if an aircraft you were flying never had one?

 

Portability would be a problem I guess, as a portable radar... yeah, might not be practical. And where would you put it? But I'm sure when GPS first started, portability wasn't really possible in the very early days?

 

 

[Guest airsick]

TCAS only works if they have a transponder and it is turned on. Given many RAA aircraft never go into CTA (although this might change soon) they are not fitted with a transponder leaving the TCAS ineffective.

 

 

[Guest Michael Coates]

There is another option used by gliders called FLARM

 

 

[Guest weekendwarrior]

FLARM is a pretty clever system but same as TCAS it only works if everybody is equipped as well.

 

From what I understand it works on the same principle as ADS-B, although much simpler and cheaper (broadcasting GPS coordinates via radio, and comparing received signal to own position to ascertain relative position and proximity of other aircrafts).

 

I guess today outside of gliders competitions with heaps of gliders very close to one another it's of limited use.

 

It would be different if it were to become mandatory for all aircrafts flying outside of controlled airspace, it would be a cheap alternative to ADS-B but not a free one.

 

The old debate of safety versus soaring costs...

 

 

[Mazda]

Very true! Please do keep a good lookout, and please look under your wing! Please also don't rely on any gadgets to get you out of trouble - whether that be radio, TCAS or ADS-B.

 

Radio alerting is great, but people make mistakes and radios fail. There could be an aircraft that you don't hear, and if you don't hear anyone maybe your radio isn't right.

 

TCAS is great too, but it does require aircraft to have a transponder, and have it turned on.

 

ADS-B out is like a transponder so does nothing for you unless you have an ADS-B in - and so far they are just visual, there is no sound to say climb or descend etc, due to some sort of patent issue. The last thing you want to be doing in the circuit is looking down at a screen, rather than looking out for the aircraft that perhaps are not transponder equipped, and have the wrong frequency set.

 

Use the technology available, but don't rely on it!

 

 

[Guest airsick]

...radios fail. There could be an aircraft that you don't hear, and if you don't hear anyone maybe your radio isn't right.<snip>

 

Use the technology available, but don't rely on it!

We seem to have come full circle!

 

 

[facthunter]

Transponder use.

 

The transponder is turned OFF for GAAP aerodromes. The traffic density would cause a lot of clutter ( I think that is the reason ). We ran this subject to exhaustion some time ago.... I would add the opinion that the same effect would occur with ADSB out. I would be prepared to be convinced otherwise, but in the meantime I would urge everybody to watch the blind spots and double-check for traffic. Use the eyes of your passenger as well . Nev..

 

 

[motzartmerv]

Mazda and nev have got the goods there mate.. One quick note though, a diveing turn would put him straight back into a blindspot wouldn't it?? isn't that how we ended up so close in the first place??

 

cheers

 

Moderated under rule 2.9 - Admin

 

 

[Ben Longden]

The best devices for avoiding a collision was used in the two incidents described...

 

Eyeball Mk1 and Ear'ole Mk2

 

Even with the latest and greatest technology, they all rely on the use of these two doovers, and the greystuff that connects them.

 

Ben

 

 

[Guest High Plains Drifter]

Slightly off thread, though may be of interest to some -

 

Airservices Australia Selects Sensis for Fourth Advanced-Surface Movement Guidance and Control System

 

Sensis A-SMGCS fuses data from multiple surveillance sources, including Sensis Multistatic Dependent Surveillance (MDS) multilateration, Sensis SMRi X-band radar and Sensis VeeLo NextGen vehicle locator units, to deliver accurate and reliable data to the Sensis Multi-Sensor Data Processor (MSDP). The MSDP fuses the surveillance data to provide air traffic controllers in the tower with advanced collision prediction and alerting in the form of visible and audible alerts. The Aerobahn implementation at Perth allows Airservices to further advance its real-time information sharing capabilities to facilitate collaborative decision making applications at each of its four busiest airports.

 

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