[NSRCA-discussion] Mid-Air discussion

Michael Wickizer mwickizer at msn.com
Wed Sep 26 15:31:29 AKDT 2007


You can add a Beryll and an Insight from this year to that list.  We seem to 
have more than our share of mid-airs in D6.


>From: "Dr. Mike Harrison" <drmikedds at sbcglobal.net>
>Reply-To: NSRCA Mailing List <nsrca-discussion at lists.nsrca.org>
>To: "NSRCA Mailing List" <nsrca-discussion at lists.nsrca.org>
>Subject: Re: [NSRCA-discussion] Mid-Air discussion
>Date: Wed, 26 Sep 2007 15:27:00 -0500
>
>Keith,
>I think the 10 degree offset has merit.  I believe most fields can 
>accommodate that.  Make that 10'('-short for degree) for each pilot from 
>runway, effecting a net 20' change.  The centerline would be offset 10' 
>each also.
>
>Also, another help is to separate the lines farther so that center 
>manuevers do not overlap.
>
>It is easy enough for the CD at some contest somewhere to try.  I would 
>encourage it.  I don't know of any contests we(you and I) have been to that 
>this could not be implimented.  I can think of 4 midairs that would have 
>been avoided if this system were in place.  You-2 midairs, Don Ramsey -1, 
>Glen Watson-1.  That is a loss in the last 3 years of 7 airplanes- about 
>$14,000.
>
>I am all for this concept.
>
>Lets try it a t Crowley.
>
>Mike
>ps as far as previous comments that midairs are rare and a necessity of the 
>sport, I disagree.  They are all too common, they effect quality of flying, 
>they are a stupid loss, and there has to be a reasonable way to avoid it.
>   ----- Original Message -----
>   From: Keith Black
>   To: NSRCA Mailing List
>   Sent: Wednesday, September 26, 2007 1:23 PM
>   Subject: Re: [NSRCA-discussion] Mid-Air discussion
>
>
>   The problem is that one avoidance caller can't do a good job and would 
>sound the alarm too often due to the depth perception issue. A second 
>caller (spotter) at the corner of the box would reduce alerts to a minimum 
>and would probably allow the spotters to anticipate collisions much sooner. 
>I think this is at least worth experimenting with.
>
>   As to the offset paths, adequite offset paths are not possible at most 
>fields due to fly-over issues and we're already flying off by 10 degrees as 
>we go in and out constantly.
>
>   As to agreeing who flies close and who flies near, I've tried this at 
>practice an it's amazing how often two pilots still drift to common ground. 
>Plus, this often would not be agreeable to both pilots.
>
>   Keith
>     ----- Original Message -----
>     From: vicenterc at comcast.net
>     To: NSRCA Mailing List ; NSRCA Mailing List
>     Sent: Wednesday, September 26, 2007 6:52 AM
>     Subject: Re: [NSRCA-discussion] Mid-Air discussion
>
>
>     Probably the avoidance callers between both lines makes sense.  He 
>could be consider a third judge.  If he sound the horn means that both 
>pilots has the right to bail out and they can resume the fly.  It has to be 
>organized.  The pilots flying in line A will be instructed to go down and 
>cut the engine.  The pilots in line B will be instructed to go up.  Of 
>course if they are rolling they will need to stop rolling.  We need to 
>think what needs to be done when we are flying vertical.  It could be one 
>bail to the right and the other bail to the left or just both cut engines.  
>The avoidance judges will be the pilots that just finish their rounds.
>
>     I don't think that the pilot's caller can pay attention to both 
>planes.  He is busy trying to help the pilot and reading the next manuever.
>
>     Regards,
>
>     --
>     Vicente "Vince" Bortone
>
>       -------------- Original message --------------
>       From: "Dave Michael" <davidmichael1 at comcast.net>
>
>       No- if it's obvious that you were in no danger of a mid-air then you 
>get a zero.
>         ----- Original Message -----
>         From: J N Hiller
>         To: NSRCA Mailing List
>         Sent: Wednesday, September 26, 2007 6:17 AM
>         Subject: Re: [NSRCA-discussion] Mid-Air discussion
>
>
>         Thanks, now I understand. If I didn't hit the other airplane I 
>obviously didn't need to bail out and would receive a zero.
>
>         Jim Hiller
>
>
>
>         -----Original Message-----
>         From: nsrca-discussion-bounces at lists.nsrca.org 
>[mailto:nsrca-discussion-bounces at lists.nsrca.org]On Behalf Of Dave Michael
>         Sent: Tuesday, September 25, 2007 7:39 PM
>         To: NSRCA Mailing List
>         Subject: Re: [NSRCA-discussion] Mid-Air discussion
>
>
>
>         No- you can't bail in this situation.  It would be obvious to the 
>judges and you'd receive a 0 on the manuever- and the next as well if you 
>were to exit in the wrong direction or orientation for the next manuever.
>
>         ----- Original Message -----
>
>
>         From: J N Hiller
>
>         To: NSRCA Mailing List
>
>         Sent: Tuesday, September 25, 2007 9:39 PM
>
>         Subject: Re: [NSRCA-discussion] Mid-Air discussion
>
>
>
>         If I am in the process of hosing a maneuver can I bail out claming 
>mid-air avoidance and re-fly it?
>
>         I have only had one mid-air in pattern competition and that was 
>pre-turnaround, on a turnaround over a quarter mile out. I had a close one 
>this year I saw the other airplane go by and heard the gasps from behind 
>without flinching. I flew in a Scale Masters finals competition once in 
>LasVegas with five flight lines. I have gotten so I don't pay any attention 
>to other airplanes when I am flying.
>
>         I guess I would flinch plenty, maybe even crash if we were using 
>that 140 DB air horn to warn of potential midairs.
>
>         Jim Hiller
>
>
>
>         -----Original Message-----
>         From: nsrca-discussion-bounces at lists.nsrca.org 
>[mailto:nsrca-discussion-bounces at lists.nsrca.org]On Behalf Of Dave Michael
>         Sent: Tuesday, September 25, 2007 4:45 PM
>         To: NSRCA Mailing List
>         Subject: Re: [NSRCA-discussion] Mid-Air discussion
>
>
>
>         I recall a discussion on this subject earlier in the year.  My 
>background is heavy IMAC but I am wanting to fly some more pattern soon.  
>Part of the earlier discussion was about the issue that calling avoidance 
>and breaking from the sequence if you think you might mid-air is allowed in 
>IMAC but not in pattern.
>
>
>
>         In 10+ years of IMAC competition- maybe 40-50 contests - I can 
>only think of a few mid-airs, maybe three or so.  Believe me when I say 
>that calling avoidance and breaking the sequence is not something that you 
>want to do in the heat of competition- it can really throw off a good 
>sequence.  Having said that, with fewer mid-airs  in IMAC perhaps we can 
>conclude that allowing sequence breaks to avoid potential mid-airs makes 
>sense for pattern too.
>
>
>
>         Dave Michael
>
>
>
>         ----- Original Message -----
>
>
>         From: Keith Black
>
>
>
>         To: NSRCA Mailing List
>
>         Sent: Tuesday, September 25, 2007 5:47 PM
>
>         Subject: [NSRCA-discussion] Mid-Air discussion
>
>
>
>         Following my mid-air at the N. Dallas contest this weekend there's 
>been an RCU thread started on the subject. From this discussion an 
>interesting idea has evolved. For those who would like to read the thread 
>here's the link: 
>http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/m_6409493/anchors_6413018/mpage_1/key_/anchor/tm.htm#6413018
>
>
>
>         If you'd just like to hear the idea I'll paste my RCU posting 
>below:
>
>
>
>         This is my third mid-air in four seasons. My first may have been 
>avoided, but the last two were a complete shock to both me and my caller. 
>In fact, in mid-air #2 my caller said "you're good" (meaning we were not 
>going to hit). The other pilot's caller walked up to me and apologized 
>saying that he told the other pilot that he was in the clear. Therefore, I 
>don't know how effective a third "spotter" sitting between the lines could 
>be.
>
>         That being said, two recent events have given me an idea of how we 
>might be able to greatly improve this problem. The first light bulb was 
>Vicente's suggestion of the spotter that warns the pilots. The second event 
>was my walk out to pick up the fragments of my beloved Brio. As I was 
>walking back I stood for a bit to observe the planes looking down the 
>flight path. It was amazing how clearly you can see each plane as it moves 
>in and out from the flight line.
>
>         So here's the idea: What if we sat a spotter at the corner of the 
>box to watch plane separation in the distance out dimension and then had 
>the other spotter sitting between the judges (or even back under the cover) 
>watching in the right to left dimension. These two spotters could use 
>radios with headsets and continually talk to each other. There are many 
>times that planes appear to be close to a mid-air from the flight line 
>viewpoint, however, the number of times that both spotters would be alarmed 
>should be! fairly minimal. When this occurs the spotter could sound an 
>alarm (this deserves discussion as to the details) and each pilot could 
>peel off of their course. If one pilot froze the collision may still be 
>avoided by just one pilot taking action. Sure, this could cause a mid-air, 
>but viewing from two dimensions should help in alerting only when an impact 
>is probable.
>
>         Some have stated that they've seen very few mid-airs, but my 
>experience in D6 and NATS is that at least 70% (if not more) of the 
>contests I've attended have had mid-airs. I'm not going to run away crying 
>and quit the hobby due to this mid-air, but reducing such losses would be a 
>benefit to us all!
>
>         Keith Black
>
>
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