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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>I’ll say again - the easiest way to
prevent mid-air collisions is to fly in different (geometric) planes. If the
flight planes are intersected 10 deg. to each other then the probability of collision
is greatly reduced.</span></font></p>
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10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'> </span></font></p>
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<p><b><i><font size=4 color=navy face="Brush Script MT"><span style='font-size:
13.5pt;font-family:"Brush Script MT";color:navy;font-weight:bold;font-style:
italic'>Jay </span></font></i></b><b><i><font size=4 color=navy
face="Brush Script MT"><span style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Brush Script MT";
color:navy;font-weight:bold;font-style:italic'>Marshall</span></font></i></b><font
color=navy><span style='color:navy'> </span></font></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=2 face=Tahoma><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Tahoma'>-----Original Message-----<br>
<b><span style='font-weight:bold'>From:</span></b> </span></font><font size=2
face=Tahoma><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Tahoma'>nsrca-discussion-bounces@lists.nsrca.org</span></font><font
size=2 face=Tahoma><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Tahoma'> [mailto:</span></font><font
size=2 face=Tahoma><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Tahoma'>nsrca-discussion-bounces@lists.nsrca.org</span></font><font
size=2 face=Tahoma><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Tahoma'>] <b><span
style='font-weight:bold'>On Behalf Of </span></b></span></font><font size=2
face=Tahoma><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Tahoma'>Keith Black</span></font><font
size=2 face=Tahoma><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Tahoma'><br>
<b><span style='font-weight:bold'>Sent:</span></b> Tuesday, September 25, 2007
5:48 PM<br>
<b><span style='font-weight:bold'>To:</span></b> </span></font><font size=2
face=Tahoma><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Tahoma'>NSRCA Mailing
List</span></font><font size=2 face=Tahoma><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Tahoma'><br>
<b><span style='font-weight:bold'>Subject:</span></b> [NSRCA-discussion]
Mid-Air discussion</span></font></p>
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style='font-size:12.0pt'> </span></font></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=2 face=Arial><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial'>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: <a
href="http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/m_6409493/anchors_6413018/mpage_1/key_/anchor/tm.htm#6413018">http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/m_6409493/anchors_6413018/mpage_1/key_/anchor/tm.htm#6413018</a></span></font></p>
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style='font-size:12.0pt'> </span></font></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=2 face=Arial><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial'>If you'd just like to hear the idea
I'll paste my RCU posting below:</span></font></p>
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style='font-size:12.0pt'> </span></font></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:10.0pt;margin-left:
.5in'><font size=3 face=Calibri><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Calibri'>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.</span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:10.0pt;margin-left:
.5in'><font size=3 face=Calibri><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Calibri'>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. </span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:10.0pt;margin-left:
.5in'><font size=3 face=Calibri><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Calibri'>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.</span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:10.0pt;margin-left:
.5in'><font size=3 face=Calibri><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Calibri'>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!</span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:10.0pt;margin-left:
.5in'><font size=3 face=Calibri><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Calibri'>Keith
Black</span></font></p>
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