F-16 & Cessna mid-air over SC

[Whitman]

Count me in that this is an education not regulation issue. A little airmanship goes a long way, and in this case, if the Cessna had been listening to CHS approach, even if he wasn't talking to them, perhaps he could have deduced that he was the traffic the F-16 was getting panic vectors for.

If the C-150 only has one radio, then switching to CHS approach at 1400ft and only monitoring is absolutely the worst thing to do. Then the Cessna misses out on the majority of traffic making their 10min out and traffic pattern calls on Unicom frequency, but doesn't get the help of Flight Following either.

How many radios in the Viper, just curious? We have a lot more tools at our disposal as AF pilots than the guy on departure climb out, in uncontrolled airspace in a 15K airplane.

Edited August 5, 2015 by Whitman

[FishBowl]

If the C-150 only one radio, then switching to CHS approach at 1400ft and only monitoring is absolutely the worst thing to do. Then you miss out on the majority of the traffic making their 10min out and traffic pattern calls, but don't get the help of Flight Following.

CHS tower handles the 10nm call and traffic pattern. CHS approach's airspace is approximately 30nm in every direction.

[Whitman]

CHS tower handles the 10nm call and traffic pattern. CHS approach's airspace is approximately 30nm in every direction.

I'm talking about MKS pattern. They will dedonflict IFR traffic but do not monitor 123.05 UNICOM unless that's changed.

[FishBowl]

I'm talking about MKS pattern. They will dedonflict IFR traffic but do not monitor 123.05 UNICOM unless that's changed.

Gotcha. I believe the Cessna was well out of MKS's pattern and in class E airspace at that time. Checking up with CHS approach only takes a minute, but I know a lot of people that don't do that. Flight following is so easy to get and, at the very least, increases SA.

[frog]

Sorry guys, but as a GA dude, I'm not leaving advisory until I'm damn sure I'm clear of everyone, and nobody on this forum knows what else was going on at MKS that day. The odds of me hitting another spam can trying to enter the pattern is much greater than getting drilled by a viper miles out at 1500 being vectored for an approach. Sometimes there is no fault or explanation; Fate is the Hunter. Hug your loved ones tonight, and drink a beer for two people who were likely very competent and passionate aviation dudes.

[BUSTED]

... and drink a beer for two people who were likely very competent and passionate aviation dudes.

This.

Not too long ago, several bros and I were sitting on the back porch with some drinks, talking about how some dude had recently porked something away to the point of *almost* killing himself and being lucky to have walked away with nothing more than having to be the "guest speaker" at a safety briefing. Later that night, my wife mentioned that she was glad to know I was a better pilot, who didn't make those mistakes. Dudes who have seen me fly would laugh, but she doesn't know any better, and was no shit serious.

It got me thinking (dangerous... especially after back porch drinking)...

It's different with dudes you actually know, but when some faceless dude packs it in, it's easier to assume that it wouldn't have happened to me... that I would have had the SA to save the day and walk away. It's a coping mechanism that distances the rest of us from their fate. It makes it less of a hazard of the occupation, and more of a hazard of "that dude" and his stupidity.

I've done plenty of bone-headed things, in my own and Uncle Sam's airplanes. Sometimes, it's just circumstance that differentiates small mistakes from big ones.

Tomorrow, I'll wake up, zip it up, and go do what I love to do; but tonight, I'll toast to dudes who are no longer able to do the same.

Cheers,

BUSTED

[Whitman]

This.

Not too long ago, several bros and I were sitting on the back porch with some drinks, talking about how some dude had recently porked something away to the point of *almost* killing himself and being lucky to have walked away with nothing more than having to be the "guest speaker" at a safety briefing. Later that night, my wife mentioned that she was glad to know I was a better pilot, who didn't make those mistakes. Dudes who have seen me fly would laugh, but she doesn't know any better, and was no shit serious.

It got me thinking (dangerous... especially after back porch drinking)...

It's different with dudes you actually know, but when some faceless dude packs it in, it's easier to assume that it wouldn't have happened to me... that I would have had the SA to save the day and walk away. It's a coping mechanism that distances the rest of us from their fate. It makes it less of a hazard of the occupation, and more of a hazard of "that dude" and his stupidity.

I've done plenty of bone-headed things, in my own and Uncle Sam's airplanes. Sometimes, it's just circumstance that differentiates small mistakes from big ones.

Tomorrow, I'll wake up, zip it up, and go do what I love to do; but tonight, I'll toast to dudes who are no longer able to do the same.

Cheers,

BUSTED

This.

[Smokin]

If the C-150 only has one radio, then switching to CHS approach at 1400ft and only monitoring is absolutely the worst thing to do. Then the Cessna misses out on the majority of traffic making their 10min out and traffic pattern calls on Unicom frequency, but doesn't get the help of Flight Following either.

How many radios in the Viper, just curious? We have a lot more tools at our disposal as AF pilots than the guy on departure climb out, in uncontrolled airspace in a 15K airplane.

Vipers generally have 2 (some units are getting an additional SATCOM). But to say we have two radios and therefore an extra one is not valid. You are generally assigned an Aux frequency that is your intraflight freq. Far more mid-airs with military jets have happened within a flight than with stranger traffic and I would never consider giving up my Aux freq to monitor a UNICOM, especially if I'm IFR.

Vipers almost never fly single ship; I've only flown single ship once in the last year. Even single ship, being able to have the SOF know where he can reach me (on Aux as my Primary is constantly changing) is probably going to be safer than a fighter guy trying to monitor a UNICOM freq while under IFR anyway.

[disgruntledemployee]

If you don't have TCAS, ask for it. It has provided heads up SA when ATC was busy/forgot/didn't see it or when I'm out on the low level not talking to ATC.

Out

[Day Man]

If you don't have TCAS, ask for it.

Out

ask who?

[ThreeHoler]

ask who?

The TCAS Fairy.