What is reasonable lateral separation?

At what distance do you think it is no longer a safe, reasonable distance? (read post before voting)

  • 2 mi

    Votes: 5 10.2%
  • 1 mi

    Votes: 14 28.6%
  • 1/2 mi

    Votes: 11 22.4%
  • 1/4 mi

    Votes: 6 12.2%
  • 1000 feet

    Votes: 6 12.2%
  • 500 feet

    Votes: 2 4.1%
  • 100 feet

    Votes: 2 4.1%
  • when I lose paint

    Votes: 3 6.1%

  • Total voters
    49
  • Poll closed .
Wouldn't give two craps. Or even three craps.

And I didn't assume anything. We waved at each other. If he never saw me, why would he wave back? Do you even read before opening your yap?

IF. Maybe you should learn some reading comprehension.

Yes, this time you saw him and he saw you. But IF you did not see him until you were next to him? Or if he passed you and you looked over and he never looked?
 
IN THAT CASE YOU SAW EACH OTHER.
 
IF. Maybe you should learn some reading comprehension.

Yes, this time you saw him and he saw you. But IF you did not see him until you were next to him? Or if he passed you and you looked over and he never looked?
If someone runs a stop sign while I'm halfway down the block, am I dead?
 
If someone runs a stop sign while I'm halfway down the block, am I dead?


No. But if he runs the stop sign while you’re going through the intersection and he misses you narrowly, you’re equally “not dead.” Is it your contention that both scenarios are no cause for concern?
 
No. But if he runs the stop sign while you’re going through the intersection and he misses you narrowly, you’re equally “not dead.” Is it your contention that both scenarios are no cause for concern?
It certainly wouldn't raise my heartrate if I found out only after the fact.
 
Some of you still don’t get it. Every time you were close to another aircraft and didn’t know it you were in higher danger. If that happens enough, you will eventually end up dead.

I was trying to come up with a way to filter the data that included many flights that got close together and the pilots didn’t know it had happened.

if you think it’s ok to have 66 flights getting that close to each other in 4 hours and not know it, you have a vastly different idea of what’s safe than I do. And none of you should be concerned about an aircraft turning in front of a twin 3 miles out. To do so means you don’t understand what is being discussed here.
 
Some of you still don’t get it. Every time you were close to another aircraft and didn’t know it you were in higher danger. If that happens enough, you will eventually end up dead.

I was trying to come up with a way to filter the data that included many flights that got close together and the pilots didn’t know it had happened.

if you think it’s ok to have 66 flights getting that close to each other in 4 hours and not know it, you have a vastly different idea of what’s safe than I do. And none of you should be concerned about an aircraft turning in front of a twin 3 miles out. To do so means you don’t understand what is being discussed here.

I come closer to thousands of cars every day than I do planes, sometimes with closing rates faster than I do in aircraft. Do you hyperventilate and worry about it every time you drive your car too? And yeah occasionally a person will blow past me 50-60mph faster than I'm going and I don't realize it until they are at my 3 or 9. I STILL don't worry about it.

You're a worrier, and that's OK. Some of us aren't.
 
I come closer to thousands of cars every day than I do planes, sometimes with closing rates faster than I do in aircraft. Do you hyperventilate and worry about it every time you drive your car too? And yeah occasionally a person will blow past me 50-60mph faster than I'm going and I don't realize it until they are at my 3 or 9. I STILL don't worry about it.

You're a worrier, and that's OK. Some of us aren't.
That’s fine. Then I’m sure you don’t care if someone turns base after you call a two mile final.
 
I don’t worry - but I am concerned to do what I can to keep other planes from rubbing paint with me. If I found out after the fact a plane barely missed me, I am concerned enough to learn from that and minimize that happening again.
 
Getting hit while going 60 mph is a my SUV would be a bad day. Getting hit while in the air would be my last day.
 
That’s fine. Then I’m sure you don’t care if someone turns base after you call a two mile final.
Care? Maybe. Worry? For sure not. Because I'm going to continuing flying my aircraft and doing what I need to do.
 
Oddly, I had this thread still open in my tabs from a couple of weeks ago. Think about the Dallas incident and reflect on these comments above. I am NOT stating any blame, but just how apropros the conversation is regarding this recent development.
 
Oddly, I had this thread still open in my tabs from a couple of weeks ago. Think about the Dallas incident and reflect on these comments above. I am NOT stating any blame, but just how apropros the conversation is regarding this recent development.
I was thinking about it too, but after the reception I got on the thread didn’t bring it up.
 
At GA speeds and in good VMC a 1/4 mile is fine. The sky is big, our airplanes are small. With just one exception my "too close pucker factor" incidents over half-a-century have been in the pattern, with one occuring at a towered field.

If you're worried about it, stay away from uncontrolled fields on good weather weekend days - then if you die in an airplane the overwhelming odds are it was something other than a mid-air. You are not safe in a GA airplane - you can be more safe, or less safe, but not safe. Our airplanes lack maneuverability in the vertical plane, are whiffle balls in turbulence, aren't built to sustain much G loading, won't haul much ice, and have little redundancy. ADS-B adds something, but not that much - it's flaky and is sometimes far behind real-time. Think about it, and if GA is truly right for you,
 
Back
Top