Two days and four near misses!

[Aryana]

Originally Posted by N941WR

Near miss #4:
With all of my errands finished for the day, I was heading home. “Home” is now a private grass strip / airpark. The airport is shown on the sectional but as is typical for private strips, the airpark’s frequency (122.75) is not listed. As I turned from downwind to base, I flew right over the top of a South Carolina State Police helicopter, by , maybe 100’. Again, WTF? He wasn’t over the center of the runway and was in a position that I never thought to look for traffic; below me and coming the other way. When I make the downwind to base turn I’m always looking for incoming traffic on a long final. I dialed up 121.5 and tried to call him up but he didn’t answer and I was busy landing.

Curious why you tried 121.5 and thought that might work? I'm missing something...unless you're hoping they were monitoring it too?

Wouldn't an air to air freq be better? 123.025 or 122.75

[BPoletti]

Originally Posted by LettersFromFlyoverCountry

Aside from you, it sounds like the only smart pilot in the sky was the bird.

Those birds have more hours.

[DanH]

Originally Posted by N941WR

I have ADS-b traffic and none of them showed up, not even the birds.

Thanks Bill. Not trying to be a smartypants, and I hope the point is obvious.

I worry about the new traffic systems like I worry about radio use at a non-towered field. There are always pilots who seem to think the airspace is swept clear with a radio call. Traffic systems may prove to be worse; I see pilots head down, studying targets miles distant while they run over something right in front of them.

[Greg Arehart]

Originally Posted by N941WR

I have ADS-b traffic and none of them showed up, not even the birds.

Sounds like the FAA better get onto this and require them to have ADS-B by the deadline like the rest of us....

Cheers,
Greg

[Rivethead]

I've come to the conclusion that the safest place to fly would be between 3000 and 10,000 feet and at least two miles off of either the East or West coast line and well away from any major airports. Seems like it would be like flying back in the 1920's as far as traffic goes. Happy whale watching .

[Wayne Gillispie]

Fly during windy or marginal weather, fly during cold wx, fly above 10,500' MSL. Try to get FF on most flights and keep all lights on continuously.

[Jimboscr]

So many near misses in such a short period of time.... Don't buy a lottery ticket, you have used up all of your luck.

Cheers

Jim

[sailvi767]

Originally Posted by Aryana

Curious why you tried 121.5 and thought that might work? I'm missing something...unless you're hoping they were monitoring it too?

Wouldn't an air to air freq be better? 123.025 or 122.75

It has always been standard practice for me and I know its the operational policy at all airlines to monitor 121.5 on the second radio if you have one. I am sure a police helo had at least 2 coms and they should have been monitoring guard on one of them. Bill action to try and raise them on guard would be the same thing I would attempt.
There are many benefits to monitoring guard. It could save a lot of trouble. If your IFR center will attempt to contact you there if you miss a frequency change and if your VFR but about to blunder into airspace you don't belong you might also get a call. It also helps if you are in the pattern somewhere and a emergency pops up heading into your field. If you have only one comm radio then all this goes out the window but if you have two comms then the back one should be monitoring guard when not in use for atis or something else.

George

[N941WR]

Originally Posted by Aryana

Curious why you tried 121.5 and thought that might work? I'm missing something...unless you're hoping they were monitoring it too?

Wouldn't an air to air freq be better? 123.025 or 122.75

Our airport's freq is 122.75 and no joy. Just thought they might guard 121.5.

Originally Posted by DanH

Thanks Bill. Not trying to be a smartypants, and I hope the point is obvious...

Very obvious Danand no offence taken. We have a few J-3's here and I'm used to "no radios", so that doesn't bother me but even the Cub's fly smart around airports.

Originally Posted by Jimboscr

So many near misses in such a short period of time.... Don't buy a lottery ticket, you have used up all of your luck.

Cheers

Jim

I'm thinking maybe it is time to buy a lottery ticket!

Here is a picture of our flight paths. As I said, I didn't see him until I turned base and went right over the top of him. Dang, that was close!

As you can see, the copter pilot wasn't transiting the area in what I would call a safe manner.

[Ron Lee]

All near an airport.