ADS/B Saved my Bacon

f1rocket · #1 03-13-2015, 07:14 AM

Yesterday I made a flight from Indy to Dallas to attend a Rotax training class over the weekend. Most of the flight was your typical cross country cruising. However when I made my approach to the Denton airport, my ADS/B sure proved its worth. In fact it may have saved my life.

On this sunny afternoon, the airport was very busy. There was a mix of jets and small airplanes, along with students and helicopters. Denton sits just under the outer ring of class B airspace so if you follow the VFR cardinal heading rule, it forces everyone down to 2500 MSL as you approach from the north. I was showing multiple targets as i called the tower about 7 miles out. As I started my descent to pattern altitude, I received a traffic warning. There was traffic at my 11 o'clock less than a mile only 100 feet below me heading right towards me. I heard the controller asking the helo it's current position. I immediately stopped my descent and altered course slightly. The helo passed just under my tail. I estimate that we cleared each other by about 25 yards.

Why the helo was flying against the traffic lining up for the downwind is anyone's guess. He was clear of the class C airspace so he had a right to be there. With everything going on with my initial call up to the tower, I doubt I would have ever seen him without ADS/B.

I don't know if we would have hit without my corrective action. I also don't know if he saw me. I'm just very thankful for having this device in my cockpit. I look forward to the future when more and more traffic will be displayed.

Have I mentioned how much I lovely -12? I do. It's a great airplane and a good cross country performer. Fly safe out there!

David Paule · #2 03-13-2015, 09:28 AM

FYI, no need to follow the cardinal headings below 3,000 feet AGL, according to FAR 91.159.

So you could use some other altitude for a bit more randomness. Still need to keep your eyes open, though.

Dave

f1rocket · #3 03-13-2015, 09:37 AM

Dave, thanks i had forgotten that.

Toobuilder · #4 03-13-2015, 10:00 AM

I recently flew for the first time with a GDL39 and now have a Stratus.... It's eye opening how much traffic is out there, unseen.

"See and avoid" sure has its limitations.

flightlogic · #5 03-13-2015, 06:03 PM

Every once in a while, mine suddenly alerts with traffic right below me about 100 feet. It is a phantom, from "own ship".... so don't panic.
Otherwise, it is a safety add on for sure. Checking winds aloft lets us choose a good altitude enroute and look out for TFR's. Like the one that popped up at 1 pm on the dot today over Phoenix.

wjb · #6 03-13-2015, 09:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by David Paule

FYI, no need to follow the cardinal headings below 3,000 feet AGL, according to FAR 91.159.

.. And, it's actually the magnetic course, not the heading. Crosswinds at altitude will set up a crab that will make the heading (per the compass) different than the course. A nit, but my instructor drilled that into me!

Most important, though, I'm happy there was no mishap. Fly safe everyone!

Walt · #7 03-14-2015, 06:17 AM

The DFW metroplex has a ton of traffic compressed under the class B shelf, after a near miss about 6-7 years ago I installed TIS-A displayed on a garmin portable, I've since upgraded to ADS-B. I can't tell you how many times I have avoided a traffic conflict with it, but it's way more that you might think.

I've installed a number of ADS-B units and "everyone" has come back and said something to the effect of "Wow, I had no idea how much traffic is out there that I don't see".

IMO, with traffic and weather in the cockpit we've improved safety by an order of magnitude. You can complain all you want about ADS-B, but I love it!

plehrke · #8 03-14-2015, 06:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by David Paule

FYI, no need to follow the cardinal headings below 3,000 feet AGL, according to FAR 91.159.

So you could use some other altitude for a bit more randomness. Still need to keep your eyes open, though.

Dave

I always fly a random altitude when ducking under our class B. I figure most fly at 500 ft intervals so I fly x300 or x700 ft. Seems all traffic I see coming and going from the airports under the class B are never at my altitude so I feel I most often have a few hundred feet of separation from traffic. Please do not adopt this when coming to STL or my plan will start to fall apart.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Toobuilder

I recently flew for the first time with a GDL39 and now have a Stratus.... It's eye opening how much traffic is out there, unseen.

"See and avoid" sure has its limitations.

But in the end VFR still comes down to see and avoid so keep looking out the window.

Adam Wright · #9 03-14-2015, 08:35 AM

Also don't forget about the FAA's recommendation to turn on your landing light within 10 miles of a airport. I have even consider installing the equivalent of a automobile daytime running light on my plane something low draw that will last like a LED in addition to a normal landing light.

David Paule · #10 03-14-2015, 09:39 AM

I always do that with taxi light in my C-180, and replaced it with LED both for better life and to reduce the power drain. And on the RV-3B I'm building, I installed a Microsun landing light specifically as a daytime running light.

Thinking of adding more lights, too, to make the little airplane more visible.

My experience is that they don't need to flash or wigwag - but if they do flash they shouldn't be so slow that a scan misses a flash.

Dave