Airprox?

[Ringway Flyer]

We have recently returned from Cyprus, and, as usual, I spent much of the time during the flight looking out of the window. (Safer when someone else is driving!) About 90 minutes out of PAF, I was surprised to see opposite direction traffic, within 100' of our level, FL360, less than a mile to the right. There was no noticable change of our heading, so I assume both captains were aware of each other. Is this normal?

[H.Finn]

Yes, it is perfectly normal for SLF to misjudge the altitude and distance of other traffic.

[Avman]

Ringway, this type of post comes up now and again. Let me assure you that the seperation you perceived you saw and the actual seperation will have been entirely different. The minimum required vertical seperation of 1000feet doesn't actually look like much when two large airliners cross each other close by, so it can "look" alarmingly close to the untrained eye.

[ayrprox]

You called?:E

[jondc9]

in this context what does "SLF" mean?

[asuweb]

SLF = Self Loading Freight

[jondc9]

thanks

SLF, what bugs me is they pay our salary and should be treated with respect

[BRUpax]

Don't worry jondc9, most of the frequent SLF are quite happy with, and not offended by, the term. Kinda like it really.

[Ringway Flyer]

Thanks for your comments. I accept that the untrained eye might well mis-judge things, but I've been flying out of MAN as a PPL for the last 10 years, so I hope that my estimations weren't so far out!

[H.Finn]

Thanks for your comments. I accept that the untrained eye might well mis-judge things, but I've been flying out of MAN as a PPL for the last 10 years, so I hope that my estimations weren't so far out!

Yes, I have been flying around the world as an ATPL for the last 30 years and still sometimes find it impossible to judge especially the altitude of other traffic around me. TCAS is a great help, obviously.

[ExSimGuy]

:E Jon, the term has been around since I started in the "business" in the mid-60's, and it would certainly be a "picky" pax who would object!

The term also describes me these days!!

[Globaliser]

SLF, what bugs me is they pay our salary and should be treated with respectHey, careful! I wear my SLF badge with pride. After all, you have to be a pretty serious pax to know that you're SLF. ;)

[angels]

jon - I know you're a pilot, but I'm SLF and proud of it.

I think it's a great name!

You could also have checked the name of this forum!