FEBA,
What about the GA pilot that decided to fly straight through the Reds display off the Isle of Wight recently. That was a great bit of airmanship.
On both occasions we were flying a 3 axis microlights with no strobe and no transponder but highly visible
No strobe or transponder....how does that make you highly visible in a microlight? This means that you cannot be seem on TCAS and unlikely to be seen on ATC radars either.
The farm strip that I fly from now is marked on the chart
Which chart is it marked on? Is it an avoid? If not then it is also your responsibility to look out.
a freind of mine was missed by only 150 feet on final approach to Popham by an F15 at 250 feet altitude !! He was following a GPS track with his head down in the cockpit.
Why did he have his head down? If you meant the F15...well there are two pairs of eyes in that jet. What about your friend's aircraft? Was your friend transponding? Did he have his strobes off as well?
Now some facts. January to June 2004.
Airprox GA versus Military 12
GA versus GA 21
Source UKAB report GA book number 10.
Now whilst there is no doubt that seeing a fast jet at late notice can be an unnerving experience ther are many ways to mitigate the risk to yourself.
Look out the window.
Buy and use a High Intensity Strobe light.
Get a transponder and use it.
Get yourself at least a FIS from an appropriate LARS unit.
Don't assume, check. Before you take off, launch, tow that glider..check the airspace first. A formation of 9 red jets is not that difficult to see. A microlight is.
Remember if you are low and slow, your slow rate of bearing change makes you much more difficult to see.
Don't fly at 500' 1000' 1500' because that is where everyone else is!
My vote is for the Reds. It is one of the few positive
PR elements that the RAF has these days. The RN has HMS Victory and the Army have the Royal Horse Artillery.
Get it into perspective