BTB, Where did I say we SHOULDN’T try to be professional. There is NO other way to fly. My point is, this chap made a mistake and tried to warn others about the same mistake. What about the Pilot of the Cessna that passed a few feet below and behind this Pilot? Forgetting rules of the air, he would have had an Aircraft (reading between the lines a Europa, not the largest of Aircraft I grant you) in his One-O-Clock and should have made an attempt to avoid it by more than a few feet. What was wrong with HIS Lookout. Where is the CHIRP that says “I was flying along in my Cessna when suddenly….” At least this guy writes in to CHIRP and acknowledges that he has made a mistake. As I said, I think he has analyzed it slightly wrongly and like every one else I am alarmed that he thought answering a radio call was more important than looking at something his passenger has pointed out.
How many times have we taken a newbe flying and explained to them that if they see any Aircraft around to let us know. How many times have we then had to explain that 747s on 10 mile final to LHR don’t count. Sometimes (especially when we are new to the radio), it can be a bit intimidating talking to ATC. I don’t mean that as a criticism of ATC, but I remember when you could fly over LGW and talk to LGW approach. I was just about to key my mike when I heard “Speedbird nnn blah blah ….” I turned from the competent super cool Mr Ace Pilot into a stuttering wreck. I suspect this Bloke was just trying to sound as if he knew what he was doing. As I said, as crimes go this is far better than someone flying VFR through then narrow 10 mile wide strip north of London at 2400’ VFR in a super fast jet that has the visibility of most commercial Aircraft.