I've had some close calls in the air. In fact, it's happened so many times I think I'm either cursed or blind!
Last time was just coming back towards Lydd via the coast. I decided to do a gentle left turning descent towards Spilsted Farm strip to see if the YAK was there. Suddenly I see a 152 right in front of me and my left turn is cutting his path. It's too late to do any right avoiding maneuver. So I just pushed the yoke forward and dived out from under his path. It was in G and in LARS blind spot - Farnborough drops you east of Beachy Head and Manston don't pick up until you're into Kent - so no way of knowing who it was. I blame myself for that one, though. My scan was too relaxed and I should have spotted him.
Before that it was above Fullerton airport in California at night, which is smack in the middle of the Los Angeles basin. Just cleared the high TV mast there and turned towards LAX (you have to be on your toes here with the varying Bravo airspace so you don't bust) when what looked like a Mooney gave us a haircut just about 50ft above. I don't think he ever saw us. Even though the D airspace resorts to E when the tower is closed, he should have announced on the freq.
On a trip up to Elstree early this summer with great weather, I'm just out of the funnel around Dartford and Stapleford with traffic everywhere. I catch the last glimpses of what looks like a Zodiac just below me. Uncomfortably close. Then as I turn left to join Estree, I manage to not see yet another 152 and I cut right in front of him. My bad. I bet he called me names.
VFR can be hairy at times.
