post 193 -
Excuse the SLF question, but could someone explain how that would apply in this case.
It seems to me that this may identify a position in the ground where the wing tip would pass over, but it would also require the pilot to estimate the relative position of the tail of the other jet compared to an imaginary line extending from that point upward.
Perhaps it's a lot simpler than I imagine (I'm imagining that you're still seeing this from an angle, and that night/wet isn't going to improve things).
I'll shut up now.
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Steve,
Passing your wingtip over an object is not a good idea unless you know for a fact that it will clear the object. Obviously that is not the case in this incident.
When you use this technique you'll know, while sitting in the Captain's seat, where your wingtip will be. Imagine putting a grease pencil line parallel to the ground where your wingtip will extend. As you approach an object it will be above, or below, the grease mark as you view it. If it's above the line it's outside of your wingspan. If it's below the line it's inside of your wingspan.
Approaching the CRJ tail it would have appeared below, or at least near, any 'mark' the pilot would use as a guideline. When an object is abeam the pilot it will not be in contact with the wingtip.
Another factor that helps using this technique is the side window is not that close to you as compared to an automobile. So any head movement doesn't not move your imaginary wingtip in or out as much as it would if the side window was very close.
You can demonstrate this by sitting upright, or slouching, with your hand near your face or with your arm fully extended, and comparing it against a fixed object in the distance. The closer your hand is to you the more vertical movement it appears to have when you shift your eye height.
Last edited by misd-agin; 14th Apr 2011 at 04:11.
Reason: added text