Passenger initiated Airprox

[ImageGear]

A relatively simple question, can a fare paying passenger on a commercial flight complete an occurence report based on visual experience.

Has it ever happened, and was the response satisfactory?

Imagegear

[egbt]

No
Only a pilot or air traffic controller can report an Airprox. Details of the procedures are given in UK AIP ENR Section 1.14 and UK AIP (MIL) ENR 1.14.
From http://www.caa.co.uk/default.aspx?categoryid=423&pagetype=90&pageid=5635

See also http://www.caa.co.uk/default.aspx?categoryid=423&pagetype=90&pageid=1559

[ImageGear]

Thanks,

That says it all.


imagegear

[tristar500]

I honestly thought I was involved in one, in Feb this year. BA B737-436 LGW-EDI comming up over the Solway Firth heading North, when all of a sudden a BMI A320 in the new colours came out of no where (he was heading South East) and in a rapid climb. Passed directly over us, with almost hardly any clearence at all. Quite a few passengers on the flight also saw this and commented aloud.

[PPRuNe Radar]

As most of the UK airspace under ATC control is monitored by a 'snitch' device, the chances of any major loss of separation going undetected is slim.

Once it is triggered, there is no option for managers except to investigate it. The majority are of course found to be permitted reductions in separation, e.g. visual separation, military formations, radar data garbling, etc.

[Few Cloudy]

It is very easy to be fooled from the cabin. If the ship has bank on and passes another aircraft also with bank on, the 1000ft vertical distance gets interpreted as horizontal distance for instance and looks blooming close in a holding pattern or over a turning point.

FC.

[CamelhAir]

a BMI A320 in the new colours came out of no where

That explains why BMI made some money last year then. Magical 320's appearing from nowhere must save them a fortune in capital expenditure.

[xetroV]

A couple of months ago I had a passenger going nuts about an 'Airprox' he'd witnessed when we were flying over the Alps. Of course what he really witnessed was a pretty normal 1000 feet separation between us and some Airbus, but tell that to a clueless and very upset passenger who has just seen his life flashing by... :uhoh:

It was a nice view though.

[Sunfish]

Try arriving at LAX on a busy day. If you can't count five or more aircraft from your passenger seat, you are either blind or not trying.

[ImageGear]

As most of the UK airspace under ATC control is monitored by a 'snitch' device, the chances of any major loss of separation going undetected is slim.

Is this also true of French Airspace?

In the cruise out of LFMC to EGLL yesterday, company 763, approx 40 miles South of Lyon (I guess)..heading 330. Maintaining FL360 (According to the driver) and straight and level.

First jet crossed right to left heading 220 but 1000 ft higher..range 2 miles, great thinks I, separation works.

Second jet crossed seconds later, same course but almost exactly same altitude as our aircraft and slightly nose up, may have been in a cruise climb. All red F28 or similar type and in my field of view for no more than 2 seconds. From the cockpit they could easily have read the registration. (I almost could) If it did not disappear so fast.

I have spent hours in the cockpit of many aircraft both as P1 and SLF
and have seen heavy congestion in the BIG hold with the difficulties that maintaining vertical separation in poor conditions can bring, however I have never knowingly come as close to another aircraft in flight except when doing formation work.

Please tell me that a French "Snitch" would have caught it. (If an incident did occur), and a TCAS alert should have been active.

All headings and heights mentioned are probably subject to parallax, window distortion, depth of perception, and the disappointing Egg Mayo on Brown Wad with builders cold tea. :confused:

Imagegear.

[Old Smokey]

A good idea to pre-warn the Pax by PA when expecting 'company' on the parallel approach into SFO. If it raises my pulse rate, imagine what it does to the unknowing and unwilling participants in the (legal) formation flying exercise.

Passenger airprox reports have risen dramatically since the introduction of RVSM.

Regards,

Old Smokey

[Radar]

Shortly after the introduction of RVSM, I made the comment to a family member (who flies left seat, pointy end) that the new procedures in the cockpit probably ensured that one crew member was maintaining a watch outside. No way. 1000', head-on, frightens the s#!t outta you was his answer.