Wing waggling

[Hireandhire]

Since taking to the (wonderful!) Rollason Condor last summer, I'm definitely seeing a lot more other aircraft near me in uncontrolled airspace.

Leaving aside all sorts of diverting threads on the subject of different visibility compared with previous types (PA28 etc) and me flying in different airspace/ heights nowadays or having fewer clocks to keep my attention inside the cockpit than before -

Do you still rock your wings to let the other a/c know you have "seen and avoided" or did this habit pass away?

regards
HnH

[LondonJ]

Was never taught to do it but have picked it up. I do fly a bright orange pa28 on occasion and if you don't see that coming at you from 10 miles away then you frankly shouldn't have a licence.

[Aussie Andy]

Yes I do - was not taught to but I find it reassuring to know that the other bloke saw me, and it's just - well - friendly I suppose!

Andy

[stiknruda]

I try my hardest to keep a good "look-out", as I fly day/vfr with no funny gadgets that take lots of head in time, I think I'm quite proficient. I generally wing rock or roll to draw attention to myself.

Somebody yesterday in a westbound C152 just north of Marham at 3500', about 1535 saw me and wing rocked in response to my wing rocks - I was too cold to roll!

[LowNSlow]

I always give the wings a waggle when I see another aircraft. Very few respond in kind. If they don't respond I wonder if they saw me?

I suspect that the majority of people who do see me are wondering if my wings are loose!

[skydriller]

I'm a Waggler, I admit it !!

I think it is generally acknowledged that the eye picks up movement faster too, so anything that can help other pilots see you cant be bad....

Regards, SD..

[Miserlou]

I waggle too, as much as to be seen as to prompt a response.

[TheOddOne]

Yup, definitely, though in a PA28 the roll response is so soggy that the other a/c is OOS before I've managed a couple. I don't do it with non-flying pax on board though, I think 'twould be most upsetting!

Re. visibility, I'm not sure bright orange is best. I think the RAF have proven that black is the highest vis paint scheme for an a/c, makes the silhouette even more conspicuous - their training fleet is now black with highlight flashes.

However, I think there's an issue about absorbing heat radiation for a/c that stand around outdoors like ours tend to, so white is still the choice, specially for plastic a/c

Cheers,
The Odd One

[Hireandhire]

Thanks everbody;

I'm glad I'm not the only one after all, and I'm going to keep on waggling.


Miserlou/ Skydriller - I had completely overlooked the aspect of making myself more visible to the other party by movement, which makes perfect sense now you say it.

LowNSlow - That's been the question niggling at me. Did he/she not see me at all or are they just too cool to waggle? The penny having dropped (see above) It's safest to assume they didn't see me..........

As for hi-viz colours, well, the choice may exist in the future but it'll have to stay the colour it is until the next major rebuild, which with luck will be MANY years away still.

regards

HnH
(if I was any good with this IT stuff I'm sure I should be able to animate my signature to rock........)

[Penguina]

Never taught it, never heard of it, but think it's a fine idea and wonder why not! Am going to waggle from now on.

[witchdoctor]

Too busy trying to get a good shooting solution to worry about waggling.

You can run, but you can't hide!

[Floppy Link]

Exactly.

Happy to embellish....

[Penguina]

Hang on a minute...

Too busy trying to get a good shooting solution to worry about waggling.

...that was YOU???!!!

[Mike Cross]

I waggle during the pre-flight as well (just to make sure they are still firmly attached)

[cblinton@blueyonder.]

Mike

Do your passengers give you a funny look when you start waggling next to them, or have they long gone by that point

[ChampChump]

I am guilty of wing waggling, sometimes quite deliberately. When flying non-radio it feels friendly and in any case it adds, maybe, to ones conspicuity.

I can count on one hand the number of times such a gesture has been reciprocated. A particularly stunning sumer evening, shared locally with a balloon, was the last occasion when I can recall that emotional glow from the fellowship of the sky.

No, the balloon pilot didn't quite sprout wings, but we understood each other (I think...)

I've come over all purply, now....

[Mike Cross]

Do your passengers give you a funny look when you start waggling next to them, or have they long gone by that point

That is a different part of the pre-flight. I'm waggling something other than the wings and generally do it where I am not overlooked.

[BeauMan]

I've only ever waggled while passing either my parents or girlfriends villages, but on reading this thread, I now promise to be friendly and visible, by waggling when I see other aircraft out in the open FIR. Might have to draw the line at waggling on short final though...

I wonder if we can 'out' folks who don't? I've got that line from Life of Brian running through my mind now... " 'ere, this bloke won't waggle!"

[dublinpilot]

I always waggle on short final, as I try desparately to keep the runway out of the side windows!

[charlie-india-mike]

dublinpilot

So do I, we must have the same infliction. I really must get it right some day.

C-I-M