See And Be Seen?

From time to time, someone will pop up with the idea that the time-honored practice of visual traffic separation-often known as see and be seen-is too archaic for modern aircraft. Anything that flies, so the theory goes, should have some kind of automated collision avoidance system which does exist but will solve all potential conflicts between aircraft of all sizes. Someday, perhaps, but until then most of us are stuck using see and be seen.

Monday, June 29, 2015 at 12:00 AM ET

Verified

Key Takeaways:

The NTSB's "See And Be Seen: Your Life Depends On It" Safety Alert reinforces the critical and ongoing importance of visual traffic separation ("see and be seen") to prevent mid-air collisions.
Key recommendations from the NTSB for avoiding mid-airs include methodical scanning, minimizing distractions, using aircraft lighting, clear communication, and recognizing that onboard traffic systems are not a substitute for visual scanning.
The NTSB also released a video on a 2013 UPS crash, offering broader aviation safety lessons applicable to all pilots, covering factors like unstabilized approaches, fatigue, and poor cockpit resource management.

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From time to time, someone will pop up with the idea that the time-honored practice of visual traffic separation—often known as “see and be seen”—is too archaic for modern aircraft. Anything that flies, so the theory goes, should have some kind of automated collision avoidance system which does exist but will solve all potential conflicts between aircraft of all sizes. Someday, perhaps, but until then most of us are “stuck” using see and be seen.