These reports of near midair collisions, NMACs, should be deeply frightening to any pilot. The pilots’ experiences strongly suggest more vigilance and, ultimately, increased safety.
Nose-to-Nose
Near Midair Collisions
Key Takeaways:
- Effective communication and constant visual scanning ("see and avoid") are critical to preventing near midair collisions, as many incidents involve miscommunication, lack of radio contact, or brief lapses in visual vigilance.
- While beneficial, advanced technologies like ADS-B can sometimes lead to unintended consequences, such as mirrored evasive actions, emphasizing the need for clear protocols and human judgment.
- Pilots must maintain acute situational awareness, understand complex airspace, and be prepared to exercise Pilot-In-Command authority to ensure safety, even when ATC instructions are confusing or inadequate.
- Drones pose a growing and significant new risk, being involved in numerous near midair collisions across various altitudes and airspace classes, often requiring immediate evasive maneuvers.
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