When I earned my private ticket in 1960, jet aircraft were still rather rare, even in the San Fernando Valley. My home field, Whiteman Air Park in Pacoima, California, was near Van Nuys and Lockheed airports, both of which were busy commercial fields.
I Learned about Flying from That: Close Call
Key Takeaways:
- The article highlights how the increasing speed disparity between piston and jet aircraft complicated air traffic, requiring greater situational awareness and specific procedures to mitigate risks like wake turbulence.
- The author recounts a terrifying near-midair collision with an Air Force C-141 Starlifter while flying VFR, which necessitated an emergency evasive maneuver.
- This incident, compounded by the remembrance of a fatal mid-air collision between a military jet and a commercial airliner, instilled in the author a lifelong commitment to extreme vigilance in the cockpit, a habit he credits with preventing many other close calls.
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