Moving Targets

Twice in a lifetime is two times too many; two times when the operator of a moving machine stared a hole right through me and rendered me invisible. In both cases perfect conditions prevailed—nothing obstructed the view, yet our machines converged at a good clip. My first experience came at the hands of the driver of a 1977 Cadillac. My solution was to lay down a vintage motorcycle. It wasn’t my preferred choice, but obstacle and traffic conflicts made lateral maneuvering unwise. The second time came courtesy of two pilots in a Skyhawk during a VFR arrival to a non-towered airport in Florida’s panhandle.

Key Takeaways:

• Mid-air collisions and near-misses, predominantly in VFR general aviation at non-towered airports, are often due to inherent human visual limitations like motion-induced blindness and challenges in detecting objects based on distance, contrast, and size.
• Effective visual scanning techniques are crucial and involve dividing the field of view into small segments, pausing to intently examine each, and using a systematic pattern, rather than continuous head movement which blurs vision.
• Pilots should leverage all available anti-collision aids, including VFR flight following, engaging passengers in traffic spotting, and being aware of environmental factors like twilight glare and haze.

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