These days, with all kinds of traffic avoidance systems available for airplanes, big and small, there is a lot of help for us pilots to find targets in the sky. But that doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t look outside. “See and avoid” is required by FAR 91.113 and there is no guarantee that all airplanes around you will show up on your liquid crystal display. As we all know, transponders are only required in certain airspace and, if an airplane near you doesn’t have one, your traffic alert system won’t pick it up.
The AirVenture Notam instructs VFR pilots to put their transponders on standby while flying in the area. For this reason, the see-and-avoid concept is particularly applicable for the thousands of pilots flying their airplanes into Wittman Regional Airport (OSH) and other surrounding airports this week to attend the 2012 version of EAA’s AirVenture. From Piper Cubs to business jets, the range of airplanes is impressive, so it’s even more important to be on the lookout, since faster airplanes will come up on you in a hurry. So keep those eyes open wide.
