"Guy Elden Jr" wrote in message
ups.com...

I'm relieved that the consensus seems to be that calling out traffic
eliminates the IFR separation, because that's the way I've thought it
works for a while now (I think my instructor explicitly told me so a
couple of years ago tho).


Reporting the traffic in sight does not eliminate standard IFR separation.
The assignment of visual separation eliminates the need for standard IFR
separation, the pilot must report the traffic in sight before visual
separation can be assigned.



Case in point as to why this is a good thing:
I was flying for a night checkout at a flying club I recently joined,
and while transiting near a Class D airport (Westchester County, NY),
ATC called out traffic 9 o'clock descending from 4000 to 3000. I was at
2500, VFR flight following. Since I was in the way, ATC couldn't clear
the guy down for approach into Westchester, but I knew that as soon as
I called the traffic out that he'd be able to clear him down. I
couldn't get a word in edgewise, and by the time I could, he was
already passing overhead, so my call was "... traffic in sight no
factor", which was immediately followed by ATC call to the other plane
to descend pilot's discretion.


It appears to me if you're at 2500 MSL in the vicinity of HPN you're in
Class E airspace and no separation would be provided by ATC.