Quote:
Originally Posted by Steve Leonard[_2_]
On Monday, July 20, 2015 at 7:33:59 PM UTC-5, wrote:
Too much Monday Morning Quarterbacking.
hey I'm not the one suggesting the controller should have said go right instead of left. But I'll admit its a fair point.
Agree, call the traffic. If no visual, change course. Just a terrible tragedy that the change suggested, and the rate at which the change was made managed to drive the two together, instead of further apart.
From the way I read it, if the F-16 pilot had done nothing, there would be nothing to report, as he had changed course by nearly 45 degrees (260 to roughly 215) before the collision occurred.
Steve Leonard
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I am puzzled as to why the F-16 didn't turn south the first time... Clear call from controller: if traffic not in sight, turn left to 180. That doesn't mean keep looking. I also think, contrary to others, that showed good awareness and concern by ATC. The second follow up call more so. The Viper driver seemed lackadaisical to me, and seemed to think he had time to keep looking... Not what you are supposed to do.
On some other questions, or comments: I would not read too much into the altitude accuracy of Mode C in this case. Couple of reasons. Mode C reports to the nearest 100 ft altitude--so an aircraft at 1449 ft is at 1400 feet for Mode C. Second, the Mode C altitude is updated only when the ATC radar sweeps through the aircraft position the each time. As the C-150 was climbing, he could have been closer to 1600 by the time the next sweep comes around. Heading info can only really be updated sweep to sweep as well, so an aircraft taking off and then planning on heading to MB will have been more dynamic than the occasional radar updates, so take the 110 C-150 heading with a big grain of salt.
The F-16 by the same account was at 1500 feet, though his clearance was to 1600. 100 feet off however is acceptable IFR standards, but not the way we tend to fly. But by Mode C reporting standards he could have been 1450 to 1549 feet high.
I find major problems with the F-16's actions and responses. Not respecting the first turn call was bad. You either see them or you do not. To me, this was clear ATC command under IFR control, I do not see him therefore I have to turn. If I turn under IFR procedures in an F-16, I roll into a 30 degree bank and until I roll out heading 180. This turn was executed late, even delayed after the second call to turn (but this seems more like an educated assumption on my part). So by the time the F-16 began his turn, he might have been better off not turning. Probably had he turned at the first command, no issues either. But in the end game, this is too dynamic a situation for ATC radar to get right at their update rate, hence their procedures--the first call was right--if you do not see him, turn--that much was clear to the controller for an aircraft that just took off and was climbing into the F-16's environment. The second call was late (in ATC requirements, but he was apparently betting that since the F-16 didn't turn, that he was visual with the traffic).
Not a great outcome...