Can GPS be *too* accurate? Do I need some XTE??

"Peter R." wrote in message
...
Bill Denton ) wrote:

And I don't know if this is a trick question, but if you are at 6000 (no
+500) wouldn't you be on an IFR flight plan, talking to ATC, and
receiving
traffic advisories?

In the US and outside of class B airspace, it is the pilot, not ATC, who
is ultimately responsible for IFR/VFR traffic separation. A VFR traffic
advisory to an IFR aircraft is a courtesy offered by ATC; it is not a
guarantee.

--
Peter

You might want to rethink your reply.

A pilot in clouds or other IMC cannot provide separation to any traffic he
cannot see.

Bill Denton ) wrote:

You might want to rethink your reply

Easy there, Bill. There is no need for that.

A pilot in clouds or other IMC cannot provide separation to any traffic he
cannot see.

I am discussing IFR/VFR separation, not IFR/IFR separation. Hopefully,
no VFR aircraft will be in IMC, but that point is irrelevant since most
times ATC does not know if it is IMC or VMC; they only have blips on
their screen.

Consider this: It is quite possible that a) a VFR aircraft is climbing
or descending through an IFR aircraft's cruise altitude, or b) an IFR
cruise altitude is below 3,000 AGL, which means that a VFR aircraft
could be at any altitude 3,000 feet AGL or below s/he desires, including
that IFR aircraft's altitude.

Will ATC provide traffic callouts and or vectors around VFR traffic in
either scenario above? Most likely. Are US controllers required to?
Outside of class B airspace, the answer is no.

--
Peter

"Bill Denton" wrote in
:


"Peter R." wrote in message
...
Bill Denton ) wrote:

And I don't know if this is a trick question, but if you are at 6000
(no +500) wouldn't you be on an IFR flight plan, talking to ATC, and
receiving traffic advisories?

In the US and outside of class B airspace, it is the pilot, not ATC,
who is ultimately responsible for IFR/VFR traffic separation. A VFR
traffic advisory to an IFR aircraft is a courtesy offered by ATC; it
is not a guarantee.

--
Peter

You might want to rethink your reply.

A pilot in clouds or other IMC cannot provide separation to any traffic
he cannot see.



Neither can ATC - for example, when there is no Radar Coverage.

The system is designed to work even in those conditions, and the rules
follow suit...

In VMC, ALL pilots are required to "see and avoid", VFR or IFR.

VFR pilots are supposed to stay out of IMC to prevent getting hit by IFR
pilots on IFR flight plans in the IMC.

When there is no Radar, IFR separation is done using spacing and reporting
points. There are no traffic advisories, IFR or VFR.

VFR-to-IFR separation is a courtesy, as Peter said. If ATC calls out a
target to an IFR flight, and they are not talking to the VFR target too,
they can't even provide instructions that guarantee safe avoidance...


Don't take your advisories for granted. They are a favor.