Close Up Action
 

I was just watching some PlanePlotter high speed close up action over Orange and Parkes in NSW. SQ219 B772 was tracking almost head on to SQ234 B773, with a closing speed of 963kts. There was 5000ft difference in altitude so no problems, however SQ219 turned slightly right over Parkes and was then heading directly for JQ446 A320 which was heading northeast. This time the altitude difference was only 2000ft, and JQ446 was at 468kts. It would have been an interesting view from the cockpit of SQ219.

http://www.16Right.com/MessageBoard/...Flights 01.jpg

Nice screen shot Grahame as 'b9' is me.

This reminds me of a 'close encounter' in the US back in 1987. We were on a Northwest DC9 flying Memphis-Miami and I had a window seat on the right hand side. During the flight I just happened to notice a 'speck' heading towards us and within seconds it was passing (flashing really) to the right of us at what seemed like maybe a thousand feet higher and a distance of about 500 metres and it too was a DC9 (of Delta). As you say, the approach speeds are incredible.

Hi Peter,

I have had two of these close encounters on commercial flights while visiting the cockpit.

The first was in a Qantas B707 from Sydney to Auckland in 1968. A Pan AM B707 was approaching us head on, just a bit to the left and maybe 1000ft higher. At a closing speed approaching 1000kts the Pan Am B707 went past like a ballistic missile, they were so close I could clearly read and see the colour of the Pan Am titles on the aircraft.

The second one was on a Cathay B777 from Seoul to Hong Kong where I was in the cockpit for all but the takeoff. Half way through the flight we had a B747 approaching absolutely head on (same track) and just 1000ft above. The crew had picked it up on instruments, however I was the first to pick out the speck in the distance. In the blink of an eye the B747 way straight over the top of us, I remember looking up through the cockpit windows to see the full aircraft profile from below.

I have seen a few of these close encounters on PP, usually with just the two aircraft, this was the first time with three.

I am feeding my ACARS data up to PP (live) and am *X

Grahame, you will see your sharer's code as *X, we would see you as "something X". If you go to PP > Help > About PlanePlotter at the end of the top line you will see your full sharer code which is what other PP users would see.

BTW, overnight Bev released an upgrade PP ver 5.4.7.5.

Also there is some news of a cheap ADS-B receiver which will work with PP.

http://www.radargadgets.com/

Yep I see your plots which come up as 'oX'; I have 2 pc's and run SBS on one and radarbox on the other where I also supply acars (user kJ).

1000' seperation is standard from what I can see on the Nav charts with odd/even heights established for a/c in opposite directions.

On a slightly different scenario is where a/c 'follow' each other at the same alt. I get the afternoon departures to the west and you have maybe 3 to 4 a/c following each other all at say FL350.

Remember the old 'cliche' that if you were a 747 pilot you didn't want to get 'stuck behind' an A340 as they used to cruise quite a few knots slower.
(I think it was Mach 0.86 for the 747 and 0.82 for the A340 but this was not always the case)

I always remember the 747's requesting a higher/lower altitude so they could 'pass' the A340. It would take a fair while to pass but the ATC comms where interesting to listen to.

correct as between HKG & LHR a A340 takes an additional 60 minutes (approx) to get to London

RVSM (Reduced Vertical Seperation Minima) airspace exists in Australia. Meaning that for approved aircraft, it's 1,000ft vertically, and for non approved aircraft it's 2,000ft vertically.

You may occassionally hear an aicraft request an RVSM level (above FL280) followed by the phrase "Negative RVSM". Simply means they are not approved to operate to RVSM standards, and therefore must be given the 2,000ft clearance at all times.

Mick

I tested out the Cockpit View in Google Earth from Plane Plotter today and the results were quite good. After enabling the Google Earth server in Plane Plotter and pointing Google Earth to a Cockpit View KML file in Plane Plotter, you can select an aircraft in PP and the view from the cockpit will then be displayed in Google Earth. Simply amazing as this is all in real time, here are some screen shots on VH-VZE on approach this afternoon.

http://www.16Right.com/MessageBoard/... VH-VZE 01.jpg

http://www.16Right.com/MessageBoard/... VH-VZE 02.jpg

http://www.16Right.com/MessageBoard/... VH-VZE 03.jpg

http://www.16Right.com/MessageBoard/... VH-VZE 04.jpg

http://www.16Right.com/MessageBoard/... VH-VZE 05.jpg

http://www.16Right.com/MessageBoard/... VH-VZE 06.jpg

http://www.16Right.com/MessageBoard/... VH-VZE 07.jpg

http://www.16Right.com/MessageBoard/... VH-VZE 08.jpg

http://www.16Right.com/MessageBoard/... VH-VZE 09.jpg

... and it landed on the grass. ;)

Great stuff!!

Nice Grahame; I've tried using Google earth or cockpit view a few times without any success. Will have to read up on it.

Interesting that apart from anything else there's no Control Tower and the spotter-proof fence (on Qantas Drive) is gone!