Remember that the UK CAA requires a VFR pilot to be able to see an a/c with a 12m wingspan at 12nm!!

 

This would be difficult even if you knew exactly where to look. To FIND an aircraft that size, 12 miles away, in ground clutter or whatever... surely that's no requirement because it's near impossible.

Right of way?

 

Ramming speed I say!

 

But seriously also the least maneuverable aircraft in the air always has the right of way. This is in addition to the comments made above. A blimp for example will have a much harder time deviating and must therefore be given the right of way.

A blimp is classed as a balloon and must therefore be avoided by powered a/c

A blimp is classed as a balloon and must therefore be avoided by powered a/c

 

Speaking of balloons, is there a good one for FSX? Is PMDG going to release one? *tongue-in-cheek* lol

In the US a distinction is made between balloons and airships in the CFRs. An airship (blimp) must give way to a balloon because it does have power and steering. (therefore it has power steering? )

tjrush, you might find some useful airwork references in the thread I started earlier

 

http://forum.avsim.net/topic/381199-aviation-textbook-references-collection/

I understand that the aircraft on the right has the "right of way." In a car it's simple -- you stop and the car on the right goes by and then you continue. How is this accomplished in flight? I'm assuming that ATC has not given you instructions.

 

The rules of the air (and the ground) are contained in the FAA's codes of federal regulations, which in aviation are still known as FAR's.

 

The navigation lights on the wingtips provide the helpful hints. The right wingtip has a green light and the left wingtip has a red light. As with a traffic light on a road, red means stop and green means go. So, when you are overtaking an airplane in front of you, you pass on the right, and you will therefore see the greenlight at night, which means you have the right of way and are "good to go."

 

If you try to pass on the left side, you are violating the right of way and therefore you will see the red light on the left wingtip and that is your signal that you are making a mistake.

 

Now what happens when you are on a collision path with an airplane approaching at an angle? Well, again, it is all in the light -- meaning the side you are approaching from. If you are approaching from the right side of the other airplane, then you have the right of way but if you are approaching from the left of the other airplane then you see the red light and you are the one who has to alter course.

 

The other rules are that the aircraft overtaking another ahead of it must alter course to miss the aircraft being overtaken (again, to be done on the right side of said aircraft being overtaken).

 

There are exceptions of course. An aircraft must always alter course to avoid a balloon. This is based upon the concept of navigational ability. An airplane has superior maneuver options to a balloon. Same thing is true for a glider, as an airplane is supposed to alter course to avoid a glider. This is because a glider is not supposed to be forced to maneuver off a thermal to an area where uplift is lost. Airplanes can of course maneuver over a lake, a grass field, or any area. A glider may be required to stay aloft overhead a plowed field to leverage its uplift forces.

 

Hope this helps!

 

Ken