Preflight Brief: Staying Ahead Of Traffic

Welcome to the Safety Section of the Flying Clubs Newsletter, Club Connector!          

Every month we provide resources for flying club safety officers to keep their clubs informed and safe. You can find this month’s safety article and the full archive, here: https://youcanfly.aopa.org/flying-clubs/flying-club-newsletter/safety           

So, let’s get on with this month’s safety topic!           

Background:     

Visual traffic separation and collision avoidance remain core pilot responsibilities, even with today’s sophisticated avionics and traffic‑alerting systems. The FAA’s February Topic of the Month highlights how “see and avoid” is still essential for safe flight, especially in busy or complex airspace where aircraft naturally cluster and distractions inside the cockpit are constant. Human vision has real limits, and lighting, terrain, and aircraft attitude all influence what we can see. Traffic often blends into the background, particularly in haze, low light, or visually busy environments. Documents such as AC 90-48 and the Aeronautical Information Manual emphasize that even when receiving traffic advisories or complying with ATC instructions, pilots must visually identify other aircraft and maintain separation.

This topic is a timely reminder for flying clubs to reinforce basic scanning skills, visual awareness, and smart use of lighting to increase visibility. Technology greatly improves situational awareness, but it does not replace consistent scanning, good pattern communication, and an understanding of how easily aircraft can disappear in the visual environment. Clubs can support members by encouraging them to sharpen their scanning habits, stay alert in mixed operations, and take intentional steps to be seen by others. 

Learning points:      

1. Pilots retain full responsibility for collision avoidance
   ATC instructions and traffic‑alerting tools assist pilots, but visual separation is still the pilot’s responsibility and cannot be delegated.
2. Scanning must be intentional
   Short, deliberate eye movements are far more effective than broad sweeps. Managing time inside the cockpit allows more opportunities to scan outside and maintain awareness.
3. Human vision has limitations that affect detection
   Lighting conditions, optical illusions, and the aircraft’s attitude can hide traffic from view. Adjusting pitch and bank during climbs and descents improves coverage of visually blocked areas.
4. Traffic can disappear against the background
   Aircraft can blend into terrain, clouds, haze, or sun angles. Recognizing this helps pilots stay alert in high‑density or visually complex environments.
5. Technology is helpful but incomplete
   ADS-B and similar technologies assist in spotting other aircraft, but they cannot detect unequipped traffic. Visual scanning remains essential in every phase of flight.
6. Pilots can make themselves easier to see
   Using landing lights, strobes, or pulse lighting during high‑traffic operations increases visibility and helps other pilots identify your aircraft sooner.
7. Vigilance is essential
   Routine flights can lead to complacency. Staying alert, even when nothing appears to be happening, plays a major role in reducing collision risk.
8. Aircraft geometry can hide traffic
   Wing placement, window posts, and panel height can create blind spots. Pilots should consciously lean, clear, and adjust position to look around structural obstructions.
9. Communication helps build a shared picture
   Clear position reports in the pattern or near non‑towered airports help other pilots locate you visually and reduce uncertainty.
10. Pattern discipline increases predictability
    Consistent pattern entries, spacing, and airspeeds make you easier to see and help others anticipate where you will appear visually.

Other Safety Resources:           

Here is a reminder of just some of the safety resources available to all pilots:           

FAASTeam:           

faasafety.gov           

The FAASTeam website is the portal to a vast array of courses, videos, links, and much more.  Remember that WINGS not only encompasses knowledge activities but also flight activities.  Use the search options to narrow down to say, flight activities for a basic phase of WINGS, and you’ll be able to find a syllabus and often a worksheet for various flight activities.  Use WINGS to keep you proficient and think of the flight activities as a progressive flight review—earnt over 12-months, rather than at the end of 24-months.           

Wait…you don’t do WINGS?           

That’s a big shame—you are missing out on a free pilot proficiency program that will help you enjoy your flying even more, allow you to earn a flight review every 12 months just by flying, and may provide insurance discounts.           

The FAASTeam WINGS pilot proficiency program is the best way for general aviation pilots to ensure they are competent, confident, and safe in their flight operations.   Oh, and being perpetually proficient will save you money in the long run.             

If you are interested in using the FAASTeam WINGS program for your personal flying or with your flying club, create an account on the FAASTeam website, http://www.faasafety.gov, and explore the collection of courses and flight activities.  Also, feel free to contact me (Jason Levine, WINGS Representative), and I’d be pleased to walk you through the program.  More on “WINGS for Clubs” can be found here in Flying Clubs Radio Episode 8 and the May 2020 Question of the Month.             

Other FAA Resources:           

Don’t forget to regularly revisit these FAA safety gems, as new material is frequently added:           

Pilot Minute           

57 Seconds to Safer Flying           

FAA Safety Briefing Magazine           

From the Flight Deck              

AOPA Air Safety Institute:           

https://www.aopa.org/training-and-safety/air-safety-institute           

AOPA’s Air Safety Institute (ASI), which by the way is funded by the AOPA Foundation just like the Flying Clubs Initiative, is packed with exceptional content, including exceptional videos, podcasts, accident analysis, online courses, recorded webinars and more.  Completing ASI activities may also earn WINGS credits.  Of particular interest to flying club safety officers is the updated Safety to Go section.  There, you can download a selection of topics, each coming with PowerPoint slides and speaker’s notes!