Identify plane that seemed too close?
Discussion
I was on a flight yesterday from LGW to Copenhagen. Looking out the window mid flight and this came underneath us and seemed very close. It doesn’t look like it in the pic but it took me 5 seconds to get my phone out.
I am sure it was normal but it did make me jump, never seen a plane that close.
Anyway of seeing what it was and the difference in height to us.
I was on flight D83513 Norwegian Air
I am sure it was normal but it did make me jump, never seen a plane that close.
Anyway of seeing what it was and the difference in height to us.
I was on flight D83513 Norwegian Air
I've experienced way closer than that, landing at SFO when they were landing two at a time on parallel runways, looked out and saw a plane on our left that looked to be very close and wondered what was going on until another passenger told me it was a regular occurrence at busy times.
interstellar said:
I was on a flight yesterday from LGW to Copenhagen. Looking out the window mid flight and this came underneath us and seemed very close. It doesn’t look like it in the pic but it took me 5 seconds to get my phone out.
I am sure it was normal but it did make me jump, never seen a plane that close.
Anyway of seeing what it was and the difference in height to us.
I was on flight D83513 Norwegian Air
Very normal. Standard RVSM airspace in Europe, means that while cruising along at your level, for example FL360, you will often see other aircraft flying along at their levels, FL350 and FL370 for example. I am sure it was normal but it did make me jump, never seen a plane that close.
Anyway of seeing what it was and the difference in height to us.
I was on flight D83513 Norwegian Air
When it comes to separation between airliners, the lateral distances are completely irrelevant if two aircraft are separated by 1,000ft vertically, which is what RVSM is. This means that as a passenger, you may see another aircraft passing above or below while in the cruise, but that is how the airspace is designed.
All the aircraft flying at FL360 will be separated laterally one one another, either by being instructed to fly to specific waypoints, being instructed to fly a specific heading by ATC, or by being given a certain speed to fly by ATC, so that it fits into a flow of aircraft on the same airway. The same will be happening at all levels, but independently from other levels.
What you saw happens thousands of times every day across Europe and the rest of the world; just open up FR24 and zoom out to cover the whole of Europe for example, you can see how many aircraft are flying at any one time, RVSM airspace is essential in being able to accommodate them all safely. It can look closer than it is, because airliners are quite large bits of kit and only 1,000ft separation means you can usually see the details such as markings, windows etc.
Brilliant seabod. That’s what I was looking for, thanks for confirming.
How did you see both on flight radar. I can do playback but only see my flight.
Is yours a paid version to see the crossing plane I saw and be able to see that together or am I missing something?
How did you see both on flight radar. I can do playback but only see my flight.
Is yours a paid version to see the crossing plane I saw and be able to see that together or am I missing something?
Edited by interstellar on Saturday 3rd December 11:04
interstellar said:
Brilliant seabod. That’s what I was looking for, thanks for confirming.
How did you see both on flight radar. I can do playback but only see my flight.
Is yours a paid version to see the crossing plane I saw and be able to see that together or am I missing something?
No just the basic version. On the map at the bottom corner there is a playback option. Click that and you can choose date and time. How did you see both on flight radar. I can do playback but only see my flight.
Is yours a paid version to see the crossing plane I saw and be able to see that together or am I missing something?
Edited by interstellar on Saturday 3rd December 11:04
I first found your flight and noted the time of takeoff. Then on the the normal map and used playback to see all planes and put the date in and a few minutes before your flight left. I could click on the planes lining up at Gatwick and find your flight then followed it from there.
Edited by seabod91 on Saturday 3rd December 11:32
Airliners have TCAS in Europe (Traffic collision avoidance system) if it detects a possible collision it will give a verbal warning to pull up or go down, as long as you obey the system you should never collide. As long as you obey the system... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2002_%C3%9Cberlingen...
croyde said:
I see that quite often.
I'd say it's passed 1000 ft below you which I believe is the minimum vertical separation.
If the aircraft are flying at the same altitude then there has to be 5 miles of horizontal separation.
Happy to be corrected.
Yeah me too - nothing untoward there.I'd say it's passed 1000 ft below you which I believe is the minimum vertical separation.
If the aircraft are flying at the same altitude then there has to be 5 miles of horizontal separation.
Happy to be corrected.
I was once flying back from the Canaries and looked out of the window to see a large jet heading perpendicular towards us.
Bright clear day and we were at cruising altitude…… I could see both pilots of the other plane quite clearly. A very surreal feeling and initially rather alarming.
Bright clear day and we were at cruising altitude…… I could see both pilots of the other plane quite clearly. A very surreal feeling and initially rather alarming.
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