Airplane Radar?

[ianwood]

Can't speak for other areas but it tracks commercial jets, private planes and helicopters out my way !

I don't think you understand how flight trackers work. GA flights without flight following will likely not be on there. And what is on there is delayed. It is not meant to be used for real-time traffic avoidance. Using it in that capacity is negligent and ill advised.

close to zero 99.99999% of the time but pays to be real sure...

Assuming a near zero probability is also a bad idea. Simple answer is to stay below 400ft AGL and maintain clear LOS visibility.

 

[reboot81]

Can a low flying fighter jet detect a Phantom, lets say 100m AGL?

 

[Youngbill]

Just throwing this question out there for the experts because I have this problem where I live. Why do medivac helicopters feel the need to fly fast below 500 AGL? Why not stay above 500 AGL until you are just about at the scene (or place they are going to land)?

 

[ianwood]

Can a low flying fighter jet detect a Phantom, lets say 100m AGL?

No.

Just throwing this question out there for the experts because I have this problem where I live. Why do medivac helicopters feel the need to fly fast below 500 AGL? Why not stay above 500 AGL until you are just about at the scene (or place they are going to land)?

Probably because it's never been an major issue until drones came along. Regardless of the answer, the fact that they do means it's entirely up to you to stay clear of them even if it seems unfair.

 

[Youngbill]

No.



Probably because it's never been an major issue until drones came along. Regardless of the answer, the fact that they do means it's entirely up to you to stay clear of them even if it seems unfair.

Maybe its time they rethink their behavior. Even without drones in the mix, it seems unsafe to me.

 

[JKDSensei]

Maybe its time they rethink their behavior. Even without drones in the mix, it seems unsafe to me.

In areas where there are major airports or other potential low flying aircraft, helicopters used in Police operations and medical rescue are very high priority flights. Flying low means that these special flights can reach their destinations faster without many of the delays that would result from flying higher and into the flight paths of normal airport traffic.

If they flew higher, the normal air traffic would likely have to be diverted to accommodate these "emergency" flights which have airspace priority. You can imagine how this could cause a cascading effect on air traffic around busy airports.

In rural areas, it depends on how far the medical rescue chopper has to go. Makes no sense to climb to 3,000 feet or so only to descend at the medical center 3 minutes later. If they have to make a 15 - 20 minute flight, usually they climb to normal flight altitudes for local VFR traffic.

I've ridden in Life-Flight choppers and done auto rotations in major downtown areas. Exciting to say the least

 

[Youngbill]

In areas where there are major airports or other potential low flying aircraft, helicopters used in Police operations and medical rescue are very high priority flights. Flying low means that these special flights can reach their destinations faster without many of the delays that would result from flying higher and into the flight paths of normal airport traffic.

If they flew higher, the normal air traffic would likely have to be diverted to accommodate these "emergency" flights which have airspace priority. You can imagine how this could cause a cascading effect on air traffic around busy airports.

In rural areas, it depends on how far the medical rescue chopper has to go. Makes no sense to climb to 3,000 feet or so only to descend at the medical center 3 minutes later. If they have to make a 15 - 20 minute flight, usually they climb to normal flight altitudes for local VFR traffic.

That makes sense.

 

[ianwood]

I agree with both of you. High priority flights should do what's necessary to expedite their activities as long as it doesn't pose undue risk to themselves and others.

Conversely, there are plenty of lower priority whirlybirds that abuse their low altitude privileges. Especially here in LA where there is a lot of traffic and undulating terrain.

The FAA really needs to define better rules for SFC to 500ft that accounts for emergency response, non-emergency response, civilian use and drones.

 

[johan]

Just throwing this question out there for the experts because I have this problem where I live. Why do medivac helicopters feel the need to fly fast below 500 AGL? Why not stay above 500 AGL until you are just about at the scene (or place they are going to land)?

Two reasons. First, medivac by its nature is an absolutely time critical operation. Every foot they climb is a foot they have to descend which adds time to the trip. Second, you find more traffic above 500ft than you do below.

Now we're in the age of cheap drones which changes things a bit. But ask any medivac pilot if they'd rather hit a 2lb plastic drone or a 2000lb Cessna and they're going to pick the drone every time. So don't count on any changes to how they do their ops just because you own a drone now.

 

[JKDSensei]

Drone tech is here to stay. Like it, love it or leave it. Even if not one single civvy can own one, they are here to stay. Their usefulness is just too great.

That said, we are in the infancy of their use and we have a long way to go until the rules on how and where we can use them are ironed out. This will be ongoing for some time. Stay tuned.

I'm fairly certain the only way this can ultimately play out is with lower airspace (below 500 feet) becomes more classified for different uses. For example, the hobby drones we fly may be regulated to below 200 ft. Police and Government drones 200 - 400 feet and a buffer zone of 400 to 500 feet for Police full size aircraft and emergency medivac type traffic. At least that's one good possibility.

The other is no hobby drones outside of class G airspace and that would really draw wind.

 

[Deleted member 29014]

I'm sure this has been covered, just not sure how to search for it.

Is there an App for a phone that will let you know if planes are in the air? I live 20 miles away from an airport, so one's that are landing are in descent and not at normal altitude.

I have no idea how low they are flying, but want to be better safe than sorry.

There is no traffic control system around any airport that will shows you every aircraft from zero altitude (ground level) to infinity.

http://www.flightradar24.com only shows aircraft using ADS-B electronics, not all aircraft have ADS-B but it will be mandated in 2020. So the local joker flying his piper cub w/o ADS-B could come zipping by at 200 feet and no software is going to warn you. In the pilot world that is called visual flight rules (VFR) or see and be seen.
The responsibility lays on each pilot (you) to avoid flying in the path of other aircraft. Just this morning I was out in the boondocks flying a mission to do a geomap of the local rc club flying field at 250 feet and heard a low flying Cessna coming from behind the direction I was looking at. I immediately dropped my P3P down to 100 feet and waited for the Cessna to fly away.
Responsible VFR flying is everyone's responsibility. Even though I installed strobes both on the top and bottom of my bird, I do not expect the Cessna pilot to see them....plus there's no harm in interrupting my photo run and restarting later.
Licensed pilots please chime in.