Originally Posted by
ECHO24
As I mentioned previously, an airline pilot in France who reported a close call with a drone on final was able to identify the model
of DJI drone from the graphics. No way would two separate airline pilots misidentify a jetpack/person with an RC model. I'm a private
pilot and you can easily identify types of birds at 130 MPH.
Not trying to argue with you, ECHO, but from 10,000' on down an airliner flight deck is a very busy place. When at 3,000' on down on final approach the crew is busy with flap and speed reconfigurations (typical speeds are upwards of 180-220kts), gear extension, checklist compliance, ATC communications, and maintaining the aircraft in a stabilized configuration. The 2 1/2 minutes or so don't leave much time for sight-seeing, and most bird strikes that occur are discovered during the post-flight walkaround.
Can we (as pilots) determine objects at altitude? Of course we can, especially if they are closer. I'd be curious to know the estimated distance that this 'jetpack flyer' was from the aircraft in question. Because the flight deck is busy enough that, with a quick glance they could have seen a 'jetpack flyer'. Or they might have seen the 'flying wingsuit thing' that Speed posted.
R_Strowe