DominicM

That's my experience over many years of club flying and attending shows and events. For example, last weekend, typically 5 or 6 planes in the air in this hall...and there was a mid-air when only 2 planes were in the air. Must be some logic to it!?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=grysbyC82xI

jeffEE

My Feedback: (5)

when more than 2 planes are I the air, pilots are more apt to fly the pattern. Only two and the chances are less that they will do that. Just an opinion.

J330

My Feedback: (3)

It's what motorcyclists refer to as target fixation.

It's the attentional phenomenon observed in humans in which an individual becomes so focused on an observed object (Be it a target or hazard) that they inadvertently increase their risk of colliding with the object.

Tom Nied

Right on J330. I ride a motorcycle and know exactly what you're saying. I fly RC and I think I could do exactly that.

I wonder if that's why nobody flies when I'm flying?

flyboy2610

My Feedback: (1)

Why do some people hit the only other car in the parking lot?

Pylonracr

For the same reason my wife will hit the light pole if there are no cars in the parking lot??

J330

My Feedback: (3)

the model plane collision or other object fixation is a common tendency.

Tom Nied

what?

acdii

Its because the more planes in the air, the more alert the pilots become because they can see each others planes and are more aware of their positions, where if there are only two planes up, each pilot is thinking that the other pilot is watching out, when in fact both pilots are focused only on their plane, and BOOM they fly into each other.

jetmech05

Mathematically this is not true. I've only seen 2 midairs, one was a purpose.

Pylonracr

On purpose??? Inquiring minds want to know.

Gizmo-RCU

My Feedback: (27)

Flying the pattern is the key. More than once I have just landed when several folks start cutting inside, changing elevation and just not "getting it". I give others space but when there are others flying, still the more there are the more confusion in my opinion.

HighPlains

My Feedback: (1)

I quit counting at 30, and these are midair's I was in.

acdii

Its when you are flying a 1/3 scale Cub and someone is flying a little foamy in the same area that things go boom.

Tom Nied

Well acdii, I got to agree, sometimes it seems they don't care and are just using show center (the runway) with no consideration to anybody else that might be up. That's when I try to just let them fly and wait for an opening. There's a guy where I fly, he has some kind of 1/3 scale aerobatic type, I just let him do his thing. He's a great flyer and I learn more watching him than flying. Eventually there's an open spot, and I should be ready, I go up. Being considerate of others is all that is needed. I'm usually in no rush.

Gizmo-RCU

My Feedback: (27)

I do about what Tom does, much easier on my old nerves .......

jetmech05

The purpose mid air was a couple of friends racing sky raider mark 2's from world models. 1 guy kept going high and then cutting in front going low. The last time tail end pulled up and into the lead. The debris field was magnificent. The look on the leads face as the tail end guy gave the lead a new in box sky raider was a sight to behold

raptureboy

Exactly what happened to me and my flying buddy one time. we were the only ones at the field and I was flying a foam corsair and he a 1/5 scale stearman. I was flying the pattern low and close in and he was flying high and farther out. He likes to zoom all over the place when there's not a lot of planes in he air and decided to dive down and short cut the pattern just as I was coming back in the opposite direction. Yep it was quite the crash. I went right between his wings and took out the aileron on that side, his plane shot up, and rolled over and came in full tilt and crashed right at his feet. I was out a $100 but he was out $500. We still laugh about it, I bought a new corsair and one day when I wasn't looking he drew a little biplane kill mark on it with a maker.

acdii

A friend of mine was at the same flyin I was, he had his Clipped Cub up and I heard this BANG, not sure what that was until I saw him landing his plane and one wing was all puffed up. Then I saw foam was still fluttering down. He was able to save his plane, the one that flew into him, not so much, I don't think anything was found of it.

RC_Fanatic

My Feedback: (1)

Hmm. If flying the pattern prevents mid-airs, why do most of the mid-airs at our field occur during pylon races? All three of my mid-airs were in pylon racing. (Talking about 2-pylon races.)