Cruising at 37,000 feet-is this TOO CLOSE?

9/20/2014 | Myself

[rlmorel]

Cruising at 37,00 feet eastbound, surfing the Internet, I paused for a second and looked out the window and saw another airliner flash by going 180 degrees in the opposite direction.

I readily admit I am no good at estimating relative distance in the air, I have never seen another plane pass this close...ever.

I could have read the tail number, it was that close, but I was so startled I didn't even register the kind of plane it was, though it was white with an engine under each wing.

Here is where it happened, at 1750 EST:

[KeyLargo]

Was there some sort of object following the plane at high speed?

[dynoman]

I think close enough to read the numbers is too close. These weren’t that close and the pilot took evasive action; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P7DygPsJ_sA#t=223

[Still Thinking]

I think they try to maintain 5 miles horizontal separation. I doubt if you could see 5 miles. Certainly not and have the plane be so large it was disconcerting.

[Gay State Conservative]

IIRC airlines *and* air traffic control people are legally obliged to report to authorities any unusual events during a flight...particularly a “near miss”.One would think that you could file a FOIA claim for info on the flight you were on.

[Still Thinking]

Aaaaaaaahhhhhhhhh! Man, they used to do horror well! “Give me those cookies and Coke, Shatner!”

[Tennessee Nana]

OK that’s scary..

[BwanaNdege]

“It’s 1000’ nowadays with RVSM in most places.”

Found it.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reduced_vertical_separation_minima

Still setting the ALT at 29.92 at those altitudes?

[KeyLargo]

If it looks like this out your window, don't sweat it, just pull the shade down and go back to sleep.

[windcliff]

I remember when that happened. It’s a miracle that the gas pumps weren’t hit.

[Squantos]

If ya had yer snoot pressed against the glass looking out and down and saw the aircraft that close, maybe too close. If sitting in your seat normally and upright looking out the glass and saw the other lawn dart I’d say that at least a 1000 foot separation was maintained safely ....albeit scary the angle of the dangle mathlete solution etc should rest yer worries.

Glad yer safe FRiend ....

[Inyo-Mono]

Whoa! Bro, what an opening paragraph to a potential book...........

My heart flutters with the excitement you have just instilled.....

"The milky white globes of her breasts danced in the moonlight..."

[GrandJediMasterYoda]

LOL! Now THAT is scary!

[july4thfreedomfoundation]

I burst out laughing when I saw your post. You da man!

Post of the month! I’m still LOL.

[Rome2000]

I’m not an airline pilot but I have seen other aircraft a few times.

One of the airlines used to have ATC on one of the channels you could listen to instead of music.

ATC would warn of other aircraft in the vicinity and check to make sure the pilots had a visual on them.

When I heard the warning I would look around and sure enough if it was on my side of the plane I could see them whiz by.

[rlmorel]

Exactly...I just paused from Freeping and looked out for a second and...whoosh...it zipped by.

We are all good up here, no more turbulence for now, either.

[laplata]

That is kind of funny.