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You are here: MacNN Forums > Community > MacNN Lounge > Is this an airliner collision near miss?

Is this an airliner collision near miss?
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Wiskedjak
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Nov 5, 2011, 09:49 PM
 
Was flying home today from Toronto to Calgary. Over Lake Huron, twenty minutes in to the flight (12:43 EDT) I spotted this out the starboard window I was sitting at. Seemed a bit close for comfort.



Here's the flight history:
FlightAware > Westjet Airlines Ltd (WS) #671 > 05-Nov-2011 > CYYZ-CYYC Flight Tracker
     
brassplayersrock²
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Nov 5, 2011, 09:52 PM
 
I would say yes.
     
Athens
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Nov 5, 2011, 10:14 PM
 
Really depends on altitude, direction, speed. A picture says none of that. But I wouldn't want to be see that from my seat.
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Wiskedjak  (op)
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Nov 5, 2011, 10:23 PM
 
True. Here's my view of the other plane a few seconds earlier looking forward. Our starboard wing was just to the right of my shot. Same zoom (105mm equivalent).



It would appear that we were either a bit below the other plane, or that it was climbing. A few seconds later, it passed behind us.
     
Athens
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Nov 5, 2011, 10:27 PM
 
Could send those photos into the CBC and see if they do anything about it like check into it.
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imitchellg5
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Nov 5, 2011, 11:04 PM
 
Nope.
     
MacNNUK
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Nov 6, 2011, 02:19 AM
 
There's usually a vertical separation of a minimum of 1,000 feet, distance can look deceptive at height.


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Wiskedjak  (op)
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Nov 6, 2011, 11:05 AM
 
Cool. Thanks, guys. That's pretty much what I figured, especially since neither plane seemed to be making any visible effort to avoid each other.

Next question:
I'm guessing the other plane is American Airlines. Thoughts?
     
imitchellg5
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Nov 6, 2011, 06:46 PM
 
It's an American Airlines 757, likely on its way to ORD from somewhere.
     
Wiskedjak  (op)
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Nov 6, 2011, 08:50 PM
 
Originally Posted by imitchellg5 View Post
It's an American Airlines 757, likely on its way to ORD from somewhere.
Thanks! Found it:
American Airlines flight 87 out of Heathrow.
FlightAware > American Airlines (AA) #87 > 05-Nov-2011 > EGLL-KORD Flight Tracker

They were about 1300ft above us at the time of my photo.
     
imitchellg5
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Nov 6, 2011, 08:58 PM
 
Or 767
     
glideslope
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Nov 6, 2011, 10:24 PM
 
No.
To know your Enemy, you must become your Enemy.”
Sun Tzu
     
ghporter
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Nov 7, 2011, 07:50 AM
 
Considering the location and the number of airports near Lake Huron (DTW, for example, is a big and busy hub), and that there is a very obvious vertical separation of at least the required 1,000 feet, that was not anything but well managed traffic.

Near an aerodrome, there should be at let one mile of lateral separation and at least 1,000 feet of vtical separation. Your route took you through the edge of DTW's airspace, over Windsor's, near a number of smaller Michigan regional airports' airspace areas, etc. You should have seen plenty of aircraft close enough to identify their livery, without being "too close" to any of them.

Glenn -----OTR/L, MOT, Tx
     
   
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