Day Six - My Instructor’s Day Off

Today is my instructor’s day off, so I guess it’s my day off, too. Thought I’d tell you a little bit about the airspace in which we practice. The “practice area” is designated airspace to the northeast of St. Andrews Airport. It more or less runs from East Selkirk-Tyndall-Garson-Beausejour in the south to Libau-Scanterbury in the north. It encompasses some mighty fine country filled with farm fields, gravel pits and cows.

Travel to the practice area is via one of three air routes at an altitude of 2500’ out and 2000’ back. With two flying schools based out of St. Andrews, the airspace in the practice area can become very active. Prior to entering the practice area, we make a general radio call on 122.75 MHz “looking for the advisory” basically asking where everyone is and what they are doing. We then decide where we are going to go to stay out of their way.

When you’re not looking at the controls, you’re looking all around you for unexpected traffic. Prior to any manoeuvre involving reduced visibility or significant changes in altitude, we always complete a series of 90 degree turns to scan the area. On Friday, I spotted a plane rapidly approaching our position at a lower altitude. It wasn’t a near miss or anything, but definitely WAY TOO close. The plane was from another flight school. They either didn’t properly broadcast their location and intentions or the call was somehow missed. An important reminder of the adage “see and be seen”!