How often do you see other aircraft in flight?

[markis10]

Its an easy one for the pilots to answer but what about the customers?

Today 30 minutes out of DRW bound for BNE I caught one of the VA 777s going past about 1/2 km away (and at least 1000 ft below), its not the first time I have seen other aircraft but normally they are tracking in the same direction. It got me thinking, how many times have our members seen an aircraft when looking out the window, the closing speed of an opposing track aircraft would make it easy to miss!

 

[oz_mark]

Seen a few, and as you say usually going the same way. Most of my sightings have been out over the Bight. I couldn't tell you how far away they were, but they look pretty small :shock:

 

[munitalP]

I see a lot - I guess its my window seat choice, and the fact I look out the window if not sleeping on domestic flights.

Most frequently on MEL/SYD or SYD/MEL routes however, have seen a number of smaller AC in QLD when travelling north to Townsville or Cairns - most probably Q400's or crash 8's

The very best I have seen were 2 F16s (or similar) come under a DELTA (LAX/Atlanta) flight (3 months after 9/11) at about 15 degrees adjacent to our flight path in the same direction, they both went after-burner just after coming into view so watched them disappear for a while - awesome...!

The next best was a 747 breaking the cloud layer (heavy snow filled clouds) over Hanover area tracking the same direction however climbing - breath taking

 

[medhead]

I've seen only a couple, both domestic, that I can remember. One flying ADL-SYD, I saw a smaller prop aircraft (Dash-8 ish) crossing under the aircraft towards about CBR. Coming into land in ADL in the last month or so, again a smaller prop aircraft (probably light aircraft) flying in the opposite direction, off the starboard side and a bit lower, over the Adelaide hills.

Oh and saw an aircraft following our track as we turned around over the sea to line up on the ADL runway. But I guess that doesn't really count.

 

[drewbles]

I never select a window seat, so I guess I miss out.

On an AA flight a month or so ago, I was forced to sit in a window seat (in F at least!) and was staring out much of the flight from DFW to LAS. I saw a South West flight cross flight paths perpendicular to ours a few thousand feet below us. Proves how fast those pressurised tubes moved. I was actually grinning like a little kid. Was awesome to see. Still, I'll stick to my aisle seat wherever possible.

I have often noticed a/c on approach to airports, but nothing quite as awesome as one 'crossing paths' .

 

[nlagalle]

Flew to PER today and just after take off I saw one out the window.

 

[Mal]

Used to see them quite often when landing back in London ... Circle, Circle, Circle, Circle etc etc etc. Plenty of other planes doing exactly the same thing

Have also seen this when doing similar stuff at Australian ports - eg CBR during fog, SYD on their bad days etc.

Don't really look out the window too often when flying. Got over the excitement quite a few years ago and instead prefer my centre aisle seat

 

[tuapekastar]

Prefer aisle seat so very rare. Had to adopt a 'holding pattern' north of LHR last June on a QF A380, and the captain advised a QF 744 could be seen (in similar hold) out the left window, and there it was!

 

[casanovawa]

Seen several, apart from circling at LHR... in 2009 flying Air Asia between Denpasar and KL a similar Air Asia flight came by in the opposite direction think it was level with my plane, but just lucky I was looking out then or yes, past in a flash... flying over the Bight one time in a QF 743 from Melb to Per the Captain came on and announced we were passing a competitor as we went past a Virgin flight, must have been a few smiles up front about that... Had a parallel landing approach with another plane into SFO's two runways on an AA flight in 2003... And flying to Athens over the Aegean in 2010 saw a few smaller planes under my flight probably flying out to various Greek Islands...

Really would depend what routes you are on and how congested they are and how inclined you are to look out the window, which i ALWAYS get window seats... Love looking at other planes in flight and at the con trails from the ground when in Europe... still haven't lost the wonder...

 

[Tassie Devil]

Had a parallel landing approach with another plane into SFO's two runways on an AA flight in 2003...

Back in early August last year i was on a AA flight from Chicago back to LA and coming in to land at LAX we were parallel with one of the Mexican planes (I can't recall now the name of the airline, i think it might be the one that went bust just a few months later, darkish blue in colour) Anyway it was fascinating watching it move around and the various flap movements as we came in side by side.

 

[drron]

Even with an aisle seat in LOTFAP I generally notice other planes in flight.
Also usually on the DJ flight MCY-MEL.
However none as close as when i lived in a top floor unit in Stanmore in the 70s-got to recognise many pilots.:shock:

 

[Austman]

A few times when flying across Europe, while a cruising speed, I've seen passenger jets go past in the opposite direction but at a lower/higher altitudes. The speed difference is incredible. And they are gone from view in seconds.

 

[pauly7]

Couple of times out of Perth in the QF a330 have overtaken a DJ 737 puttering alongside - once even the pilot called it out and made a pretty funny joke about us winning the race!

 

[serfty]

Certainly see this a lot more in the USA.

However, several standouts:

• Travelling from BNE to MEL, sowhere around Dubbo, a QF 737 appeared to be tracking from SYD to somewhere west (ADL?). It was about 1000' below and flew right under us. The closing speed was immense.
• Last year just after departing SFO for LAX we flew over a Qantas 744 (QF73?) decending for landing in SFO.
• Following a contrail about 500' out to the right travelling from BOS to MIA, same height. The trail slowly got further away and the aircaft finally came into view before banking right and descending somewhere around FLL.

 

[samh004]

Most I ever saw was landing in SYD on one runway, so lots were circling, though I saw them mostly when they were making the same approach we were.

 

[Undercover Brother]

I work in the aviation industry, and have a fairly good knowledge on the route structures in east coast AUS, makes the window seat more enjoyable when you know there is opposite direction/crossing traffic about!

 

[markis10]

LOTFAP certainly has the traffic to make the incidence fairly high, couple of times I have seen passing traffic on the LAS-LAX trips. Airports certainly also help increase the concentration of aircraft in the air, I remember being in the jump seat on a UA 747 as number 10 in the line up for approach to LAX, and 10 days later in the jumpseat of a Cactus (HP) 737 as number 12 on a visual approach to LAX!

 

[Sprucegoose]

yes its great when you see one at height and speed.

Crossing the Viet coast enroute to JKT, i saw a (est boxed 1000ft) MAS travelling the other way. Closing speed say 1700km - very quick. There and gone in a flash!!!!

 

[NYCguy]

You tend to see a lot of other aircraft when flying intra-Europe routes. Lots.

The north-Atlantic airways also offer frequent spotting opportunities.

Flying around the USA one does see other aircraft, but in my experience it's nowhere near as common as it is when flying around Europe.

 

[Nigelinoz]

I received an excellent DVD as a christmas present,it's a coughpit view program with Virgin Blue and includes many flights including BNE to MEL.
About 7m 50s into the DJ 310 flight,with the DJ 737 on climb to FL 380 there is an excellent shot out of the captains window of a QF 747 ,also southbound with clear vapour trails from each of it's 4 engines,
What is quite amusing is the expression of delight you can hear in the voice of ,what I presume was the DJ flight attendant who on seeing the QF plane says "Oh Wow" must have been the first time she had seen a QF 747 in flight!.
For anyone interested in aviaition I can thoroughly recommend this DVD.
Virgin Blue