Air Force Web site can prevent air mishaps for civilian pilots

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Russell Wicke
  • Air Combat Command Public Affairs
LANGLEY AIR FORCE BASE, Va. --  Air Combat Command officials here currently are reaching out to private civilian pilots by publicizing a Web site designed to prevent mid-air collisions with military aircraft.

The Web site, called www.seeandavoid.org, allows users to locate their flight path and determine how they can avoid flying through military operating areas.

Although it's legal for private pilots to fly through military operating air space, it's risky and often costly, said Lt. Col. Ned Linch, the 12th Air Force flight safety chief.

"When I first started flying the F-16 (Fighting Falcon), I had a few near misses with some light civil (airplanes,) so when I got my masters degree ... I did a lot of projects on mid-air collision avoidance," he said.

Colonel Linch said when a private pilot enters military air space, all training must cease until the civilian aircraft departs the training area. This costs money in fuel because resetting a training scene takes time. It also robs Air Force pilots of valued training hours.

Therefore, Defense Department officials gave tips on the site about when and where military aircraft fly, their maneuvers and tips to avoid a mid-air collision. All military operating areas and routes in the United States are marked.

"It's important for us to get the word out," Colonel Linch said. "One; where the air space is, and two; let them know that, yes, it's legal (to fly through); however, you are creating a safety issue -- and a training issue as well."

Most air-space conflicts can be avoided by simply planning a route properly, he said.

"With (Global Positioning Systems), it's easy just to go direct (to your destination)," the colonel said. But going direct sometimes is not the best option. "We're trying to help guys learn how to navigate special-use air space."

The "See and Avoid" Web site makes that possible. Another purpose of the site helps military pilots understand and communicate to private pilots.

"We're all using and sharing the same air space," said Col. Kelly Fletcher, the ACC deputy director of flying safety. "Sometimes (private pilots) don't fully understand our needs and sometime we don't understand theirs. So this is a way to have that communication."

Perhaps the best advantage of the Web site is that users need not consult multiple sources or Web sites to plan a route, Colonel Fletcher said.

"It's easy to use and everything is in one place," he said. "Instead of each base having their own site, this is a single central place all pilots can go to."

In addition to military operating areas and routes, the site also pinpoints where past near misses and mid-air collisions have occurred. This highlights areas more prone to accidents.

"It builds an awareness and understanding," Colonel Fletcher said. "If I'm going through or by a military operating area that has a high volume of basic flying training, I probably need to be aware because it's a high concentration of a lot of aircraft coming in and out and moving around there."