See and Avoid

[GraemeSmith]

An observation.

In the US at least - a large part of VFR collision avoidance is based on "see and avoid". But first you have to "see".

It is my observation in the last six weeks that my all polished and silver painted cowl and tipped Sonex is actually VERY hard to see. This is not just a matter of it being small - though that is a factor. It's also a function of it being highly reflective and flying in bright blue skies with small puffs of afternoon cloud. All perfectly reflected by the polished skin. When I might be expected to be picked out in silhouette against an appropriate backlit sky - I'm rarely seen. Even experienced and trusted other pilots and CFI's who know me, know that I am where I say I am in the pattern struggle to see me. While I see them fine. I've been doing a lot of wing rocking to flash my wings at the person looking. That gets you seen if you rock long enough. But you quickly "disappear" again when you stop rocking.

Flying operation "lights on" with bright LED navlights and landing lights and real discharge strobes doesn't help much on a bright sunny day unless a landing light just happens to be pointed directly at the person looking for me.

Experienced ground observers report the plane hard to pick out as well - even at pattern altitude and when listening to my pattern calls.

While conditions might change in flatter light and in the fall/winter - right now - I'm being extra cautious about assuming I've been seen.

While I don't want the weight penalty of an all painted plane - I am seriously considering dark contrasting cowl and rudder paint to try and make the plane easier to spot.

[DCASonex]

Also a polished Sonex, but with undersides of wings and cowl "Pepsi-can" blue, blue with white stripes on all moving control surfaces and blue - white checker board on tail Still after landing at a Sonex fly in some years back some folks mentioned they could hear me calling position while in pattern but could not see me until dropping the flaps on final. Fly with strobes on and just added ADS-B out for improved visibility for those with ADS-B in.

David A.

[n502pd]

Exactly my point to my several friends where we fly out of grass strip well north of DFW airspace. Some do not see the revelancy to 'see and avoid', and just keep going. I will put in an ads-b out system as soon as I can gather funds (Skybeacon), and will at least have electronic visability for a very hard to see Sonex, painted, polished, or striped. I have mine in its birthday suit, natural aluminum livery for now, with white fiberglass items.Some say why waste the dollars, but in a busy, outlying airspace, I reply its my butt on that seat, and if I can get others to know I am nearby, all of us might have a better chance to 'see and avoid' being in the same place at the same time!

[peter anson]

Polished aircraft are hard to see. I was once in the circuit with another aircraft but couldn't spot it. It didn't help that the pilot gave such a "professional" radio call that I couldn't understand a word of it and had to ask him to repeat the message. Turned out he was in front of me on downwind in a slower aircraft, necessitating an extended downwind. When he eventually touched down on the grass strip it looked like a shadow passing over the ground. A painted Sonex doesn't have to be heavy. Mine is primed inside and out and painted and has an empty weight of 306 kg (675 pounds), which is not a featherweight but it's not too porky either.

Peter
Sonex 894
Jabiru 3300

[sonex892.]

I recently painted my plane but have spent a bit of time sharing a circuit with another polished Sonex. Those mirrors are quite invisible.
The other problem is when doing formation flying on sunny days. The other pilots complain that no matter what the position of the Sonex was, the sun was always in their eyes.

[gyroron]

You could always do some vinyl wrapping on the wings and fuselage.... Doesn't have to be a full wrap either. Thats what I plan to do with mine

[Sonex1517]

I had my Sonex done with vinyl and love the results. The sides have vinyl decals, the tail tips and wing tips are vinyl, and the rudder is vinyl.