What pilots should do to avoid mid air collision?

The risk of midair collision is greatest from takeoff to top of climb, and again from start of descent to landing.

Don’t assume you’ll always be able to ‘see and avoid.’

You, the pilot, are responsible for your own separation and lookout.

Air regulation prescribes that when weather conditions permit, regardless of whether the operation is conducted under instrument flight rules (IFR) or visual flight rules (VFR), each person operating an aircraft shall maintain vigilance so as to see and avoid other aircraft.

Remember that most midair collision accidents and reported Near Miss incidents occurred during good VFR weather conditions and during the hours of daylight.

How to avoid Mid Air Collision

1. Preflight Planning. Take some time out prior to flight and review airspace, NOTAM, terrain, and meteorological conditions. Prior knowledge goes a long way in avoiding gliders, hot air balloons, UAVs, and military aircraft operating close to air routes.
   
2. Rate of Closure. The pilot’s primary responsibility is to fly the aircraft safely. Pilots should remain constantly alert to all traffic movement within their field of vision, as well as periodically scanning the entire visual field outside of their aircraft to ensure the detection of conflicting traffic. The performance capabilities of many aircraft, in both speed and rates of climb/descent, result in high closure rates limiting the time available for detection, decision, and evasive action. Research has shown that the average person has a reaction time of 12.5 seconds. In this 12.5 seconds, a commercial jet aircraft would travel a distance of more than 1 nautical mile. So the pilot will have to spot another conflicting traffic which is coming ‘Head-On’ at more than 2 nm. This distance will reduce to 1 nm when conflicting traffic is at 90 degrees or when coming beam position (3/9 ‘O’ Clock).
   
3. Visual Scan Pattern. The probability of spotting a potential collision threat increases with the time spent looking outside, but certain techniques help increase the effectiveness of the scan time. The human eyes tend to focus on a relaxed intermediate focal distance (10 to 30 feet) when looking at the featureless sky. This means that you are looking without actually seeing anything, which is dangerous. Hence, focus eyes to a distant object like a cloud for the effective visual acquisition of conflicting traffic. After focusing, scan the complete area in a sinusoidal movement both above and below the horizon. Each pilot should develop a scanning pattern and adhere to it to assure optimum scanning.

I prefer to divide the sky into 10 deg sectors and then scan it in a sinusoidal manner both above and below the horizon taking 10 seconds to scan the complete area. To an observer, it would look as if I am nodding my head and slowly turning it along.

1. Spotting Threats. Peripheral vision is most useful in spotting collision threats as it is through this that movement is detected. Apparent movement is almost always the first perception of a collision threat, and probably the most important because it is the discovery of a threat that triggers the events leading to proper evasive action. It is essential to remember, however, that if another aircraft appears to have no relative motion, it is likely to be on a collision course with you.

If the other aircraft shows no lateral or vertical motion, but is increasing in size, take immediate evasive action.

1. Night Searches. Visual search at night depends almost entirely on peripheral vision. This is due in part to the night blind spot that involves an area between 5 and 10 degrees wide in the center of the visual field. By looking approximately 10 degrees below, above, or to either side of an object, “off-center” viewing can compensate for this night blind spot. Modern aircraft lighting and light pulse systems present a noticeable improvement toward detecting other aircraft in flight over previous legacy systems.
   
2. Aircraft Systems and Technologies. Proper use of available aircraft system and technology like High-intensity anti-collision white strobe lights (visible from all directions), Aircraft communications radios (VHF), Traffic Alert and Collision Avoidance System (TCAS) I, TCAS II, or those aircraft equipped with Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) In and display capability, Altitude hold monitoring/alerting equipment, Cockpit/flight data recording systems, Terrain Awareness and Warning Systems (TAWS), radar altimeter with audible alerts can greatly enhance situational awareness of traffic and at the same time increase visibility of our own aircraft to others using the same technology. While new aircraft systems can provide pilots with a wealth of information, they can also cause fixation on the displays and draw a pilot’s attention inside the cockpit and away from the outside environment. Any newly installed technology and its limitations should be thoroughly learned and understood on the ground first as much as possible. For all pilots using advanced technologies in the cockpit, extra vigilance is required to avoid excessive heads-down time. Traffic information equipment does not relieve a pilot’s responsibility to see and avoid other aircraft. Managing distractions caused by the use of technology in the cockpit is critical to the safety of the flight.
   
3. Work Load Management. Always follow the SOP. Don’t let routine tasks (programming GPS, paperwork, etc.) or familiarity with an aerodrome cause you to relax your lookout. Consider adopting ‘sterile cockpit’ procedures while climbing or descending. Cockpit activities should also focus on the lookout. Complete most checks and briefings prior to descent so you can concentrate on procedures and lookout. Always monitor the recommended or mandatory frequency. Get on frequency well before entering the ATF/MF zone to establish traffic awareness. Keep others aware of your position. Transmit initial advisories and updates on the recommended or mandatory frequency giving your position, altitude, intentions, and ETA.
   
4. Collision Evasive Technique. In case the threat is fixed on your windshield and growing in size, you are on collision course. Always maneuver to increase lateral and vertical separation.

Remember the golden rule of ‘column to right and into stomach except in a same side turn’.

This means to avoid a collision, immediately turn to the right and climb to increase lateral and vertical separation. However, if you are climbing or descending then arrest climb or descent while creating lateral separation by turning to the right. However, if both the aircraft are in the same side turn i.e. one aircraft inside the other aircraft turn (mostly happens while turning base) then the aircraft on the outside must roll out to create lateral separation.

In short,

Lookout:—Stay focused on looking outside.