My Submission for Pic of the Year
Life is very strange and sometimes you just happen on the oddest things. I walked up to my EWR-MUC United flight on Sunday and looked out the window to see this:
What are the odds that I would look out just as the pilot decides to remove that bug splatter from the last landing? I found it pretty hilarious, but I do have a weird sense of humor. This so much reminded me of the movie Airplane where the pilots are seated in the cockpit and the mechanic comes and raises the hood to check the oil. Anyway, glad I could capture this moment for eternity. How often do pilots have to do this anyway?
One more shot from this same flight. Crossing over into Europe, I look out and am surprised to see another jet this close to us.
I estimated that to be less than a mile away and about 1000 feet lower. I know FAA regs for trailing separation is one mile horizontally and 1000 feet vertically, but I don’t know what the rule is for two jets side by side. They must have been going 10-20 miles faster since they eventually passed us after about a half hour. Another unusual sight to share.
Apparently it happens a lot because I was ewr-lax on Thursday of last week and say the very same thing
With RVSM (Reduced Vertical Separation Minimums) and above 29,000 feet (which you most certainly were), you are indeed correct, the vertical separation between aircraft is 1,000 feet versus the normal 2,000 feet, see here: https://www.faa.gov/air_traffic/separation_standards/rvsm/
Below that altitude, 1,000 foot separation is normal even without RVSM.
To my eyes it appears that other aircraft is just outside a mile away still.
I routinely fly on the UC-12F aircraft, things like this video https://youtu.be/xQM0Sk4ejVs aren’t uncommon, and this one didn’t even trigger a TCAS alert.
That said, keep up the blogging, I love the updates!