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Undertoad · 07-03-2002, 12:51 PM

I don't remember what my flight instructor said she'd do if faced with a head-on collision situation. I think she said she'd dive. Or climb. Yeah, I can't remember.

But it seems to me that the BEST approach would be to dive AND turn right. Now, I only had one lesson, so I'm speaking out of complete ignorance here. But I have reasons!

If you only move in one dimension, it seems to me that you would have a greater chance of colliding than if you move in two dimensions. If the other pilot has always thought "I'm gonna dive", and you've always thought "I'm gonna dive", you'd both be planning for your disaster. But if you thought in two dimensions you're improving the chances that your instinctive choice doesn't, er, impact with the other pilot's instinctive choice.

Then, if you turn to the right, you're kinda working with the instincts of autombile drivers, at least in those countries that drive on the right.

Then, if you dive and turn right, you should see the other pilot for a longer period of time and have a greater chance to react.

Is this something you ever consider?

07-03-2002, 12:51 PM	#1
Undertoad Radical Centrist Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Cottage of Prussia Posts: 31,423	Question for the pilots I don't remember what my flight instructor said she'd do if faced with a head-on collision situation. I think she said she'd dive. Or climb. Yeah, I can't remember. But it seems to me that the BEST approach would be to dive AND turn right. Now, I only had one lesson, so I'm speaking out of complete ignorance here. But I have reasons! If you only move in one dimension, it seems to me that you would have a greater chance of colliding than if you move in two dimensions. If the other pilot has always thought "I'm gonna dive", and you've always thought "I'm gonna dive", you'd both be planning for your disaster. But if you thought in two dimensions you're improving the chances that your instinctive choice doesn't, er, impact with the other pilot's instinctive choice. Then, if you turn to the right, you're kinda working with the instincts of autombile drivers, at least in those countries that drive on the right. Then, if you dive and turn right, you should see the other pilot for a longer period of time and have a greater chance to react. Is this something you ever consider?