Mid-Air Collisions (MAC)

Mid-Air Collisions
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Mid-Air Collisions
Since the first midair collision (MAC) occurred in 1956 where all 128 passengers on board perished, on average there have been 13 accidents recorded each year. This is despite the increase in installation of the Traffic Alert and Collision Avoidance Systems (TCAS) in many aircrafts. MACs have resulted to devastating loss of lives in avoidable circumstances. As a result, legislations have been enacted to ensure the air safety is guaranteed. One such legislation is ‘Airport and Airway safety Expansion Act that made it mandatory for all aircrafts carrying civilians to be fitted with TCAS (AOPA Air Safety Foundation, 2009). Continued growth in technology has also spurred the development of better and efficient method of providing early warning as well as best course of action that the pilot can take to avert possible midair collisions and in the process of minimizing them.
There is little attention placed on risk management during the training of pilots; more emphasis is directed towards the physical aspect of the training (Wilson & Binnema, 2014). Integration of risk of management in the teaching process of prospective pilots is an important way of informing them on flying risks, their identification, and the ways in which they can be managed effectively. Pilots who have undergone risk management training have a low likelihood of causing a mid-air collision or any other general aviation accidents. This would help to reduce the number of fatalities as well as make air travel safer.
Most of the air travel accidents that occur are directly linked to human error. Federal Aviation Administration (2009) puts the estimates of pilot-related aircraft accidents at 85% of all accidents that occurred in the past two decades. A good example is 1978 mid-air collision between a private Cessna 172 and a Boeing 727-214 operated by Pacific Southwest Airlines while they were approaching landing in San Diego in VFR conditions. The crash investigation indicated that, while the air-traffic control system was a contributing factor in the accident, the pilots did not clearly inform ATC when they lost visual of each other's flight. In addition, the pilot of the Cessna failed to adhere to the clearance of maintain-visual-separation. This accident would have been avoided if the pilots had maintained their course as advised by ATC and increased their alertness in light of the developing situation. In the event an accident would have occurred, lower number of casualties would have been reported.
Most accidents occur in areas where there is high aircraft traffic. Usually, it is at a distance of approximately 10 miles from the airport (AOPA Live, n.d). The pilot is required to be very vigilant at these areas to avoid any collisions with aircrafts that are taking off or landing. Approximately 11% of MACs happen in the course of climb and takeoff, 17% for maneuvers, 27% during cruise, while the final process of landing contributes to 45% of the accidents (Air Safety Foundation, 2009). In places where there is high air traffic density, the pilot flying VFR should keep away holding points and maintain a high level of attention. An active military site may pose a high risk for any civilian aircraft flying in that region. Recently, an F-16 Air Force jet collided with a Cessna 172 near Sarasota in Florid...