Uploaded February 2025 | Updated September 2026, 3 days ago
The importance of see and avoid when flying at uncontrolled airports.
While taking in the sights today from above, I found myself reflecting on the rash of airplane accidents and tragedies that have occurred over the past few weeks. The one that occurred in Arizona on February 19th hit close to home. The accident involved a flight school Cessna 172 and a Lancair aircraft.
Both aircraft were flying in the traffic pattern at the uncontrolled, or non-towered, Marana Regional Airport, located on the outskirts of Tucson, when they suddenly collided in the air.
The two people, flying in the much faster Lancair ended up losing their lives. The two in the Skyhawk were safely able to get the aircraft on the ground after the collision.
Reviewing the ADS-B data of the two aircraft, it unfortunately appears that the Lancair may have ended up catching up to the much slower Cessna Skyhawk, that was on final.
This sad situation reminded me again of just how important it is for VFR pilots to have their heads looking out the aircraft’s windows the majority of the time. Their heads should not be buried in an iPad, or staring too long at their instruments, or fiddling with their avionics. And the same rules apply for IFR pilots on an active IFR flight plan that are in Visual Meteorological conditions.
It is also so important at uncontrolled airports, like here at Laconia Airport in New Hampshire, that pilots know how to properly enter and fly a traffic pattern, and make proper radio calls so that all aircraft in the area have situational awareness to prevent any mid-air collisions that happened in Arizona.
In the next couple of weeks, I will release a new video on the best practices for flying into and out of non-towered airports. As part of that video, I will discuss in detail key points from the very important FAA Advisory Circular 90-66C. I will also go over FAA regulations 91.113 on Right-of-Way rules, and 91.126 On operating on or in the vicinity of an airport in Class G airspace. I may choose to also do a ½ day workshop on this topic at the Laconia Airport. If it interested in attending this type of event, please leave a comment below. And for those pilots not in the local area, I could live-stream it so that anyone could tune in and listen and comment during the event. Again, let me know your thoughts.
The importance of see and avoid when flying at uncontrolled airports.
While taking in the sights today from above, I found myself reflecting on the rash of airplane accidents and tragedies that have occurred over the past few weeks. The one that occurred in Arizona on February 19th hit close to home. The accident involved a flight school Cessna 172 and a Lancair aircraft.
Both aircraft were flying in the traffic pattern at the uncontrolled, or non-towered, Marana Regional Airport, located on the outskirts of Tucson, when they suddenly collided in the air.
The two people, flying in the much faster Lancair ended up losing their lives. The two in the Skyhawk were safely able to get the aircraft on the ground after the collision.
Reviewing the ADS-B data of the two aircraft, it unfortunately appears that the Lancair may have ended up catching up to the much slower Cessna Skyhawk, that was on final.
This sad situation reminded me again of just how important it is for VFR pilots to have their heads looking out the aircraft’s windows the majority of the time. Their heads should not be buried in an iPad, or staring too long at their instruments, or fiddling with their avionics. And the same rules apply for IFR pilots on an active IFR flight plan that are in Visual Meteorological conditions.
It is also so important at uncontrolled airports, like here at Laconia Airport in New Hampshire, that pilots know how to properly enter and fly a traffic pattern, and make proper radio calls so that all aircraft in the area have situational awareness to prevent any mid-air collisions that happened in Arizona.
In the next couple of weeks, I will release a new video on the best practices for flying into and out of non-towered airports. As part of that video, I will discuss in detail key points from the very important FAA Advisory Circular 90-66C. I will also go over FAA regulations 91.113 on Right-of-Way rules, and 91.126 On operating on or in the vicinity of an airport in Class G airspace. I may choose to also do a ½ day workshop on this topic at the Laconia Airport. If it interested in attending this type of event, please leave a comment below. And for those pilots not in the local area, I could live-stream it so that anyone could tune in and listen and comment during the event. Again, let me know your thoughts.
