Today at about 6pm (CST) outside of RFD (a NOT at all busy airport) there was a guy in a WWII “Navy” bomber doing loops around the airport. I think that it was there for some avionics or some other upgrades that are common there. Well, I was watching him flying low and out of no where what looked to be a Pilatus PC-12 came on in and both to a rapid turns in opposite directions.
I checked RFD and both must have been VFR…but really? I moved to a new home less than a mile from the airport partly just so I could watch…this however was stunning to me. Is the “rule” 1000’? If so, they had that - their altitude was about the same…low (less than 3000’ by my eyeball estimate).
Not sure what “rule” you speak of. 1000’ of separation? If they’re in the pattern, they’re under control of the tower and they have to have the other aircraft in sight. When I was training way back when at KSCH, there would be two or three small planes in the pattern doing touch and goes. There’s an ANG base there and every once and a while I had to wave off my slow approach in the 152 because I had a C130 breathing down my neck.
That is what I was thinking. I do not have a radio to hear them and they are not on LiveATC at RFD…what was funny is happenstance I was in line at a store and a man with a local company at the airport (I knew due to his uniform and patch’s) said that it was the talk of the airport today. So, I was not the only one to see the “incident”.
I suppose if it was some grass field airport that is one thing, but this is not exactly a grass field (and a UPS hub).
