When on an airplane why dont you see other planes in the sky?

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flyskyhawk2008

Hi there.

Often times when your airplane is departing or approaching an airport is when you will most likely see other planes. Air Traffic Controllers are required to keep aircraft separated either 3nm horizontally or 1,000 feet vertically at Terminal Radar Area Control Facilities (TRACONs), which generally control airspace at or below 18,000 feet. Above 18,000 is where you find the En-Route controllers, who are required to keep aircraft separated either 10 miles laterally or 1,000 feet vertically, which is, essentially, the reason that you don't see many other planes.

However, if you look closely, you will see other aircraft. They often travel very fast in the opposite direction either above or below your aircraft. Aircraft on a magnetic compass heading of 001 through 179 are usually kept at odd altitudes (31,000; 33,000; 35,000; 37,000; 39,000; 41,000) and aircraft on a magnetic compass heading of 180 through 360 (000) are usually kept on even altitudes (30,000; 32,000; 34,000; 36,000; 38,000; 40,000). Therefore, with the required 1,000 feet of vertical separation, an aircraft can be closer than 3 or 10 miles laterally.

In response to an above answer, aircraft are NOT kept at an altitude plus 500 feet unless they are Visual Flight Rules below 18,000 feet (in the U.S.). Instrument Flight Rules aircraft, which account for almost every commercial airline flight, cruise at altitudes that end in 000, ie. 30,000 feet.

Airways above 18,000 feet are called Jet Airways and below 18,000 are called Victor Airways. Most airlines have retired the old VOR navigation style, except for when on approach, due to the availability of Global Positioning Systems.

Good question.
Happy flying....

ethansma24

If you were a pilot you would see them. Most of the time, the distance is to far to see them. And, being a passenger, your view is restricted to just one side of the plane. The windows in the cockpit allow you to see much much more. I have on occasion noticed a plane here and there. Most of the time it's when we're turning, and descending for landing...because there is a line of planes behind you getting ready to do the same thing.

Swiftwind

You rarely see other planes in the sky, except during approach, and there are several reasons for this. Before I go into this, I would like to mention the misconception that airline routes are all very different to prevent collision. Actually, the routes all share the same waypoints as defined by the air regulating authorities, though they do sometimes differ. For an international flight across the Atlantic, they follow defined waypoints, as there is no air traffic controller I believe, just a radio person monitoring positions.

In aviation, safety is an extremely critical factor, therefore separation must be maintained between aircraft. It would be extremely dangerous to have a small aircraft go behind a heavy for example, as wake turbulence can render the latter aircraft uncontrollable. While every country is different, air traffic control monitors the proximity of every aircraft and maintains a distance from each other. The reason for this is obvious, as an air collision is likely fatal.

Also, planes flying in different directions maintain different altitudes. For example, in Canada, an airliner flying west will maintain even thousands such as 40000', and an airliner flying east will maintain odd thousands such as 37000'. Again, this is for safety.

Occassionally, if you look close enough, either up or down, you will often see a plane crossing. You will not see planes directly outside the window in most cases (cept for landing), as if you do, the planes are probably too close together. The pilots would get a warning noise in the cockpit if that happens.

Kevin

When I first learned to fly I couldn't see other planes at a reasonable 3 to 5 mile distance which is as close as air traffic control will allow planes to come together (save landing or a few other situations) The thing is, it takes a different approach than watching out for a car to come down the road. I don't care how big, a plane at 5 miles isn't easy to see if you haven't trained your eyes to it. Pilots are taught to scan in small 10 degree segments up and down, then the next 10 degree slice, then the next. To spot something so far away really does require you to change how you look outside. One thing that helps is your peripheral vision is really better at catching motion especially at night. Learn to use it when you look out. Its a rods vs cones thing. Peripheral sight is better for catching motion and dim objects. If you don't believe me, go out one night and look right at a faint star. Stare right at it. Soon it'll become invisible. Now look just off from it with the light in the corner of your eye. Promise you you'll see it until you get a neck cramp and decide to go back inside. It won't fade out of sight.

Learn the small sector scan and to use your peripheral vision and you will see many planes in your travels. Above the clouds though in the en route phase of flight it tends to be less congested so you might not have as much luck.

footballkid0231

Well, the planes are equipped with a system called TCAS (Transportation Collision Avoidence System) which warns the pilot if another airplane is getting too close. You usually don't see airplanes near you when you fly because they are usually tons of miles away. If the TCAS system says it is getting too close from an airplaine it will yell out warnings like "descend, descend, descend" or "PULL UP! PULL UP! PULL UP!. You might see few airplanes that look near you which are well over a thousand feet above of below you, or near you (like 3 miles) but that would be very rare beacuase of Air Traffic Controll, The people who tell them that they are getting too close and they should report them in sight. If they see each other, then they will be instructed to descend or climb. Well thats all from my 13 year old brain! Tada!

jacsrbetter1

sometimes you can see them, right when they fly into your plane, so consider yourself lucky

Chip H

cause air traffic controllers keep plane
far away from each other

lere

Try looking out the window...lol

Yello

Planes go different directions. You don't see them because there arent any other planes flying the same route in the same place at that time. It's also a danger thing. Planes can't fly to close to each other or else, you know, they'll have a chance of colliding and crashing. I fly and when I was coming back from Paris, Fr, I did see another plane in the sky, but it was WAY off in the distance. That's probably because, though, It was over the Atlantic ocean and lots of flights go from Europe to America.

Mabe

Because they take scheduled routes that purposely keep them apart so as to prevent a crash. If you can ever see another plane from yours while in the sky, I'd pray to whatever god you believe in because you may not survive.

Quint B

if you could look up there they are, below,there the are same level very doubtful

Monkey Man

When a plane takes off and lands they travel on "Air lines". Airlines are like roads in the sky that planes follow.

Planes travelling to diffrent destinations will be out of sight obviously, but if two planes are travelling from the same location and travel to the same destenation then they follow each other on the "airlines",so you cant see the other planes because they either behind you or infornt of you and as a passanger you can only look from the sides.

If planes are travelling from diffrent locations but are travelling to the same destination then the two planes will comunicate with each other and eventualy will merge on the same "Airlines" but they keep a big distance from each other for safty reasons and also they fligh at diffrent alttitudes so some planes are above you and under you ( not directly under you ofcourse)

All these operations are contolled by Air Traffic Controll and give planes directions and commands, Air Traffic Contoll will do there best to keep planes far apart for Safty reasons so its a good thing you dont see other planes flying along side of you but generally planes follow each other like a train.

cheekiemonkie

i've seen airplanes in the sky when i've flown.

Jester

Its a good thing you dont. Planes are supposed to keep a certain amount of space between themselves to prevent a mid air collision.

Darren G

Different flight patterns!!

steveheremd

I have seen planes from my plane window many times from a distance. Like others have said above my answer, the planes must maintain minimum distances, so when you see another plane, it will look small to you.

linkstar

Because you are always the only plane allowed to fly in the sky every time you fly. I've noticed this to and it's because you are probably a VIP person like me. The only reason they let other people on the plane with you is so you don't waste so much gas.

bigoldmatty

It's a good sign don't worry

Peter f

I have seen lots!

Mangobells58

It's because aeroplanes cannot get that close or they will crash. :)

cameljumpdawg

Because air traffic control keeps that from happening. In some places in america they keep an eye on every plane based on that region. They will radio the pilot and warn him if too close to another plane or if there on a head on course with another plane, without them there would be alote of head on collsions. And besides if there were 2 airplanes that were not close enough to hit but close enough too see each other, u would have to think about a turbulance prob, that could serously change a scenario.

quantumrift

You are not looking close enough. They fly over and under you all the time, but they will be small.

That being said, commercial jets follow 'federal airways' which are essentially 'highways in the sky'. They are called "Victor Airways":

Victor Airways are like highways in the sky. Many powered aircraft follow these routes. The routes connect radio navigation beacons called "very high frequency omnidirectional range" or VOR stations that radiate a signal in all directions. These stations are usually located at or near airfields. North-south Victor Airways have odd numbers while east-west airways have even numbers (Sort of like the United States Interstate numbering system).

These federal or Victor Airways are used by both Instrument Flight Rules and Visual Flight Rules aircraft. The airspace set aside for a Victor Airway is eight miles wide with a floor at 1200 AGL (Above Ground Level); they extend up to light Level 180 (18,000' msl).

Above 18,000 msl (sea level), you have what are called JET Airways. These are where the 'big boys' fly. They too are like highways.

Aircraft fly along these 'routes' like automobile follow a freeway. However, the 'lanes' of these sky higways are not laid out like a real road. Think of the lanes as being 'stacked' on top of each other, with the lanes being in opposite directions on top of each other. Aircraft have to maintain a specific altitudes when flying a particular direction with a separation 'barrier' of 500'....

For example:

Flying a magnetic course of 0Â° - 179Â°, fly at odd thousands plus 500 feet. For example, 3,500; 5,500; 7,500.
Flying a magnetic course of 18Â° - 359Â°, fly at even thousands plus 500 feet. For example, 4,500; 6,500; 8,500.

That is called VERTICAL spacing or separation.

Horizontal spacing has its own rules, so depending on the time of your flight, the direction of your flight, and even which side of the plane you sit on, can determine how many if any other aircraft you might see. However, there's a LOT of sky out there and in relation to it, not that may planes. In most cases aircraft flying directly above you either in the same direction or in the opposite direction will be unviewable because you can't see directly above or below the aircraft due to window and visibility restrictions (and wings blocking your view as well).

I have flown many times and I see other aircraft all the time. Just a few weeks ago one crossed below us (we were heading W, it was heading N, NW) and I observed it. You have to have a keen eye and look for movement, flashes of reflected light off the fuselage, etc.

If you are interested in checking out how many flights are in the air, like right now, or you want to check out a particular flight number, check out this website:

http://www.flightaware.com

In any case, just keep looking. You'll eventually learn how to spot them.

Cyril J

u dont see them because if they get to close in the skies the radios cross over

Brandon

I see them... but I wondered the same thing for awhile... until all I did was look... at night you can see some flashing lights of other planes, but very far away

Leyla

if u look out the window long enough you'll catch a glimpse
of another plane from time to time.
they go by very fast and if u look away for more than 5 sec
you'll miss seeing it.

jhuss1256

Good Air traffic controllers most likely

à¥Raver Lunarchick with a tick

well you have a very limited view from those tiny windows while they fly at different elevations and try to stay clear of eachother. it is possible though.

Signilda

you can see them and I have seen them. They are at different altitudes and distances, but I have seen them. Once I had to circle JFK for 2 hours and I saw the plane above me circling and the one below me circling. But Air Traffic Controllers are pretty good at keeping planes far apart. Its only in heavy air traffic conditions that they can cut the mileage distance between flights.

It is supposed to be like that because if you did then you have a higher chance of crashing.

Luucy. Duh.

They have to fly a certain distance apart to minimise risk of crashing. This is a bit strange I know, as you would think that you would be able to see them as there are no clouds! I don't know whether this is 100% correct though, so don't trust me totally!

SweetPea

I've seen one before from the plane at cruising altitude. It was coming in the opposite direction and sailed across the sky VERY FAST. You really have to get lucky to see one. Obviously you aren't the only one in the air!

When on an airplane why dont you see other planes in the sky? pic 1

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