East Fortune contact on Sunday. Real or phantom?

[Charles Scott]

I finally got around to testing my Pilot Aware in the air on Sunday (4th Sept) evening over East Lothian. At 1500ft approaching Tantallon Castle from the South I had a close contact showing on the same level in the 7 o'clock position. The contact had a numeric ID of something like "51430" on SkyDemon, but I didn't screenshot it and I was focused on making sure I didn't hit it so migh have picked that up wrong. I initiated a wide turn as I didn't want to turn on to a collision course and it suddenly vanished from SD. I couldn't see an aircraft, but it would have been passing behind me so that's no surprise.

I was just wondering if this was someone else trying out the unit (in which case I would like to fly again with them to see it in action) or a phantom contact. Anyone on here got any idea what it was that I saw?

[exfirepro]

Hi Charles,

Welcome to PilotAware.

We now have several guys from East Fortune operating PAW units, but not sure why you would have seen a contact showing '51430' as all the ones I know to be operating should be programmed with their correct Reg callsign. I was not about at the weekend myself as I was down at Sywell helping out on the PAW stand at the LAA Rally. If the contact was in your 7 o'clock as you approached Tantallon from the south, it could well have landed at East Fortune and then turned off the PAW - which would explain it disappearing from your display.

Drop me a PM with your phone number and I'll let you know when I will be flying - probably over this coming weekend.

Regards

Peter
(PilotAware Test Team)

[Charles Scott]

Thanks, will do.

It was close, as in a few hundred metres, and I wondered if it was somebody testing their unit from the relative safety of approaching from behind to minimise the closing speed.

Charles

[exfirepro]

Hi Charles,

I would be surprised (and a bit concerned) at anyone testing a PilotAware unit by closely approaching another aircraft from behind without prior warning. I got pretty close to Alan Gee's aircraft (and others) a few times during our Mode S test work - but only ever when in direct contact with the other aircraft and actively talking to each other.

From personal experience, it is very unlikely to be a phantom contact. If/when we manage to meet up, I can show you how to download your flight log(s) from which you (we) can investigate your contacts and hopefully identify your 'mystery' aircraft.

Looking forward to meeting up.

Regards

Peter

[Ian Melville]

Charles,
Are you aware that your PAW will have logged the contacts it made during the flight, and a log file will be available to analyse (unless you wiped the SD card since the flight)?

[exfirepro]

Hi Ian,

Charles now has my phone number and we hope to meet up and resolve this issue soon.

Best Regards

Peter

[Ian Melville]

I'll await the result of the hunt for the phantom raspberry Pi blower

[Paul_Sengupta]

Charles, do you have a Mode S/ADS-B transponder or do you just have the PilotAware?

the hunt for the phantom raspberry Pi blower

 

[exfirepro]

Charles,

I did have one further thought. Keith from East Fortune (East) bought a PAW at Sywell for his Emeraude. I set it up for him on the stand before he set off for home. Assuming he came right back on Sunday afternoon, his approach from the south would have brought him in behind you as you approached Tantallon and as he came in left base. I can check from your Track Log when I see you.

Regards

Peter

[Charles Scott]

Paul, just the PilotAware - the Kitfox is a bit minimalist when it comes to equipment. I did wonder if it was some sort of reflected signal as the unit was in a temporary housing tucked up on the cargo cover behind my head. I've downloaded the logs, but haven't run them through the viewing app yet.

Peter, I did wonder if it was Keith, but the chaps up at Perth said that he wasn't returning until the Monday.

[exfirepro]

Hi Charles,

In that case probably not Keith. I had a report today from another East Fortune pilot of a mysterious contact on his PAW over in the area you had yours. I wonder if someone is using a PAW on the ground. I will try to investigate further. In the meantime, if you have downloaded your track logs onto a PC or laptop, you can open them using Notepad or Wordpad and have a hunt for any obvious callsign or whatever at around the point in your flight where the event occurred.

Regards

Peter