FAQ Details | UK Airprox Board

 
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What is the difference between a 'near miss' and an Airprox?

The term ‘near miss’ is in common usage but has no relevance to Airprox. If a pilot or controller is of the opinion that the distance between aircraft as well as their relative positions and speed was such that the safety of the aircraft involved was or may have been compromised then he or she may report an Airprox. In Airprox 016/2002 for example, the separation recorded on radar between the two aircraft was 400ft vertically and 3 miles horizontally: this is hardly a ‘near miss’ in the way people generally use these words. In the judgement of the air traffic controllers who reported the event it was an Airprox and was therefore fully investigated and assessed by the Airprox Board.
 

Frequently Asked Questions FAQs

  1. How close do aircraft have to come for the pilot or air traffic controller to file an Airprox report?
  2. What is the difference between a 'near miss' and an Airprox?
  3. What is the difference between controlled and uncontrolled airspace?
  4. Why is it that only air traffic controllers and pilots can report an Airprox?