My Close Encounter with a 'Ghost' Plane - Why You Can't Rely On Flight Tracking. 

Ok we need that Black Hawk pilot to chime in since aerospace is such a tiny community to start with. Congrats on soloing Scott, that's quite the achievement.

Congrats on the solo flight! Great video but I can't believe you missed the oportunity to say "fly safe" to the helicopter pilot!

3:50 Blackhawk Helicopter: "Did I hear Scott Manley?!" "HULLO!" 😂 Such a great interaction.

"Scott! That was a big deal ..." I love Rebecca's reaction to her student being recognized by the military pilot.

Helicopter flight instructor here. You are the type of student that all flight instructors adore. We all want more students like you, who go out of their way to not only learn the bare minimum of knowledge required to obtain a pilot certificate, but also learn how things work on a deep level and strive to understand everything about aviation. You are a model student and are on track to become a talented pilot. Keep up the good work and congrats on soloing!

What's really fun is when you get one of those TIS-B ghost returns of your own plane. Traffic alert, same altitude, same direction! The first few of those scared me pretty good. Thank goodness for the ADS-B alerts though. I'm sure they've saved me from at least 2 mid-airs.

1:43 when you are high on final, it is called a forward slip to landing which is what we use to lose altitude fast without gaining airspeed. A side slip is used for crosswind correction. Little correction but I would hate for a check airman to call you out when you get to checkride! Have fun fly safe!

I learned to fly in 1972 in a Piper 140. Looking at your cockpit instruments things are a lot better these days. Fly safe Scott. 😊

Congrats on the Solo! After you get your ticket, you definitely should get that instrument rating! You will enjoy it - and it truly makes you a better pilot.

I’m extremely ecstatic that you’re taking flight lessons and becoming a pilot. Word of warning, though - there are trolls who will anonymously report whatever they can to the FAA for absolutely anything. A call from the FAA is about the most unpleasant thing a pilot can deal with.

I remember avoiding a plane crossing at pattern altitude at SBP during my flight training; I missed it by 100 feet. That was 20 years ago when glass cockpits were unknown, especially in the Cessna 152 I was flying at the time. I think the first time you solo is probably the most memorable flight of your life; I was about your age when I did that in Portland Oregon ....good times!

Hey Scott, still lots of us out there in the NAS flying vintage non-transponder and even non-radio equipped aircraft. Here in the Midwest we have several airports that are primarily occupied by these kinds of planes and it’s not uncommon to come in with three or four NORDO birds beating up the pattern on a calm Saturday morning. My old Luscombe is non-electric but I religiously run a battery powered radio along with that all important see and avoid. Fly safe!

Well, certainly missed a great chance for a "Fly safe" to the guys in the Black Hawk there! 😀

It's always fun to hear about Oshkosh. I grew up there and spent most summers at the airport preparing for, and cleaning up after the convention. My mom was the "plant manager" for EAA. She designed the flower beds and supervised the volunteers planting everything.

fun fact, i actually develop a little code in my drone that interface with an ADS-B transciver, and if in Beyond Line of Sight mode it would terminate the flight (manned plane have absolute precedence) if any other signal would get too close. Unfortunately was just a government project and it got cut after the demonstration phase :(

That Blackhawk interaction was fantastic.

Long time fan of the channel and of a similar age. I got my PPL in November. Took my family on a flight last week and got to fly close to a C5 Galaxy. Proud of you for soloing!

Congratulations on your first solo! I recently finished my PPL and Night Rating in Canada. Flight training has simultaneously been one of the most challenging and most rewarding things I have done. I can't wait to see more flight videos 😁

Congrats on your solo signoff and that shout out from the heli pilot! Many years ago I flew single-engine aircraft long before ADIS-B existed and I was fancy enough to own a crude little moving-map GPS (Garmin GPS 92) to use in rental planes in which the most sophisticated electronics were otherwise a single VHF transceiver. While more sophisticated than the original Wright Flyer, they were certainly crude compared with modern GA aircraft.

Loving the aviation content you’ve been sprinkling in lately! As a (glider) pilot myself, I’m always excited to find RU-vidrs making videos exactly like this.

Switching instructors actually works to your advantage. It's good to get more than one perspective, especially in your PPL training. And congrats on the solo flight!

Congratulations on your first solo: I remember my own around 20 years ago, in a PA28 on the east coast of Florida. Glass cockpits are a big improvement on the “6 pack” I learned on, but as you’ve shown here they are not foolproof - nor is the “Mk 1 eyeball”, but best to use both. Fly safe!

Nice flying, Scott, and fly safe!

Congratulations, Scott! My first solo was in the 1970s--one of those beat-up Cessna 150s you mentioned--and I still remember the thrill of the empty right seat. Clear skies and soft landings!

Fish finders are great supplemental information for situational awareness, and they are tempting to rely on but you can’t. Nice job spotting that traffic and congratulations on the solo! My instructor often took me to uncontrolled fields with radio only for pattern work. KPRB and L52 would have hectic moments. It’s the Wild West out there.

That is a FANCY plane to be learning in. I think you should definitely give an aircraft with the old steam gauges a go too. Learning in beat up Cessna's and pipers is almost a rite of passage I think haha. Congratulations on your solo, the plane takes off way faster without a second passenger doesn't it!

Congratulations on your solo journeys. Sounds like you're making great progress, and not much left now. It's the most amazing feeling once you pass just hopping in whenever you desire and going for a flight. Enjoy it, it's an incredible skill to have and one that so little get to enjoy.

Love the videos Scott. And now you showing your own aviation ventures. I'm all in!

Congratulations on your going solo, Scott! Also congratulations and all the best to Rebecca, and a thumbs up to the Black Hawk pilot 😎

Only something small but thanks for all the videos, and as someone who just recently got my PPL, its awesome you are also venturing into PPL territory now with your videos! Thoroughly enjoyed.

Always fun to see and recognize local airports. Congrats on the solo!

Congrats on your Solo Scott! And thanks for a very interesting and informative video, I've done my commercial written and I didn't know how TIS-B worked.

At least I'm not the only person that says "funnily" in a casual fashion. Been watching your channel for years. Nearly 1800 hours logged into KSP. Running 20-30 mods in general - version dependent. I'm still surprised by the percentage of people that are dumbfounded by orbital mechanics. It feels like running into myself again at an earlier awareness of it, each time I explain it again. You're an amazing resource to the space community, both younger and old. Always a pleasure, from one Scott to another - keep being you.

Congratulations on the Solo!

really excellent analysis. love the deep dive into how the ADSB info gets into the network.

Congrats Scott! I solo'd myself several months ago but have been slugging along the rest of the training due to school and work. However, nothing beats that feeling of doing your first solo. Cheers from SoCal, We have too many airports!

Got my pilot license in Europe this February (on valentines day), has been really fun learning to fly and then seeing the man who taught you oribital rondevouz way back when doing the same. Quite surreal Btw how many flighthours are you on Scott?

Rootin' for you the whole way, fly safe!

Congrats on soloing! Took me longer than expected too but loved it. Always enjoyed the added freedom to take in the view and scenic route while not wasting my instructor’s time and paying for it. I need to fly a Cirrus some time. Looks sweet! Got a factory tour in Duluth last year.

Scott, congrats on your solo sign-off. As a long time old school CFI, I was pleased to see you holding a full slip properly. When the FAA first started requiring biennial flight reviews, I was appalled at how many pilots I ran across that couldn't enter and hold a slip while maintaining a ground track. Most had always trained in the calm early morning and never did a crosswind landing at anywhere near their airplane's limit. Eventually, they'll find themselves in weather bear hunting with a buggy whip. Glad you're taking your training seriously. Fly Safe, Dude!

Scott How cool your a pilot! Great skill! I am betting you will get more ratings soon. Fly safe!

I still find it amazing that you started getting your PPL the same week I did. Although I am getting it for the purpose of flying as a career so I am a tiny bit ahead. But still, I feel like we're classmates.

what a beautiful low wing aircraft, i started my pilot training and only got 2 hours of flight time and its truly remarkable how your brain starts to operate in a completely new way when you actually start taking the controls of the aircraft and how much your brain can actually truly process. nothing has beaten that feeling of great satisfaction of myself of pursing my dream. i just wish i had more money to keep flying lol. got to pay to play. keep it up Scott! Its Nice to see so many of us who watch your videos have the same passions or interests as you who also are learning to fly. Keep your head on a swivel and Fly safe boys

Great to see you soloing. I learned in a SR20 as well. Great airplane and loads of fun. I never got comfortable with slipping close to the ground when I was flying.

It's mostly been dropped in today's flying world but I highly recommend taking supplemental stall training. It's fun and can come in handy some day for survival in a emergency (which is rare but it only takes once)

Scott, thank you for this new kind of posting, what a neat perspective to have for us that are not able.

Hey Scott, I have been watching your videos for years. I have been a pilot since 2019 and it is awesome to see one of my favorite youtubers to get into the industry. Welcome to the world of Aviation and I hope you got your tailfeathers cut after your solo flight!!

In the unlikely event someone hasn't already mentioned this, that aircraft is outside of the ADSB-OUT and Mode-C veil , so it legally didn't need to be ADSB equipped which could be why you didn't see it displayed... Good Luck with your training and Blue Skies!

Beat up C150 flyer here 😂😂😂 that’s what I learned on. Amazing how much frost affects that tiny thing!!!

Scott, congrats on soloing! My first solo was in 1982 in a 1966 Cessna 150 (not the "high powered" 152) with a generator that failed on takeoff, depleting the battery on my 2nd touch and go. Instructor had a fit that I stopped talking on the radio. Lots more tools in the cockpit today, but still have to have "eyeballs" out. And great video of a nicely performed slip and landing.

Right at the start of the video, before you even mentioned it I said to myself "Oh man, he his flyinh solo now! this is huge" I was a bit worried, but you are doing great. Congrat! Love the cool random encounter with a fan, in a blackhawk non the less.

Back when I started my flying lessons, 1995, back when the artificial horizon was actually a ball that moved around :) When ADSB wasn't available, and well, no Cessna had a radar, or GPS.. Yeah.. I had to use one of those old beat up Cessnas.. hrrmmph. It was my 3rd flight lesson, and was coming back towards the airport from doing stalls, when all of a sudden a shadow encompassed the cockpit then disappeared, my instructor made a weird noise and shoved the nose down, I still remember the yolk being ripped from my hands, it was done with so much force (Cessnas have that steering wheel style yoke that you push in and pull out from the console). Another aircraft just came out of nowhere, and went right over the top of us, within a few hundred feet. They couldn't see us below them and we couldn't see them above. Luckily, I was so new and young (15 years old) that I didn't understand how close to having a very bad day I had gotten, so it never affected my flight instruction :) Went on to do my solo on my 16th bday.

That is so cool the Blackhawk pilot recognized your voice. Almost like the SR-71 story of when the pilot called in at LAX for a ground speed check!

I recognized Gnoss Field right away. The crosswinds coming over and down Mt. Burdell are all *sorts* of fun, aren't they? Training at Gnoss definitely prepares you for sketchy landing conditions! Safe skies, Scott; thanks for the old views of home!

Congratulations on your solo! It’s a really significant step in your aviation career, and I’m happy to see you take it. Fly Safe has a little extra meaning now

As much as technology helps us in our lives, this is a great example of how it can be dangerous to trust it 100%.

I learned about the side slip landing from an episode of MAYDAY and have been using it in WarThunder ever since. Super useful skill to know. California looks oddly like Florida after it rains but with mountains instead of alligators.

Hi Scot, huge congrats on your first solo. That's a special day when you look to your right and you're the only person onboard!

Happy to see you’re doing flight training! Also proud that you’ve got your solo flight done! And this video is a great example for why you always use your eyes and ears when clearing the pattern before takeoff, adsb in is great, but it’s supplementary

I expect that ADS-B and other modern systems will eventually become part of required learning, particularly their limitations, as those with newer planes/flight suites are beginning to rely on those systems as they are beginning to get properly useful and very good. It's important to not *over* rely on such systems and teaching people about their limitations directly as part of their basic training can go a long way to help with that

Congrats on soloing, Scott! Truly a moment you’ll never forget. I remember my college prof saying that turning final while decreasing to final approach speed, while descending on a three degree glide slope (or any constant angled path) requires your brain to solve eighth order differentials constantly for five minutes (through to flare and touchdown). If you sit down with a paper and pen, and a slide rule (like we used to), solving a third order differential was difficult and a fourth order would take you half an hour. The brain is an amazing piece of machinery if you don’t over think things.

Congratz on your First Solo! Fly Safe!

Cheers Scott. Glad you are safe!

your first UFO. start a RU-vid channel brah!!

VFR, visual buddy. Head up and look around. When you start flying IFR (and definitely pursue that) the tracking improves immensely and your control of the plane improves as well.

Hey Scott, I spent a month in Petaluma for work in 1988. Lovely to see the area and the 101 again 😃

Well done on the solo Scott! 👍

Scott, please don’t die. We like you and your videos too much. Congrats on the solo flight!

Congrats on the solo, keep flying safe!

Man what an amazing moment with that Blackhawk pilot recognising you! Also, amazing seeing you go through your PPL. Completely not jealous 😅 congrats mate! Can't wait to see more IRL aviation

Very nice!! I have just assumed these odd/erratic aircraft tracks on ADS-B were system glitches. Good to see you're having a second (and more seasoned) instructor. Always good to get other training perspectives. Particularly primary training.

Couple of nice landings there Mr Manley !

Well done Scott. You can't beat the Mk1 Eyeball for gaining situational awareness of what is going on outside. All that extra wizzo information inside is great stuff, and some of it even gains importance during IMC. But, there's nothing like keeping a good look [and listen] out. In airlines, we often had to remind newbies of the "Child of the Magenta Line" trap.... Or on the Airbus we referred to it as the "Green line to Hell." Heads Up!

Congrats on your first solo! I had a similar experience re: a ghost plane. KTCM tower (who's airspace I was about to cross at the time) advised me of traffic less than half a mile with less than 100 foot separation above me, and sure enough I found it after craning around to see past my 172's wing. The other pilot (I think in an RV variant) was puttering along without a care in the world, and I had to cut power and descend pretty promptly to avoid. ForeFlight and my ADS-B would normally advise, but I didn't see a thing on my map, and I'm fairly certain the pilot did not have the ADS-B out on his aircraft on or maybe even installed. It was pretty wild, especially because that area is within KSEA's Mode-C/ADS-B veil. Cheers!

Congratulations on the solo!

Thanks for the explanation, Scott. And congratulations on your first solo flights.🛸

Congratulations on going solo Scott. Had to rewind a bit when you said Petaluma, I thought you said Metaluna and I was thinking "what the hey, did I miss something!"

Congrats on your solo! Finish up your Private and then get right into getting your instrument! Keep up the good work. Many fellow pilots like myself are fans of your channel!

Fascinating. Congrats on the milestone of solo flight :).

I immediately recognized Gnoss Field Airport in Novato, California, USA on that approach portion of this video. Good job of slipping in and missing the storm cells as they passed through over the last few days.

Hey Scott, You flying in and out of Gnoss is giving me some great Flight Unlimited II Vibes (and memories)

Congrats on your solo, Scott! I remember my first solo well. I was white knuckled for the whole flight. You’ll never forget the tail number of the plane you soloed in, either. Mine was N5942J.

Well done. I started flight training at 22, took a long break and resumed at 45. and then my rate of progress had slowed by a factor of two, which is normal. But keep it up - I found that IFR is where guys my age excel. And that's where the real fun is, because glitches or not, radios are still more reliable than human eyes. Good luck!

NICE SCOTT!! Congrats on your solo flight! I'm on my student pilot journey as well!

Beautiful landing! Congratulations on your solo!

Congrats on the Solo! Got my certificate about 2 years ago and its a wonderful thing to do! As for learning slips, you should try it in an airplane like a Champ or Cub....want to talk about going sideways?!?! HAHA, started learning mine in the summer and had the window open on an Aeronca Champ and was looking out the side window at the runway....it felt so weird! Now I love them, its a ton of fun! Just on a side note, here in eastern Indiana, we have alot of small airfields and alot of aircraft (especially old vintage stuff) don't even have radios much less ADSB, so always keep that head on a swivel! Congrats again! Great to hear people getting their pilot's certificate! As my dad told me (who is a 30k+ hour pilot), now you have your license to learn! And don't forget, fly safe!

realizing first time today you are flying aircraft's in RL now makes me most proud for you! learning to fly as well here. cheers mate

Well done Scott…also learning in my 70s…perfecting my crosswind landings. Also solo 9 hrs. 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿

Too cool Scott! I have flown with the 129th (Moffett, "Jolly")since 2016. They are amazing at what they do.

I love this, I’ll keep mentioning that moment when I tuned into your live Lego build of the space shuttle and asked if you had your PPL and you said “nopes, but I’m thinking about it!” Now here you are with way more hours than I ever had lol. The situational awareness of foreflight and ads-b is great, but you never know. Where I live there are a number of government operations from test flights of surveillance systems (out of normal regional airports) to VIP transport flights and training runs to bunkers in the mountains (usually USMC osprey and helo traffic.) NONE of these usually squawk anything or show up on civilian systems.

Contgrats and good luck with Your training & exams!

Congrats on the solo mate, I did my first landing a few weeks ago, feels great to knock one more thing off the list!

You're a manly man, Scott! As a former skydiver, I'm impressed! Nice landing and congratulations!👍👍

Congrats on soloing, Scott! Gnoss isn’t the easiest place to solo, as it’s known around the Bay Area for its cross-winds. The DA40 I fly (out of HES) has both ADS-B and TIS receivers, so the system needs to resolve multiple signals, and I sometimes see my own ghost signal. The (small) benefit is I can “see” other transponders when outside of ADS-B ground coverage, but it doesn’t help spot the birds who stubbornly refuse to comply with any FAA rules. :) That other pilot shouldn’t have been so close, but one day you’ll forget to tune into the correct freq, or get too close to another airport pattern, it all happens to us eventually, which is why we all watch out for each other.

Great to get an update on your flying.

Really interesting stuff! I haven't gone for my license but I did do some training on those janky Cessnas you mentioned haha scary stuff. Yours looks so much comfortable to fly. Happy skies and fly safe!

Congrats, Scott! But this phenomenon had to have been more than a little bit of a shock! Thanks for explaining it. 😊

Awesome video and information!

Congratulations on your solo!!

Awesome flight man and beautiful airplane. Just landed myself, got the PPL a few months ago and now working on getting my IR ticket punched. You got it brother 🤘