Posted for J H Webb <airmale@alltel.net>:

    Well I prefer to lurk, but this subject is very important.  First
 the range of your transmission is dependent on your altitude.  So if you make
your call when you are at pattern altitude there is only a small area
affected.  Additionally this to a safety program to reduce the likely hood of
a midair in the most dangerous flight location ' in the traffic pattern'.
   The much more irritating thing is someone at 30, 000 feet calling to
 say hello at smallpatch airport and blocking airports in a 20,000 mile area
(1/2 PI R squared). I do quite a few 135 check rides and it is surprising to
see how many airplanes are not noticed in the traffic pattern.  This procedure
while it may be irritating to some is a serious attempt to stem the loss of
good people to midairs.  If you irritate 100 and save one life, it is
irritation well spent.  In over 30,000 hrs of flying I have had 5 near midairs
and this is a serious problem as one cannot see through metal or fiberglass.
All airplanes that are going to hit you don't come from the front or even the
side window area.
    The attitude that 'I can see all of the aircraft that might be a
 problem' is extremely shortsighted. I was descending into TYS and had slowed
to 250kts when I saw this 'crack' in the windshield. But it was growing fast.
It was a 172 that, I was overtaking from exactly the rear.  He had either no
transponder or it was turned off.  If I hadn't noticed the crack growing in
the W/S and pointed it out to the Copilot, we would have hit him.    Another
example, uncontrolled airport, I was giving some dual and on
 downwind in this high wing airplane and looked up in the windshield and saw a
tire about 6 feet away. A Baron was descending in the traffic pattern with no
announcement.
    The bottom line is you can not look everywhere.  If you have a
 better idea to reduce midairs, please let us know as it is needed. If you are
irritated enjoy the fact you are still alive to be irritated. Safety can be
irritating but reducing accidents is important.
 
 Jack Webb