I suspect that one of the problems with seeing the DA20 is that it has
few flat surfaces. Nearly every part is rounded or curved so there are
few surfaces that reflect the sunlight. The fin is flat, but it is
shaded by the horizontal stabilizer so it doesn't catch much light.
And, they are usually painted very light colors.
Kind of stupid for an airplane that spends much of its life in the
traffic pattern.
Jim Nichols
Tullahoma, TN USA
On 7/23/2018 7:10 PM, Ken Norton wrote:
This particular aircraft doesn't have a right window that opens. Their
other one does, though, but it's kept up at Birchwood. They also have
a Citabria which we'll need to fly.
I was quite surprised to experience a visibility problem that I never
would have expected. There was a Diamond DA20 in the pattern with us.
I could easily spot every aircraft in the pattern (I think 7 of us at
one time) EXCEPT for the Diamond. At certain angles the airplane
disappears. We were on a long high final, and it was on a short low
final and it was gone. Even knowing exactly where it was didn't help.
At a certain angle, the wing is extremely thin and the T-tail is
perfectly lined up with the wing. I couldn't see it until it flared
for landing. I saw it as it was on base, but when it turned to final,
the angle was perfect and the aircraft was cloaked by the power lines,
streets and buildings.
I could definitely see the bright red 180/185 with floats, though.
AG Schnozz
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