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Subject:
Manpad Sight Distance
DeeJay
4/5/2004 8:08:56 AM
I believe many MANPADS use visual from unaided eye to detect aircaft. Anyone know the approximate distance the unaided eye can detect planes and helos(i understand it will depend on the plane size)?
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Thomas
RE:Manpad Sight Distance
4/7/2004 2:19:00 AM
With free line of sight a trained observer should be able to make a positive ID at 5 km. A reasonable guess at 10km. That is if alerted to the direction the plane is supposed to come from.
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DeeJay
RE:Manpad Sight Distance
4/12/2004 1:02:36 PM
I'm guessing this would be for a medium sized plane. More distance for a B-52, and less distance for a F-16? And also does height affect this. I would think the higher the plane harder it is to see due to distance.
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Thomas2
RE:Manpad Sight Distance
4/12/2004 4:51:15 PM
Size is indeed of little relevance in practice. The limit in low level is set by the curvature of earth and obstacles like trees and buildings. If the plane is high - and below the contrail limit - they are very hard to see. Ín practice the limit is about 6,000 feet above ground level. The problem for trained observers is that they tend to observe to high flying planes. If You are talking MANPADS they can't achieve a lock-on and the planes are out of range anyhow. Cloud cover normally eliminates highfliers, by the ekspert find no diffuculty with the aid of binoculars to positively identify contrail-drawing civilian jets - and they are difficult object to make positive identification on, as the these tubular extrusion look very much alike, when the garish paint of the tasteless airliners is indistinguishable.
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