A near mid-air collision is defined as aircraft within how many feet creating a collision hazard?

A near mid-air collision is defined as aircraft within how many feet creating a collision hazard?

• A. 500 feet
• B. 100 feet
• C. 1,000 feet
• D. 2,000 feet

Answer: (A)

Near mid-air collision is defined by a proximity that signals a real collision hazard: two aircraft within 500 feet of each other. That 500-foot threshold is the recognized limit at which the risk of collision becomes significant enough to require immediate corrective action by pilots and air traffic control. It reflects the point at which safe separation has effectively been breached, prompting heightened alertness and avoidance maneuvers to restore a safe gap. Why the other distances aren’t used here: 100 feet would be unrealistically close and not the standard safety trigger used in aviation operations. Larger distances like 1,000 or 2,000 feet describe broader separations or other safety considerations, but they do not define the specific NMAC threshold used to flag a collision hazard.

Near mid-air collision is defined by a proximity that signals a real collision hazard: two aircraft within 500 feet of each other. That 500-foot threshold is the recognized limit at which the risk of collision becomes significant enough to require immediate corrective action by pilots and air traffic control. It reflects the point at which safe separation has effectively been breached, prompting heightened alertness and avoidance maneuvers to restore a safe gap.

Why the other distances aren’t used here: 100 feet would be unrealistically close and not the standard safety trigger used in aviation operations. Larger distances like 1,000 or 2,000 feet describe broader separations or other safety considerations, but they do not define the specific NMAC threshold used to flag a collision hazard.