Pitts S-2 All Series
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP); Flight Crew Flight Instructor
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 40; Flight Crew Total 6600; Flight Crew Type 1500
Situational Awareness
Conflict Airborne Conflict
General None Reported / Taken
Airspace Structure; Human Factors
Departed 1K1 Runway 17 and climbed out right traffic pattern 90 MPH northbound squawking 1200 Mode C and on CTAF 123.07. Just west of the airport at about 4;500 feet MSL I looked over my left shoulder and saw an T-1A very close heading west-northwest slightly behind me. Too late for evasive action and do not know if that aircraft ever saw us and evaded or not. Although I was VFR; I do not believe adequate separation existed between us.Contributing Factors: 1K1 airport operations conflict with the McConnell AFB A-683 Alert Area traffic pattern. I presume the T-1A was talking to Wichita Approach; but he may also have been on an extended VFR pattern for McConnell AFB and instead talking to their tower. It is not practical to be in the traffic pattern at 1K1 and be on any other frequency than CTAF.Corrective Actions: 1) McConnell AFB should be made aware of increased aircraft operations at 1K1 and avoid that area. 2) 1K1 traffic should be made more aware of McConnell traffic. 3) In the future I will exercise more vigilance when scanning for traffic and also utilize the aircraft smoke system periodically to make the aircraft more visible. Also will make better use of additional crewmember for traffic scanning.
Pitts S-2A pilot departing 1K1 reported an airborne conflict with a T-1A out of McConnell AFB.