Skylane 182/RG Turbo Skylane/RG
Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Glider; Flight Crew Commercial
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 20; Flight Crew Total 2468; Flight Crew Type 1147
Communication Breakdown
ATC Issue All Types; Conflict NMAC
General None Reported / Taken
Staffing; Airport; Procedure
After takeoff I had just departed the right downwind at about 45 degrees and was leveling out from climb at 2;000 FT. As I became level; the B-17 crossed in front and slightly below me; a huge; silvery apparition. The B-17 was in an extreme forward slip heading upwind; with its nose pointed at about 45 degrees to the flight direction and away from the airport. There was no time for corrective action.I was still well within the Class D and on Tower frequency. I heard no references to 'B-17'; only to 'North American' and 'Vultee' at the time; nor were there any alerts from the Tower; although I was still well within visual range. At the time; also; airport operations were being run normally; i.e. no general restrictions were in place. I heard no communication by either the Tower or the B-17 crew; nor did I comment.The three main factors that I think contributed to the event seem to be:1. During my climb I had reduced forward and right-side visibility. I routinely look for traffic on a wide downwind or entering on a 45. This is the first time in 30 years of flying around that I encountered traffic upwind on the downwind leg. 2. The B-17 pilot was looking away from the airport; left wing down; so would have had limited visibility as he entered the traffic area around the airport.3. The Tower Controller was asleep to the situation being created by the semi-aerobatic maneuvering of a huge airplane close to the main runway and remiss in not clearly alerting us to the situation. We all know 'B-17'; but not necessarily the manufacturer of a specific airplane. Is it North American in this case? To me; the B-17 is and will always be a Boeing airplane.Situations like this could be avoided by:1. Clear communications.2. Either not allowing unconventional maneuvers in a busy traffic area; or allowing them and holding other traffic on the ground for the brief periods involved. We could all then also enjoy the air show.
A C182 pilot departing the pattern experienced an NMAC with a B-17 entering it from the opposite direction.