Bomb Threat Prompts Hong Kong Airlines Emergency Landing

Two planes that had a near miss avoided a collision by about 700 vertical feet were over Perth when one of the pilot’s collision collision alarm alerted him of the impending collision.

Flight QF581 from Sydney to Perth had gotten permission from ATC to go from 38,000ft which put them on a collision course with incoming QF 576.

Both planes swerved out of the way over Gulf St. Vincent.

Qantas Airbus A330-200, flight QF-576 was en route from Perth,WA to Sydney,NS. Qantas Airbus A330-200 was from Sydney,NS to Perth,WA. ATC gave clearance to QF581 whose pilot had averted disaster by the time clearance was rescinded.

The “loss of separation” incident is under investigation.

According to the vice-president of the Australian and International Pilots Association, TCAS typically warns about 25 seconds out.

* ACAS / TCAS (In-cockpit) TA alerts when there is a risk of collision in 40 seconds.