Traffic Watch in SLC comes to an end

aloft

aloft

New Member
After over 30 years of aerial traffic reporting in Salt Lake City, KSL Newsradio has pulled the plug. Our reporter has been doing traffic watch for 10 years and by his math has over 10,000 hours in that same airplane--without a single accident, which I think says something about our company's pilots and maintenance.

I flew the final traffic watch flight this evening--which of course, had to be capped off with the strongest crosswind I've ever encountered in a 172; I ran out of rudder just before settling into ground effect. After landing we were met on the ramp by the reporter's family and an engineer from the radio station who then removed all the broadcast equipment from the airplane.

And another entry-level flying gig bites the dust.
 
Sorry to hear of the end of Traffic Watch in SLC
I flew Traffic Watch in Los Angeles. Was a great way to build time and I look back on it fondly.
Must of have been sad to see the engineer pulling the broadcast equipment out of the bird.
 
Sad to see a good gig go south. Sounds like you took full advantage while it lasted though...
 
Unfortunately, as I'd mentioned in another thread, with the technology of traffic cams, there's little need for the unnecessary expense of traffic planes anymore. I personally think PHX isn't far behind SLC in this vein.
 
Sorry you lost the job Matt, I will keep my ears out for something else.

SFCC/UND said:
who does the tow banning for the Bees? Or whatever your baseball team name was.
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AerialAds

Rumot has it the business is almost done, and is for sale.

Maybe basing 30 miles outside your very small market wasn't such a great idea?
 
MikeD said:
Unfortunately, as I'd mentioned in another thread, with the technology of traffic cams, there's little need for the unnecessary expense of traffic planes anymore.
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I think that is probably what is going to happen, but I disagree that traffic cams can provide the same coverage and knowledge an actual lookdown view can. LA is a good example. They have something like 18,000 traffic cameras and 60,000 mag loops burried in the pavement. The guys that tun LA's traffic control center, even with all that technology, STILL get most of their information from traffic watch planes.
 
BobDDuck said:
I think that is probably what is going to happen, but I disagree that traffic cams can provide the same coverage and knowledge an actual lookdown view can. LA is a good example. They have something like 18,000 traffic cameras and 60,000 mag loops burried in the pavement. The guys that tun LA's traffic control center, even with all that technology, STILL get most of their information from traffic watch planes.
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LA stations can probably afford it, the PHX market can't IMO. Even 3 separate TV news stations have consolidated into one news helo, with two of the stations selling their helos here.
 
piperpilot12w said:
Sorry to hear of the end of Traffic Watch in SLC
I flew Traffic Watch in Los Angeles. Was a great way to build time and I look back on it fondly.
Must of have been sad to see the engineer pulling the broadcast equipment out of the bird.
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Flying traffic always leaves good memories...........Do you still remember how to "switch heavy"? :)
 
So sorry to hear that!

I was the Lead Pilot in a traffic watch operation over baltimore and they pulled the plug around April...

It was the best time in life!
 
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