What technique should a pilot use to scan for traffic to the right and left during straight and level flight?

• A. Move gaze quickly across the entire sky without pausing
• B. Systematically focus on different segments of the sky for short intervals
• C. Scan only the immediate vicinity of the aircraft
• D. Keep looking toward the horizon and ignore above and below

Answer: (B)

To reliably spot traffic to the right and left, use a systematic, segmented scanning pattern. Divide the sky into several sectors and look at each sector for a brief interval, then move to the next. This ensures you cover the entire sky in a repeatable cycle and don’t miss aircraft that could appear from the sides while you’re flying straight and level. Keep the looks short and deliberate—about a second or two per sector—so you maintain awareness without fixating. This approach is better than sweeping quickly with no pauses or only watching near the aircraft or horizon, because it consistently checks all portions of the sky, including above and below, reducing the chance of unseen traffic.