Mr Boyd,
I for one do not want to participate in an airspace system that relies on good airmanship backed up by TCAS as a last resort to avoid a midair collision.
You clearly do not understand the function of TCAS as Dehavillanddriver has stated. A TCAS RA (resolution advisory) represents a REAL THREAT OF COLLISION.
The fact the light aircraft driver had the Virgin aircraft visual, is poor comfort to the 177 odd passengers who unknowingly participated an avoidance manoeuvre by the Virgin crew. I ask you, prior to NAS, when was the last time you heard of a TCAS avoidance by an airliner in this country? How many TCAS RA's per year should we accept and still believe the system is safe?
Good airmanship and a good lookout is something our aviation forefathers relied on to solely to avoid collisions for many decades. In a busy traffic environment, should a visual lookout be the backstop to a modern ATC system?! We are supposed to have learned from the lessons of aviation and that sometimes, SAFETY COMES AT A PRICE. Have we not progressed in the last 50 years?
To rely on the good airmanship of potentially a sole pilot, to avoid the loss of 180 odd passengers and crew is madness! We owe it to the paying public to ensure that we have a system that provides the best level of protection the community is prepared to pay for. That is what we had prior to NAS. I am sorry but the freedom of a small minority of VFR pilots must come second!
Surely you realise that any system is only as good as its weakest link. Sadly the weakest link in our new airspace system is now that of the pilot (and I mean both VFR and IFR).
Please tell me, what has changed that ATC do not have a valuable role to play in our airspace system?
Are we all poorer for NAS?
Absobloodylutely
