Originally Posted by
Uplinker
As for TCAS, well that's why one of the PM memory actions for Emergency Descent is to select TCAS to TA only: Your own aircraft won't then be asked to react to conflicts, but any others around - who are more capable to respond - will be.
Sorry, not the OEM guidance on the types you are familiar with. As a result of the risk assessment, TA/only is not a part of the procedure in any of the phases (memory, ECAM, QRH).
Exactly the opposite, in the case of a justified RA during the descent it is significantly better to observe it even with the slightest change of V/S to increase the chances of the other plane getting out of the way. The crew is better off being informed than clueless. Context is important here, any such RA will only be triggered in the descent (as a result of) thus in a phase of the EMERG DES procedure which is no longer critical.
The key survival points are actually only 2: Establish the descent, get the crew on oxygen (alphabetical order). What kills, again and again, is when crews don't understand the time to act is now.