Originally Posted by
wrench1
While TCAS can be found in some helicopters they have been using a traffic alert system (TAS) in helicopters for years in various areas. After a number of mid-airs in the GOM they installed TAS systems in most helicopters 20+ years ago. It worked provided the other aircraft had their transponder on.
Sad day to all of those families involved.
Here in the US with the ADS-B OUT mandate, operators have the option to add ADS-B IN, which
might have helped with SA of the two aircraft, TCAS, TAS (which has very limited coverage here in the US) and ADS-B all share the issue that the two aircraft transponders must be able to either see the ground station (TAS, ADS-B IN) or each other (TCAS or ADS-B IN). It was not mandated for both lower and upper (diversity antennas, just the lower antenna.