» How do we avoid fatalities?
Only one thing is true. There is NO simple answer. A good workman needs a whole load of different tools to do a good job and that is how we should achieve good situational awareness.
Lookout is the one thing that works reasonably well in VMC but it isn't the full answer because of the limitations of the human eye and the requirement of any pilot to do other stuff whilst flying, which needs his eyes inside the cockpit for short intervals, such as look inside to check instruments, clock, fuel, chart, change radio settings etc.
R/T can help in certain circumstances, especially if an ATC service can be provided. Planning a route helps to a minor extent too, but it must be realised that isn't at all foolproof!
TCAS is NOT a useless gismo. The ones who doubt its efffectiveness perhaps haven't used it on a regular basis. Rather than pilots relying on it at the expense of the other factors (similar to the Volvo Effect?), it certainly gets your eyes OUT of the cockpit, not inside, believe me. Especially so in marginal weather. It does have its limitations but they are generally understood and taken into account. TCAS is a good tool to supplement the others in the toolbox.
It certainly saved my bacon and that of my passengers when an aircraft supposed to be be remaining VMC below cloud 500 feet below us suddenly turned and climbed unannounced into IMC straight towards us. We were flying at the maximum altitude allowed under the London TMA to avoid him, under Radar Information. We passed in solid IMC, same level, almost head on, so close that we saw the other aircraft flash by us. I am certain he didn't see us at all. It happened so fast that ATC didn't get a chance to inform us. Had I not seen his rapid climb on TCAS and turned away, using the last clock code position given by ATC, I would almost certainly not be here writing this!
