I was taught that the worst crime in aviation was flying a perfectly serviceable aircraft into the ground.
I was also taught that the second worst crime was to fly a perfectly serviceable aircraft into another aircraft.
Two wonderful pieces of equipment were designed and subsequently incorporated into airliners in an effort to stop pilots from committing these crimes; firstly, the GPWS (and now EPGWS) and secondly, the TCAS.
Now I don’t think any one in their right mind would turn off the GPWS in an emergency descent as they would defeat their last line of protection from flying into the ground.
So I have to agree with mad_jock and ask why anyone in their right mind would turn off the TCAS RA function during an emergency descent thereby disabling their last line of protection against flying into another aircraft?
Strangely enough, if during an emergency descent, the GPWS tells me to climb to avoid flying into the ground, that is exactly what I am going to do. Likewise if during an emergency descent the TCAS tells me to climb to avoid flying into another aircraft, that is exactly what I am going to do.
Passenger Supplementary Oxygen Systems typically last 22 minutes for chemical type oxygen generators and substantially longer for gaseous bottled type systems.
Therefore, what would be the better choice between the following?
1. Flying a textbook emergency descent and having a midair collision during the manouevre and killing all onboard; or
2. Taking about one or two minutes longer to complete the emergency descent due to action taken to follow a TCAS Resolution Advisory on the way.