VC - In the vicinity - within 8 km but not at the aerodrome.
Most modern jets - certainly the 2 that were involved would display the TA and RA plus other traffic and also traffic between +/- 2700 feet and +/-9900 feet of the airplane - if the "ABOVE/BELOW" switch is installed - otherwise it will still display +/- 2700 feet for most basic displays.
Most if not all will have a TA ONLY or TA/RA switch as well. When in TA ONLY - then other airplanes will maneuver as the TCAS is clever enough to send a signal to the other airplane that it is in "passive mode". Generally practised when an airplane suffers and engine failure or has an abnormal which affects performance e.g. gear down.
Have not flown non-glass types but am guessing TCAS on non-glass types have separate display much like a weather radar for the traffic information and a "VSI" like type of display for the maneuvers with red/green bands. On the EFIS equipped airplanes obviously these displays are integrated.
I agree totally that the quality of the RT on 132.60 is much to be desired. Plus the numerous airways that criss-cross make it a hazardous sector.
"1000 feet ROC/ROD" as recommended by Eurocontrol is definitely worth practising 1000 feet before any assigned level off. Especially so because ACASII software will command maneuvers which require the minimum change in vertical profile in encounters. i.e. Climbing airplane will be given climb,crossing climb, descending aircraft will be given descend,crossing descend RA's in co-ordination.
Not teaching anyone how to "suck eggs".
Mainly for Mr. Veloo's benefit and that of his colleagues. I believe a seminar on TCAS/ACASII was organised some years back where one of the MH FM's gave a briefing to ATC. If you could get hold of the training material for the ATC's benefit it would be good.
Why ATC did not do anything in this case? By the time the controller picks up the level bust - it may be a little too late especially if the airplane was kept high and was in a hurry to get down. Mainly to do with the refresh rate that ATC radar picks up Mode C is much slower than TCAS. That's why ATC should not transmit when airplane are in a TCAS maneuver - let the TCAS do it's job.
Sorry I digress - but the TCAS is certainly not the solution - better radio's are needed.
1) Why did both pilots in the aircraft that busted the level understood the clearance wrongly?
You have to ask the pilots in question - mindset maybe?
2) Why was this mistake not spotted by the ATC?
Explained above
3) Why did the B777 pilot not question the readback if he knows there could be a potential conflict?
Frequency could have been busy/congested/
Why no RA? Maybe because the airplanes were not within the calculated envelope of "Closest Point of Approach". Differing speeds and diverging as speculated. They would not have collided but as far as the law goes - there was a separation breakdown.