Originally Posted by
tonyhalsall
Excuse my ignorance......................
Presumably TCAS relies on other aircraft being txpdr equipped - and that the txpdr is switched on?
There are approximately 8 regularly flying aircraft in our barn and at the Club I am a member of at least another 60-70. None have transponders. Because they are microlights and 'cheap' to opearte they are regularly flying.
Is there any chance at all that TCAS could make you complacent?
Just a thought
No, that is my point entirely. Unfortunately, that is the most common fallacy put forward by those that haven't had the use of it.
In a TCAS equipped aircraft, you are constantly reminded that there ARE other aircraft out there, even when the sky LOOKS clear and used properly, as part of a lookout scan, it keeps your eyes OUTSIDE the cockpit, not inside.
We all know how many aircraft don't squawk (we see lots, often they don't see us or don't know the rules of the air) so TCAS CANNOT be a replacement for lookout and no-one who knows the system and uses it properly would ever believe it is.
Someone I have previously flown with, an ex-military pilot with many years of experience has survived TWO mid-air collisions. One aircraft hit him from behind, one from above, both whilst he was in cruise flight. He had no chance to see either. He told me that TCAS might have prevented both accidents. He is, quite understandably, even more paranoid about lookout than most but TCAS still beats his (class one medical, steely blue) eyes, time after time. The proof for me (class one medical, steely blue eyes) is that not infrequently we have a TCAS target go past within a mile in seemingly quite reasonable visibility and despite our best efforts, neither of us (2 pilot ops) can see it, or see it very late indeed.
My point is, don't decry it, until you've tried it.
