"Proper" TCAS, and associated RAs etc. are not really designed for Circuit type operations... hence why they disable themselves below ~1000R, and in turn need a Rad Alt fitted (more cost for GA
). They cause problems with parallel approaches, hindering the whole ATC idea/system... They also need each aircraft's performance programmed in...
So we now get reduced to TAs, and/or the screen display... and just encourage everybody to fly around eyes in trying to do ATCs job for them
GPS is part of the problem, with everybody now flying eyes in following the damn thing - whereas if they actually had to look out for features etc. and navigate, they might notice the odd other aircraft around
I instruct on JPs, and it is truly frightning to see someone eyes in at 200K+ "progrmaming" the thing
None of the above is intended to relate to Sunday's events, which the AAIB, and the AAIB alone, are fit to declare lessons to be learnt from
NoD