Pilots and ATC both at fault in TCAS incident

[rodthesod]

There's a simple formula to calculate the pitch change required to achieve the climb or descent required for a RA: 1000/TAS (in knots) = Pitch Change. I used to train all my pilots to be aware of their approx TAS at all times in readiness. The maximum pitch change is obviously at low speeds and in an intermediate approach phase usually around 5-7 degrees. 5 seconds to adjust 7 degrees is not aerobatic and hardly enough to spill coffee. At high level cruising speeds the pitch change required is usually in the order of 1-2 degrees. When properly executed by both conflicting aircraft (initially in level flight) an RA should not cause either aircraft to diverge more than about 300 feet (i.e. they miss by 600 feet vertically).

The above info was true for TCAS II - maybe things have moved on since I retired 4 years ago - if so I'm happy to stand corrected.

This incident was a GROSS over-reaction by the crew - don't they practice RAs in the simulator? In my last (cargo) airline all pilots had thorough initial TCAS training and testing and regular refreshers during LOFT sim exercises. I always thought both TCAS and windshear training served a useful secondary purpose in refreshing crews in the effects of controls (not coupled to an AP for a change).