If it really is low power, small, easy to use and within a reasonable price range then I agree it would be a good candidate for everybody to adopt.
Like any CAS it aims to tell you where the traffic is (in this case just range) and its relative altitude to you. I suspect it is very accurate in altitude less so in range. Personally when I used PCAS if I saw traffic at the same altitide I tired to ensure "seperation" by adjusting mine. I guess a glider could operate in the same way.
1. Where can we find out more about the operating constraints
Well worth a look at their web site. The manuals and technical information is there:
Zaon Flight Systems - Home
The magazine write ups and "road tests" I have seen on PCAS units appear to indicate that they are incredibly unreliable
Have you seen any recent write ups? I gather from one very well known UK distributor before the system was taken over by Zaon any number of units were returned because they didnt appear to work, now they never have any returns.
If I'm not going to fit a transponder, like large numbers of my colleagues, what possible use is TCAS/PCAS to me or anyone else, come to that?
I think I am correct that YOU dont need a transponder for PCAS to notify you of collision threats from other transpoding traffic. YOU can therefore attempt to avoid the collision.
I suspect that the vast majority of powered aircraft in IMC have a transponder, even if there is no legal requirment for them to do so.
This has been used to support the carriage of ELTs (not PLBs though) as well as Mode S. It is a classic politician's trick and should never be used by forumites.....
I am aware of your objection. Trick or not let me ask this. If you are en route in IMC for two hours can you honestly tell me the thought of bumping into another aircraft is not at the back of your mind. Personally, however remote the risk, in an ideal world I'd love to have a system that shows me any other traffic that is there.
My own experience with PCAS is it is well worth a look. I cant answer what the implications are of using it in an aircraft without a transponder althoug I dont think it makes a deal of difference. I can tell you in the 12 months or so I used PCAS I dont think I had a single spurious contact. Obvioulsy I cant be sure because I didnt see a lot of them but when I did they were sure there, and when I didnt, AT often reported the same traffic. When I get a chance I am going to run PCAS with Skywatch which I now use and see how the two compare.