Since the tragedy over S. Germany, I've read much about the conflict between TCAS and ATC instructions. What crews will do as told by their SOP's, and what ATC expect them to do are not necessarily the same. Hopefully that matter will soon be sorted out and cross all boundaries.
Out of this came comments about what some crews do to stop TA's becoming RA's due to high closer rates. There have been suggestions from the authorities the companies might need to publish SOP's about the use of V/S etc. when approaching cleared altitudes/FL's. to avoid unnecessary RA's.
In the dark distance of memory I have an idea that in the USA it was specified that in the last 1000' closing a cleared level, you should restrict ROD/ROC to 500fpm. This was an FAA SOP.
I've only flown USA produced a/c and never has one of there own autopilots done this. Even the latest NG has over 2000fpm ROC when only 500' from the level. It captures very smoothly, but that's not the point. If it will become a recommendation for crew intervention in this last 1000', I'm not sure this is a good thing. It goes in the wrong direction of increasing workload and distraction.
If this has been an FAA SOP for years why was it not incorporated in the USA designed and certified autpilot programming? It can't be rocket science to do so.
