MJ,
For sure nothing replaces a visual, and i was somewhat skeptical about the whole TCAS concept as i initially thought it may dilute my visual scans or make me more reliant on the machine as opposed to looking. However in practice its quite the opposite, it really is a net addition to the visual scan and helps target/focus the scan, another thing it is really got for is military jets, not for avoiding them as the closing rate is so quick but merely as a heads up they are coming and so it does not scare the !!!! out of me when they swoosh past (which happens a lot around my home strip) and they are easily identifiable as military on the screen due to the closing rate.
Since i started using it ( if i remember correctly i paid about £400 for it) there has been many times when i have been cruising along and it alerts me to traffic in the area i was just looking at, upon refocusing i have been able to pick them out.
The SO controller may have ignored the comment but the other traffic immediately acknowledged my call via the controller which gave me a level of comfort.
In the particular instance i mentioned the TCAS was really helpful as i was level at 1200 there was a scattered layer between 1700 to 2000 and the other traffic was showing at approximately 2300 to 2600 so a visual may not have been possible.
Last edited by piperboy84; 26th June 2012 at 10:23.