If I may add a few points here:
EXENG: If you had waited for your RA you would never have had to fly your max rate climb. Firstly because TCAS cannot demand one, but more importantly because, once RA is activated, any manouvres are coordinated with the threat a/c. They 'talk' to each other. (and very, very quickly too!!)
This coordination is also why you should NEVER manouvre in opposition to TCAS commands, REGARDLESS of what you may 'see' out the window! To do so will likely exacerbate the avoidance manouvre required! (Or ultimately cause a collision!)
Yes you have 5 secs to respond to a TCAS RA, but only 2.5 secs to respond to a reversal manouvre (which you may have triggered by not following what TCAS told you in the first place!)
Finally it's quite important to transmit your "TCAS RA" as soon as possible, because ONLY THEN will ATC stop attempting to 'control' you for collision avoidance!
The thoughts above were not just picked up in a sim, or from a study guide! TCAS makes calculations incredibly fast, and transmits that 'coordinated' information to both you and the threat extremely quickly too! A great piece of kit!
Always bear in mind TCAS will issue an RA whenever it thinks the closest point of approach of a target is closer than it's criteria allow. That doesn't NECESSARILY mean it is predicting a 'zero/zero' aka 'collision'!
In fact, that is a VERY rare prediction.
Finally (finally!) During a TCAS event, I believe TCAS information is instantly downloaded to a ground station?? Perhaps someone may confirm?
Last edited by 4468; 9th June 2013 at 10:26.