It seems to me that those advocating not following an RA are extracting the one caveat from the regs/docs that suits them, without understanding, or choosing not to understand, the full document or operation of TCAS.
Maybe training and understanding of TCAS is deficient in their organisations?
Yes, the PIC has the option not to follow an RA, just as the PIC has the option to not follow other warnings and best practices, if in their judgement, it is safer to do so.
But TCAS is collaborative. It functions based on the actions that two or more aircraft crews are going to take to resolve a conflict.
If one crew is only ever going to assess the situation and choose by themselves what to do, then surely the correct mode for that crew to operate in is
TA-only ?
In this way, any other aircraft in the scenario will have RAs that take into account this response.
The same mode as when you are engaged in an emergency descent, an engine out, or the mode that should be automatic in certain parts of the flight, such as close to terrain (unless the system has a problem)
BTW. In case of any pedants reading this, I am not advocating to operate in TA mode only.
Surely the training should be- Follow the RA. It's a really easy manouver, which takes a couple of minutes to train in the sim, unless you are ham fisted. In which case ask for a little more time to train in this complex manouver.
Your situational awareness cannot take into account what actions those many other aircraft around you are taking, until they have clearly taken it.
Last edited by Lancelot de boyles; 13th Nov 2016 at 07:14.