TCAS RA Downlink

[RDUBWI]

Did you see on the Eurocontrol website information about TCAS RA downlink?

www.eurocontrol.int/ra-downlink

What do you think? Good or bad idea? It seems they are doing some serious work. They even ask for opinions in a questionnaire (that's a novel concept!).

I know it has been discussed several times before but the subject keeps coming back.

[ATC Watcher]

The questions are a good start but one answer is missing : What is the legal protection for the controller with this ?
Because a downlink will indicate that an RA has been generated by the system but it is not a guarantee that the pilot is following it .
Are we to stop giving instructions as soon as we see an RA sign displayed and to asume that the pilots are folllowing it as advertised ? or are we to confirm it on R/T ? when do we cease being responsible for separation if something goes wrong ?

I'd like an anwer to those questions befor giving my OK .

[millerman]

It is early days yet!
There are a lot of questions to answer first.
The downlinks will be a function of mode S so we have to wait for that to be operational first.
I went down to the experimental centre in Bretigny last year for simulations last year and a few of the interfaces were very good.
But as i said it is early days yet and they are not sure which way to progress and there will be a lot more discussion still to come.
However i was convinced it could be a good tool to have!