Portable Traffic Collision System. (PCAS)

[Bob Murphie]

Hawker Pacific are advertising a small PCAS that actually works anywhere. It interrogates transponder transmissions and displays an alert. There are two models and the larger has an aural alert as well. Made by Zaon, they can be used in any airspace including class G non radar or TCAS instigated transmissions. The Zaon unit can be interfaced with Garmin moving map GPS' to give a pictoral representation on that display as well. Matt, at Hawker Pacific, who is also involved with ADSB matters can give you a better idea than I, a non technophobe can. He is pleased to talk to anyone about Zaon and can be reached on 02 9780 8559 or 1 800 654 983.

This is not an advertisement and I have nothing to gain by bringing this to the attention of a lot of pilots who are concerned about flying mid air collisions. There has also been some misinformation about this unit put on this forum by people with a vested interests in selling another costly concept.

For this reason it is only fair that this misinformation be rectified.

You Tube have a demo, YouTube - Aviation Consumer Aircraft Traffic Display Demo

[go_soaring]

The Australian Gliding world uses OzFlarm. It's basically a collision avoidance awareness system, but is used as a back up to the pilots LOOKOUT! The ozFlarm is also used as a datalogger, which logs a 3D point in the atmosphere every 4seconds so that the pilots can analyse their flights for better performance next time.

Swift Avionics

I took this up with me a few times when flying commercially, to analyse how I could become a more safe and efficient pilot. One interesting thing I found when bashing around in a BE58 and PA32, if the runway direction was more than 35* off your flight plan track, it was quicker to go for a crosswind or downwind than to deviate for the 5nm final


go_soaring! instead

[Bob Murphie]

Some more video links;

YouTube - Zaon XRX PCAS, Aviation Consumer

YouTube - XRX Traffic Display on GPS

[ForkTailedDrKiller]

It will probably be no surprise to some to hear that I have a Zaon XRX PCAS in the V-tail. I bought it after the nearest near-miss I have had in 35 yrs flying.

It appears to work well once you have it set up right.

Is it worth the money?? Don't know - I guess if it stops you having a mid-air it is worth every cent.

Remember though - it is only passive! Relies on the traffic's transponder being pinged by SSR or another aircraft (RPT?) with an active system.

Dr

[Bob Murphie]

Just had two calls from interested parties who agree with FTDK in that it is passive. Both however agree the msot likely place to have a mid air would be in class E airspace or where TCAS equiped aircarft operate so the unit enhances MK 1 eyeball.

Awaiting further information.

Flarm appears to be an active device.

[multi_engined]

How much do they retail at?..

[james michael]

Public Announcement

Again Mr Murphie is attempting to stir up trouble and I do not intend to bite - however, I do intend to ensure the facts are set straight.

Murphie quote commencing this thread :

There has also been some misinformation about this unit put on this forum by people with a vested interests in selling another costly concept.

FACT 1
The FACTS with which Mr Murphie was acquainted about PASSIVE traffic systems (the same one he is quoting here) are visible as posts 208 and 210 on Saturday just passed - on the locked thread Merged: ADSB.

I thank FTDK for confirming what Mr Murphie was told on 15 November. Passive systems only work under MSSR or TCAS interrogation.

FACT 2
ADS-B works anywhere and does not require MSSR or TCAS interrogation to enable aircraft to aircraft (or ground) alert via ADS-B IN.

FACT 3
FLARM is active although in a different frequency range. The ADS-B OUT/IN integrated unit successfully trialled by Enigma Avionics has been also trialled with FLARM and was receiving FLARM alerts at or beyond 3 Nm.

For the benefit of the moderators, this post is not

a one-upmanship tit for tat argument between Messrs. Murphie and Michael.

It is to ensure, as last Saturday, that people are not sucked in to buying something that does not work in much of Class G airspace and the associated CTAFs where radar coverage does not exist nor RPT with TCAS fly.

This thread starts totally misleadingly

Hawker Pacific are advertising a small PCAS that actually works anywhere. It interrogates transponder transmissions and displays an alert.

Wrong, wrong, wrong

[ForkTailedDrKiller]

Hawker Pacific are advertising a small PCAS that actually works anywhere

I missed that!

NO, NO, NO, NO - it doesn't! In fact, it probably would NOT have detected the aircraft that nearly cleaned me up in the incident referred to above.

ME - mine cost me about $2k, but they would be more than that now with the crash of the Ozzie $. There is a simpler cheaper one that Zaon sell for about US$500, but I have no experience with it. The Avidyne TCAS unit referred to by Ovation in another thread would cost about $20k to retro-fit to a GA aircraft.

Dr

[peuce]

The trouble with ANY of these personal traffic avoidance products is that they are invisible to the Air Traffic Service provider.

ONE of the safety benefits of ADS-B IN/OUT was that it could help prevent collisions... by providing in-cockpit alerts.

It's other safety and efficiency benefits rely on ATS receiving aircraft positional data ... which these personal devices don't provide.

Apples with apples ....

[james michael]

Dr

In truth it DOES actually work anywhere.

Provided there is an external interrogation.

The advertisers are telling the truth - if that's what they say. Just forgot the bit about external interrogation

[Bob Murphie]

Two posts before james michael's opportunistic response I wrote;

"Just had two calls from interested parties who agree with FTDK in that it is passive. Both however agree the msot likely place to have a mid air would be in class E airspace or where TCAS equiped aircarft operate so the unit enhances MK 1 eyeball".

I unfortunately mis-interpreted the advertising. I did not post this to cause trouble, simply to pass on an advertisement that I thought would be of benefit to those concerned with mid air collisions.

If an apology be needed to succour the hurt of james michael, please take this as personal an apology that I can humbly offer in the circumstances.

I am advised MRX is $850 and XRX is $2500 Australian.

[Jabawocky]

peuce has summed it up pretty well.

J

[Scurvy.D.Dog]

Oh come now kiddies, where is GNSS Bing on this subject ... you know seeing as FLARM derives its position info from .....
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... drum roll please missus music
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.... .... YES ..... YOU GUESSED IT
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GPS
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... Quick, someone alert ASIS and the media
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E AW ... E AW

[Clearedtoreenter]

I have the cheaper Zaon version to which the good Dr refers. It works OK, certainly concentrates the mind when it tells you there's a target 1/4 mile away and 100' above. Trouble is it gives no direction information - but it does get one looking out of the window - which cannot be a bad thing. I don't like all of the wires it needs for audible warning in your headset (sexy female voice though.) Of course it does require the other aircraft to be fitted with a transponder that works and is switched on, which means it possibly detects about half of the aircraft where I fly.

[c100driver]

Clearedtoreenter said,

Of course it does require the other aircraft to be fitted with a transponder that works and is switched on, which means it possibly detects about half of the aircraft where I fly.

AND and it is a big one, Provided there is an external interrogation source such as SSR radar or a Multi-Lat array or TCAS equipped aircraft within electronic range.

If there is no external interrogation source for the TXPDR then the unit does not work.

[Sunfish]

I think the only conclusion we can safely draw is that electronic aids of all varieties, including ADS-B and WAAS will not be available in Australia unless AsA can make money out of them, and they will be withheld until they can.

[james michael]

Sunny

You may be correct about WAAS but ADS-B is available now via voluntary fitment (the NFRM was yonks ago) and if you fit to GA (if you can find a system to fit) you can fly VFR without Airservices making a cent.

Profit? Airservices is a Government owned corporation.

However, do you see anyone in private enterprise rushing in to provide WAAS, XM WX, TIS etc? I doubt I'd be purchasing shares based on their prospective profits

[Scurvy.D.Dog]

j.m
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Whilst we are at it, perhaps 'the usual suspects' might expand on this little gem from the other thread

Dick Smith 15th November 2008

I will now work towards the cost savings that can be gained by removing old ground based nav aids - millions will be saved by our industry as shown in the JCP.

Please explain to us how EXACTLY you intend to achieve this!!

... The usual suspects .... bwahahahah ... Oh my giddy aunt

[peuce]

Scurvy,

When I read Dick's post, I thought I must have mis-interpreted it. Obviously I didn't ... unless you're as silly as me.

[Scurvy.D.Dog]

.... yeeeeeerrrs peuce we are both silly as a tail wheel ... apparently
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Funny init', particularly considering that without sole use GNSS (with all the Bing factors), removal of these navaids might have a dramatic effect on IFR and NVFR planning req's and safety