To be fair MJ I have never had an aircraft say to me that they have traffic on TCAS without a prompt.........often though as in this instance we are talking about I have advised an aircraft of possible traffic info and they have responded with yes we can see something on TCAS..........also often I have called traffic and been told yes we are visual............as you are well aware we NEVER asume in ATC so even though they can see something either visual or electronically it may not be the subject aircraft I am giving info on!....:cool:

Its that the training deptments are trying to stamp out.

The call to say visual is completely diferent because it is calling a statement of fact and you can presume that they are going to see and avoid.

For example if you declare visual with traffic a procedural controller can the give you a visual climb/decent against with both aircraft being happy. They couldn't if both planes have each other on TCAS.

Having something on TCAS means nothing at all. And can lead the ill informed presumption that they are seperated when they arn't. In a radar enviroment it just takes up air time for zero safety increase. Even if you do have something on TCAS you don't alter anything to try and avoid that contact until it gives you a resolution. Mode A only squawks are a complete pain to deal with because you will only get a traffic advisory on them even if you are sitting happy at FL180 in controlled airspace.

I'm not really understanding how there's that much difference between a light aircraft pilot seeing some traffic indication on a quasi-TCAS, that is vaguely the position and level that (non-radar) Scottish Info. said there might be something. Compared to them having a distant visual contact, roughly in the vicinity of the last reported (estimated) position, at the last reported level of someone else that's getting a basic off Scottish.
In either scenario, the traffic "seen" may, or may not be the aircraft you are being told about.

Exactly, not sure, don't mention you have anything on the RT.