TCAS unservicability - required crew/operations action

[atprider]

I am starting this thread in response to reading about the dreadful occurence over Brazil, in the hope that something can come of the discussion which may prevent a similar occurrence elsewhere. I therefore take the opportunity first to express condolences to all those involved or affected by the tragedy.

My question is : Are all flight crew/operations departments aware of the actions required to be taken in the event of an aircraft which is mandatorily required to carry TCAS suffering a failure of the system before flight commences, if it still iintends to fly within controlled airspace for which carraige of TCAS is required.

I am not wholly certain of the requirements myself, hence my suspicion that the same may be true of the parties mentioned above.

I have been aware of filed flight plans, from airlines, containing within the field18 (Remarks) section statements such as "TCAS inop" or similar.

As far as I am aware (and please feel free to correct me if I am wrong!), in order for such a flight to take place, permission must be obtained from all ATC units who would work such a flight (in the UK).

Is this the procedure followed by crew and/or operations departments, I personally have been questioned by two different commercial pilots requesting what is required under such a circumstance.

My concern is that I would not expect item 18 Flight plan information to be passed on to flight progress strip information as a matter of routine to controllers, and therefore they may be unaware of the unservicability.

This also begs another question; if the procedure is followed correctly, and a unit is informed, how would a controller be expected to handle a flight differently in the light of the known unserviceability?

[Denti]

In european airspace it is perfectly legal to fly 10 days with an inop TCAS (except germany and switzerland which only allow for 3 days). This is most probably reflected in the respective MELs (it is in ours).

You can look it up on the eurocontrol pages and of course your local aviation administration regulations.

cited from http://www.eurocontrol.int/msa/galle.../MELUpdate.doc

Operations in accordance with the ACAS II MEL

The JAR-OPS 1 TCAS II MEL policy document, recently announced through TGL 26, has promulgated the ACAS II MEL Provisions. A copy of TGL 26, Section 2, ‘MEL Alleviation to Subpart K’, Page 16, which deals with the ACAS II MEL provisions, is attached, for information; it can be seen that a Class C, 10-day, ACAS II MEL is applied within the ECAC States except in Germany and Switzerland, where a 3-day MEL is applied.

The actual period applicable to an aircraft is, however, set by the National Authority of the aircraft operator. Operators need to respect their own National Authority MEL unless a State has set different criteria applicable to foreign operators flying in their airspace. Operating to a more stringent ACAS II MEL than Class C, 10-days, is of course completely acceptable.

If flying with an unserviceable ACAS II, then the altitude reporting transponder should be serviceable.

Operation under the terms of the JAR-OPS 1 TCAS II MEL has been agreed and accepted by the ECAC Member States.

The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has moved to a 3-day MEL. This is applicable to US operators. However, if an aircraft operator operates an aircraft into the USA under FAR Part 129, and it is an "N" registered aircraft, the more restrictive 3-day MEL applies. If it is not an “N” registered aircraft, the operating rules of the appropriate operator’s national authority apply.

[roturb]

As ever compromises are made to 'suit industry' rather than ensure safety per se. Same goes largely for EGPWS and transponders - my view is no EGPWS/no transponder/no TCAS etc etc-no passengers and no access to airspace -stiff cookies- get the damn thing repaired!

God forbid us moving to ADS-B internationally -if we can't ensure transponders are on and functioning correctly now to the absolute maximum achievable- then the intent of those very regulations is severely compromised.

And those of you that turn them off should be jailed, not just given a slap on the wrist.

[atprider]

So to clarify then under JAR my understanding of the above is 10 days is the max one can fly an airframe with TCAS inop.

Is it actually specified anywhere in JAR-OPS the procedure to be followed in respect of notification to ATC, or is there no such stipulation?

[fiftyfour]

Having one aircraft, with TCAS unserviceable , in an area is not a problem. It must have altitude transponder working under the MEL, and this allows all other TCAS aircraft to avoid it in the event of potential collision. The problem only becomes dangerous if two aircraft, both flying with unserviceable TCAS, find themselves in a collision situation, and the pilots themselves cannot avoid each other using 'rules of the air' etc.

[Scurvy.D.Dog]

atprider
.
OZ Regs:- http://www.casa.gov.au/download/act_regs/1988.pdf

Civil Aviation Regulations 1988
Subdivision 1 Australian aircraft
.
262AC ACAS requirements—turbine-powered commercial aeroplanes
(1) After 31 December 1999, the pilot in command of an Australian aircraft that is a turbine-powered commercial aeroplane must not begin a flight if the aircraft is not fitted with an approved TCAS II that is serviceable.
Penalty: 25 penalty units.
(1A) An offence against subregulation (1) is an offence of strict liability.
Note For strict liability, see section 6.1 of the Criminal Code.
(2) Subregulation (1) does not apply if:
(a) the flight is for the purpose of moving the aircraft to a place to have:
(i) an approved TCAS II fitted to the aircraft; or
(ii) an approved but unserviceable TCAS II that is fitted to the aircraft repaired, removed or overhauled; or
(b) when the flight takes place, inclusion in the aircraft of an approved but unserviceable TCAS II amounts to a permissible unserviceability in the aircraft.
.
262AD ACAS must be activated during flight
(1) The pilot in command of an Australian aircraft that is a turbine powered commercial aeroplane fitted with an approved TCAS II that is serviceable must take all reasonable steps to ensure that the TCAS II is activated at all times while the aircraft is in flight.
Penalty: 25 penalty units.
(2) An offence against subregulation (1) is an offence of strict liability.
Note For strict liability, see section 6.1 of the Criminal Code.
.
262AE Reporting unserviceable ACAS during flight
(1) This regulation applies to an approved TCAS II fitted to an Australian aircraft that is a turbine-powered commercial aeroplane.
(2) If a TCAS to which this regulation applies becomes unserviceable while the aircraft is in flight in, or on a flight into, Australian territory, the pilot in command must:
(a) if the aircraft is in controlled airspace—tell air traffic control of the unserviceability as soon as practicable; or
(b) if the aircraft is not in controlled airspace—take all reasonable steps to tell air traffic control of the unserviceability before entering controlled airspace.
(3) An offence against subregulation (2) is an offence of strict liability.
Note For strict liability, see section 6.1 of the Criminal Code.
.
262AF Reporting unserviceable ACAS before flight
(1) Before beginning a flight in Australian territory in an Australian aircraft that is a turbine-powered commercial aeroplane, the pilot in command must tell air traffic control that the aircraft is beginning the flight without an approved TCAS II that is serviceable if:
(a) the flight is for the purpose set out in paragraph 262AC (2) (a); or
(b) the aircraft is fitted with an approved but unserviceable TCAS II whose inclusion in the aircraft amounts to a permissible unserviceability in the aircraft.
Penalty: 5 penalty units.
(2) An offence against subregulation (1) is an offence of strict liability.
Note For strict liability, see section 6.1 of the Criminal Code.
.
Subdivision 2 Foreign aircraft
.
262AG ACAS requirements—turbine-powered commercial aeroplanes
(1) After 31 December 1999, the pilot in command of a foreign aircraft that is a turbine-powered commercial aeroplane must not begin a flight in Australian territory if the aircraft is not fitted with an approved TCAS II that is serviceable.
Penalty: 25 penalty units.
(2) An offence against subregulation (1) is an offence of strict liability.
Note For strict liability, see section 6.1 of the Criminal Code.
(3) Subregulation (1) does not apply if:
(a) the flight is for the purpose of moving the aircraft to a place to have an approved but unserviceable TCAS II that is fitted to the aircraft repaired, removed, replaced or overhauled; or
(b) the aircraft is fitted with an approved TCAS II that is unserviceable and, at the beginning of the flight:
(i) the unserviceability is permitted for the aircraft under a law in force in the country in which the aircraft is registered; and
(ii) not more than 10 days have passed since the TCAS II became unserviceable; and
(iii) the aircraft has been in Australian territory for no more than a total of 72 hours during those days.
.
262AH ACAS must be activated during flight
(1) The pilot in command of a foreign aircraft that is a turbine-powered commercial aeroplane fitted with an approved TCAS II that is serviceable must take all reasonable steps to ensure that the TCAS II is activated at all times while the aircraft is in flight in Australian territory.
Penalty: 25 penalty units.
(2) An offence against subregulation (1) is an offence of strict liability.
Note For strict liability, see section 6.1 of the Criminal Code.
.
262AI Reporting unserviceable ACAS during flight
(1) This regulation applies to an approved TCAS II fitted to a foreign aircraft that is a turbine-powered commercial aeroplane.
(2) If a TCAS to which this regulation applies becomes unserviceable while the aircraft is in flight in, or on a flight into, Australian territory, the pilot in command must:
(a) if the aircraft is in controlled airspace—tell air traffic control of the unserviceability as soon as practicable; or
(b) if the aircraft is not in controlled airspace—take all reasonable steps to tell air traffic control of the unserviceability before entering controlled airspace.
Penalty: 5 penalty units.
(3) An offence against subregulation (2) is an offence of strict liability.
Note For strict liability, see section 6.1 of the Criminal Code.
.
262AJ Reporting unserviceable ACAS before flight
(1) Before beginning a flight of a kind mentioned in subregulation 262AG (3), the pilot in command must tell air traffic control that the aircraft does not have a serviceable TCAS II.
Penalty: 5 penalty units.
(2) An offence against subregulation (1) is an offence of strict liability.
Note For strict liability, see section 6.1 of the Criminal Code.

... U/S reports are passed on to all affected ATC units for the flight segment concerned.
.
Hope that helps!

[Capn Bloggs]

All the requirements for ops without a serv TCAS should be in your MEL. Here's ours:

May be inoperative for 10 days
provided:
a)Flight Operations
Management approval has
been granted for operating
under the provision of this
MEL,
b)The system is deactivated
and secured, and
c)Prior to each flight ATC is
advised that TCAS/ACAS
is inoperative.

(Saves me having to carry my CARS, Scurvy!)

[Scurvy.D.Dog]

I hear ya Bloggsie ... thank goodness for the electronic revolution eh