Your TCAS RA experiences
 

I would like to gather some views and experiences, - from those of you have had ACTUAL RA's - because the two I have had 'recently' have been VERY different from what I have seen in the sim and were less than intuitive. If you've had an RA could you tell me:

1) Aircraft type
2) Type of RA
3) Whether you were level, descending or climbing
4) Did RA require you to do something different from what you expected, given the identified TA threat?
5)Were PFD commands easy to understand and follow
6) Was audio easy to understand and follow.

If you've never had an RA or only done the exercise in the sim, then the above questions probably look pretty idiotic. My view now is that it can turn out to be a sight more tricky in reality, than you might expect and am interested to see if others agree.

Cheers folks

Flying a B734 i had one,while descending,just like the sim,even easier.No problem at all

1. Type a/c - A320
2. Type of RA - Climbing

3. Descending or climbing - Climbing, within 1000 feet of cruise alt of FL330

4. Did RA require you to do something different from what you expected, given the identified TA threat? -No, instructions to climb, straight forward, traffic at 12 O'clock opposite direction.
5. Were PFD commands easy to understand and follow? -From what I remember, yes.
6. Was audio easy to understand and follow? -Yes

1) Aircraft type - A300
2) Type of RA - Climb
3) Whether you were level, descending or climbing - Descending
4) Did RA require you to do something different from what you expected, given the identified TA threat? - No
5)Were PFD commands easy to understand and follow - Yes (it's in the IVSI-indicator, not PFD)
6) Was audio easy to understand and follow. - Yes

I can add one from an ATCer.

1) MD-11 descending FL270 (descent rate 4000'/min) with opposite direction B767-300 climbing FL250 (climb rate 2500'/min).

2) both a/c told to reduce vertical speed.

3) see 1)

4) Its what I would have expected looking at the vector/predict level lines available on our radars, had their climb/descents been continued then the MD-11 would have been FL267 and B767 FL264 at point of cross.

5) can't answer that

6) Yes to both, I heard both of the audio's in the background of the transmissions to me very clear and concise. The MD-11 was checking in as the RA activated and give the pilot credit, it didn't interrupt his transmission to me, cut it short maybe, but I went straight back with "and I heard your TCAS alert, report when finished, traffic yadda yadda yadda" to which the B767 came straight in "well that'll be us then, have the ##### in sight and slowing climb" and could hear everything in the background on that one too! Doesn't it give you a heart attack when it suddenly kicks in, sure scared the hell out of me :}

Had several so far, just three of the more common ones.

1) B733
2) Monitor Vertical Speed
3) Climbing or descending, had both several times
4) No
5) Very clear, in some of our planes the TCAS is actually in the IVSI and that is easy to understand as well, however i prefer the PFD type.
6) Yes, clear audio and easy to understand

1) B733
2) Climb
3) Level
4) No, normally experienced on intercept to the ILS when a lighttype below cant exactly hold its altitude (sadly its common that they can fly 500ft below without radio contact in TXL eastern config).
5) Yes
6) Yes

Hi all..


1-B727-200
2-Descend...increase R/D
3-climbing
4-no
5-IVSI commands were easy
6- yes

Mike:
 

1) A330
2) Descend
3) Climbing
4) No
5) Yes
6) Yes

CEJM :ok:

Two I can remember:

1) 146
2) Climb
3) Descending slowly conflicting with aircraft climbing quickly
4) No
5) Yes
6) Yes

1) A320
2) Monitor VS
3) Descending, traffic below
4) No
5) Yes
6) Yes