Académique Documents
Professionnel Documents
Culture Documents
TCAS
Recommendations
Customer Services
Contents
Introduction
TCAS Presentation
Resolution Advisory
Conclusion
Introduction
TCAS Presentation
Resolution Advisory
Conclusion
Interrogation
MODE S
TCAS II XPDR
Reply
Mode S Address - Altitude
AIRBUS S.A.S. All rights reserved. Confidential and proprietary document.
Interrogation
MODE S TCAS II
XPDR
Reply
Mode S Address - Altitude
TA VOLUME
RA VOLUME
AIRBUS S.A.S. All rights reserved. Confidential and proprietary document.
TCAS Display
-5
PROXIMATE located
-15
1200 feet above and
AIRBUS S.A.S. All rights reserved. Confidential and proprietary document.
descending
Introduction
TCAS Presentation
Resolution Advisory
Conclusion
Background
Amidst all the TCAS information, the
most important
involves Resolution Advisories.
Background
4Corrective Advisory:
The vertical speed needle is in the red
area.
The red square is displayed on the
Navigation Display
Background
4Corrective Advisory (e.g. ADJUST VERTICAL SPEED,
ADJUST):
Background
4Corrective Advisory
TAU TAU
ADJUST VERTICAL
SPEED, ADJUST
CPA
(Closest Point of
Approach)
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Generally:
Deviation caused by a RA maneuver is between 300 and 500 ft
Vertical miss distance at the Closest Point of Approach is around 400 ft
Background
4Corrective Advisory
TAU TAU
Relative altitude
ADJUST VERTICAL
SPEED, ADJUST
CPA
(Closest Point of
Approach)
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Do not overreact
Do not disregard a weakening RA
It could create another conflict with another aircraft
TCAS - Recommendations Page 15
Resolution Advisory
Background
4Additional Corrective Advisory (E.g.: INCREASE DESCENT)
Evolution of RA Alerts
The following diagram illustrates the number and
evolution of RA alerts since 1999 ( Based on Eurocontrol source) :
3500
3000
2500
2000
RAs alerts
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1500
1000
500
0
1999 2000 2001 2002 2003
TCAS - Recommendations Page 17
Resolution Advisory
Evolution of RA Alerts
Statistics in Europe for 2000 ( Based on Eurocontrol source)
35 %
30
25
20
RAs repartition
15
AIRBUS S.A.S. All rights reserved. Confidential and proprietary document.
10
0
Takeoff Climb Cruise Descent HLD Approach Final
Approach
TCAS - Recommendations Page 18
Resolution Advisory
Evolution of RA Alerts
Statistics in Europe for 2000 ( Based on Eurocontrol source)
4Pilots followed RA in 95% of reported cases
4Decision not to follow an RA was based on additional
information:
Intruder visually acquired
Traffic information and/or ATC avoidance being issued by
ATC.
AIRBUS S.A.S. All rights reserved. Confidential and proprietary document.
Evolution of RA Alerts
2003 results are incomplete:
4Still missing information from some countries
Introduction
TCAS Presentation
Resolution Advisory
Conclusion
Background
Event N 1
Aircraft 1 and Aircraft 2 were both at FL 70.
Aircraft 2 was instructed, late, to descend to FL60.
The distance between Aircraft 1 and Aircraft 2 is 5 NM
The TCAS triggered coordinated RAs:
4DESCEND, DESCEND RA order for Aircraft 1
4CLIMB, CLIMB RA order for Aircraft 2
Aircraft 2
4Followed the ATC order (Descend to FL 60)
4But, NOT the TCAS order.
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Aircraft 1
4Followed the INCREASE DESCENT, INCREASE DESCENT
TCAS order.
This induced a new TCAS conflict with Aircraft 3 at FL 50 .
Event N 1 CLIMB,
CLIMB
RA
FL 70 AIRCRAFT 1
DESCEND, AIRCRAFT 2
DESCEND
RA INCREASE
DESCENT,
INCREASE
DESCENT
RA
FL 50 AIRCRAFT 3
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AIRCRAFT 2
Simultaneous descend
FL 60.
vertical and horizontal
crossing at less than 1 NM
FCOM Update
The FCOM has been slightly revised to further emphasize
the fact that pilots must follow the TCAS order:
Event N2
Aircraft 1: Was approaching FL 260
Aircraft 2: Was cruising at FL 270
Aircraft 1:
4Received an ADJUST VERTICAL SPEED, ADJUST RA.
4Reacted by increasing, rather than decreasing, the
vertical speed.
AIRBUS S.A.S. All rights reserved. Confidential and proprietary document.
Aircraft 2:
4Received and followed a CLIMB, CLIMB RA.
CLIMB,
CLIMB
RA
FL 270
AIRCRAFT 2
AIRCRAFT 1
ADJUST
VERTICAL SPEED, FL 260
ADJUST RA
AIRBUS S.A.S. All rights reserved. Confidential and proprietary document.
FCOM Update
Following this event, the FCOM was revised to further clarify the
ADJUST VERTICAL SPEED, ADJUST RA:
Event N3
Aircraft 1: Was cleared to FL 370.
Aircraft 2: Was also cleared to FL 370 by mistake.
Controller discovered the mistake and instructed
Aircraft 2 to descend to FL 350.
Aircraft 1:
4Incorrectly interpreted the clearance which was not
applicable to its aircraft
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4Started to descend.
4TCAS issued a CLIMB, CLIMB RA.
4Did not follow the CLIMB, CLIMB RA, as it had visual
acquisition of Aircraft 2.
Event N3
Aircraft 2:
4Received a coordinated DESCEND, DESCEND RA
4Followed the RA
4Stopped descending, when it noticed that
Aircraft 1 was also descending.
Event N3
FL 370 CLIMB,
DESCEND,
DESCEND
CLIMB RA RA
AIRCRAFT 2
Order
incorrectly
interpreted by
AIRCRAFT 1
AIRCRAFT 1
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AIRCRAFT 2
Descend
to FL 350.
AIRCRAFT 1 passes slightly below
AIRCRAFT 2, with no lateral
separation !!!
FCOM Update
For TCAS RA orders, the FCOM 3.04.34 was revised to delete
the visual acquisition of the intruder line.
Previous FCOM 3.04.34 page:
Additional information
ATC versus TCAS information:
ATC Radar:
4An update rate of several seconds (from 4 to 10).
4Altitude data in 100-foot increments.
4Sudden vertical maneuvers are not immediately displayed.
TCAS:
4Interrogatesall surrounded transponders every second.
AIRBUS S.A.S. All rights reserved. Confidential and proprietary document.
Additional information
Visual acquisition limitations:
Conclusions
Other, more or less, serious events have occurred due to
the fact that the crew did not follow TCAS orders.
Introduction
TCAS Presentation
Resolution Advisory
Conclusion
Background
As of today, the following cases require TA mode selection:
4Engine failure
4Dispatch with landing gear down
4Known nearby traffic, which is in visual contact
4Closely-spaced runways, converging runways,
low terrain along the final approach
4Emergency descent
4Engine failure
4Aircraft at its maximum ceiling altitude
Emergency Descent
Most often due to rapid decompression.
TCAS - Recommendations
Emergency Descent
Recurrent TCAS Questions
Page 40
Recurrent TCAS Questions
Emergency Descent
ADJUST
VERTICAL
SPEED,
ADJUST
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DESCEND,
DESCEND
Engine Failure
In case one engine fails, the TCAS must be set to TA mode to comply
with AC 20-131:
When TA is selected:
4Affected aircraft not requested to perform an RA maneuver.
4No additional stress generated by a TCAS alarm
in a stressful environment.
TCAS - Recommendations Page 43
Recurrent TCAS Questions
Engine Failure
Airlines often complain that TA mode is sometimes too
restrictive, in particular for the A340-500/600, which is a:
4 Powerful aircraft
4 Fly-by-wire aircraft, not subject to stall in normal law.
Time (s)
V/S (feet/minute)
AIRBUS S.A.S. All rights reserved. Confidential and proprietary document.
Time (s)
TCAS - Recommendations Page 47
Recurrent TCAS Questions
Aircraft at its Maximum Ceiling Altitude
These graphs show that the aircraft can follow:
4A CLIMB, CLIMB TCAS RA order (1500 feet/minute)
4An INCREASE CLIMB, INCREASE CLIMB TCAS RA order
(2500 feet/minute).
Introduction
TCAS Presentation
Resolution Advisory
Conclusion
1000 feet
REAL PATH
IDEAL PATH
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 seconds
3500 3800 2000
AIRBUS S.A.S. All rights reserved. Confidential and proprietary document.
0
-700
1 2 3 4
CLIMB, CLIMB, MONITOR MONITOR CLEAR OF
CLIMB CLIMB VERTICAL SPEED VERTICAL SPEED CONFLICT
TCAS - Recommendations Page 51
Future TCAS Developments
Background
In addition, some operators have reported difficulty in
distinguishing the V/S needle, when it is red and in the red
vertical speed sector (mainly on EIS1 screens).
AIRBUS S.A.S. All rights reserved. Confidential and proprietary document.
Introduction
TCAS Presentation
Resolution Advisory
Conclusion