Tcas Ii

[BoDEAN]

Does TCAS II system provide both vertical nd horizontal maneuvers to pilots? Or just vertical?

 

[DC8 Flyer]

Does TCAS II system provide both vertical nd horizontal maneuvers to pilots? Or just vertical?

Just vertical. I believe the next version is supposed to provide lateral. I've always wondered, and never been able to get a straight answer, should you manuever laterally when responding to a RA, while climbing or descending?

 

[MarineGrunt]

Just vertical. I believe the next version is supposed to provide lateral. I've always wondered, and never been able to get a straight answer, should you manuever laterally when responding to a RA, while climbing or descending?

If you can make the RA climb, you shouldn't need to, but if I had traffic in sight, I'd probably maneuver laterally for a little extra buffer. I've never heard anything saying you can't, but then again, I've only been in the TCAS world for a little under a year...

 

[FL420]

Just vertical. I believe the next version is supposed to provide lateral. I've always wondered, and never been able to get a straight answer, should you maneuver laterally when responding to a RA, while climbing or descending?

TCAS II only provides for vertical maneuvering to achieve a coordinated separation during an RA. TCAS IV is under development and will be able to determine actual and relative aircraft position with enough accuracy to allow horizontal as well as vertical maneuvering.

TCAS III, which was under development, has been shelved in favor of TCAS IV as the directional antennas used in TCAS III weren't able to determine relative position well enough to allow horizontal maneuvering. TCAS IV will use GPS, ADB-S and 2 way data link.

Until TCAS IV is available, lateral maneuvering should not be used in response to an RA unless you have the aircraft causing the RA in sight and lateral maneuvering is required to avoid a collision. The most likely scenarios are an equipment malfunction, an aircraft not squawking Mode A and/or C or a pilot making an inadequate or inappropriate response to an RA.