TCAS in an Emergency Descent

[English]

There's a great fiction book by Paul McElroy titled "Tracon" that has the premise of conflicting (and sometimes erroneous) TCAS commands causing a major airliner crash. Makes for a good story.

 

[Fly_Chick]

This happened to me about a month ago flying along in my C152 into a busy Class C airport VFR at night. We were flying at 2500' (Flight follwing) and told to descend and maintain 1500' by center then handed over to approach. Flying a vectored heading to the airport at 1500'.

Approach then tells a Learjet descending through 3000' there is a C152 at 2500', two o'clock, heading to the same airport.

Not sure the Learjet's position, yet we start looking. We see a plane above us at our 10 o'clock position. Approach then tells the Learjet again about a Cessna at their 2 o'clock position at 2500'.

The Learjet responds back that the Cessna is on their TCAS. We are sure they meant us, both Approach and the Learjet, yet (as we can never assume anything in aviation) we also start to look for this other Cessna apparently in the same position above us at 2500'.

Turns out we were the only Cessna out there, not sure if the Learjet ever saw us. I do appreciate the others comments that "we have them on the TCAS" does not substitute for "Traffic in sight" or "Negative contact".

 

[hawg2hawk]

or "yeah, we're lookin". Looking at what? The hot stew? I always understood "traffic in sight" or "negative contact". Just a pet peeve. Not a big deal I suppose.

Mr. I.

Joint military phraseology uses "looking" to mean no contact, but looking visually.

"Searching" means no contact, looking with the onboard radar.

Some guys fly both mil and civilian and have a little habit transfer.

I think you're going to have even more pet peeves once you start flying ICAO.

 

[ISaidRightTurns]

Often with military on discreet frequencies, I have been known to issue the beacon of the traffic. Not legal, but I believe adds a bit of SA for the fast movers. It is kinda creepy to have them come back with 'radar contact'.

Joint military phraseology uses "looking" to mean no contact, but looking visually.

"Searching" means no contact, looking with the onboard radar.

Some guys fly both mil and civilian and have a little habit transfer.

I think you're going to have even more pet peeves once you start flying ICAO.

 

[Peanut gallery]

Loss of Radar during depress

Had a complete loss of pressure in a 72 about 10 years ago. Our TCAS was presented on the Radar display. Due to the rarified air the Radar started arcing and we lost our ability to view other traffic after we started down. I am sure the protection was still there but our ability to see other traffic in our 6,000 feet per min plus descent went away.