ALERTING SYSTEMS

AND
PROXIMITY SYSTEMS
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Primary components of the warning system includes:-
• Master Fire Warning
• Master Caution Lights
• System Annunciator Lights
• Mach/ Airspeed Warning Systems
• Stall Warning Systems
• Configuration Warning
• Ground Proximity Warning System
• Traffic Alert Call
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Flight Warning System (FWS)
• The purpose of the FWS is to produce cautions and
warnings for the crew to avoid impending danger.
• This integrated flight warning system prioritizes the
warnings by producing warnings relevant to a particular
stage of flight and inhibiting other warnings.
• Therefore, the crew can respond to the most immediate
threat to safety.
• The alerting and warning messages are presented to the
crew in visual, aural and sensory (tactile) forms.
Levels of Alerts
• Warnings or Level A alerts: These require immediate crew action,
presented in red

• Cautions or Level B alerts. These require immediate crew alertness

and subsequent crew action, shown in amber or yellow.

• Advisories or Level C alerts. These require crew alertness, shown by

any colour except red or green (e.g. white, yellow, amber)
SYSTEM ANNUNCIATOR LIGHTS

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Visual indications
• These visual indications can be presented in two
different forms:
• Electronic Screens: on flight, navigation, engine and aircraft
system displays
• Lights or Flags. Red and amber.
Additionally, Master Warning and Master Caution lights
are located in front of each pilot.
Aural warnings
• An audible and alert can be in the form of sounds or synthetic
voice messages, or a combination of both.
• For multiple alerts, the warnings are prioritized as:
• Stall, Windshear, GPWS, TCAS.
• Examples of aural warnings:
• A bell accompanies fire messages
• A siren accompanies warnings on cabin altitude, configuration
and overspeed
• A wailer accompanies autopilot disconnect
• Synthetic voice messages for ground proximity, windshear,
Sensory alerts
• A vibratory mode on the controls is used to indicate stall
approach and demands immediate action to avert loss of
control.
• In some aircraft a stick-pusher provides guidance to prevent a
further deterioration of the situation that demanded the
vibratory warning.
• In older systems, a Master Centralized Warnings Panel
(CWP) would assemble warnings in order.
• In the modern Electronic Flight Instrumentation Systems
(EFIS) most of the alerts and warnings appear on appropriate
• cockpit displays and warnings of an Airbus A320
• The Flight Warning System generates alerts and warnings for the
following situations:
• Engine and airframe systems malfunctions
• Aerodynamic limits exceeded:
Altitude Alerting,
Overspeed Warning,
Stall Warning

• Presence of external hazards:

proximity to terrain (GPWS) and
proximity to other aircraft (TCAS)
FWS Components
• Inputs: from engine and airframe sensors, air data sensors, GPWS and
TCAS systems.
• A processing unit: one or two flight warning computers.
• Outputs: presented as alerts or as warnings.
• Alerts can be visual (amber lights or text on VDUs) or aural (chimes or
tones).
• Warnings are given in the form of red lights or by red text on electronic
screens (steady or flashing) as well as aural signals (siren, bell,
hooter).
• Additionally there are red and amber lights on the glare shield in front of
the pilots to act as attention getters.
Aerodynamic Warnings
• The Flight Warning System (FWS) alerts the crew if
there are deviations from certain aerodynamic
parameters like altitude, airspeed and angle of attack.
• The system therefore provides the following alerts and
warnings:
 Altitude Alerting System
 Over-speed Warning
 Stall Warning
Altitude Alerting System
• It helps to warn the pilots that the aircraft is
approaching or deviating from the altitude selected on
the autopilot control panel.
• It does this in certain height bands above and below
the selected altitude.
• The height bands within which altitude alerting
operates are typically 300 feet to 900 feet for Boeing
aircraft and 250 feet to 750 feet for Airbus aircraft.
• Altitude alert (Boeing 747-400)
Approaching a Selected Altitude
• At 900 feet prior to the selected altitude a white box
will be displayed around the current altitude display
on the PFD, together with a momentary audible
alert.
• At 300 feet prior to the selected altitude the white
box disappears.
Deviation from Selected Altitude
• At 300 feet from the selected altitude:
• Master caution lights illuminate
• Continuous caution beeper sounds
• EICAS caution message ALTITUDE ALERT is displayed
• Current altitude box changes to amber
• The audible alert and master caution light can both be cancelled by
pressing the light.
• The warning ceases on return to within 300 feet of the selected altitude,
or when the aircraft exceeds 900 feet from the selected altitude.
System Inhibition
• Altitude alerting is inhibited in flight whenever glide slope is captured or when landing flaps
are selected with the gear down.
Regulatory Requirement
• EASA registered Commercial Air Transport aircraft must be equipped with
an altitude alerting system if it is:
• a turboprop aircraft weighing more than 5700 kg or has more than 9
passenger seats or
• a turbojet aircraft
The altitude alerting system must be capable of:
• alerting the crew on approaching the preselected altitude
• alerting the crew by at least an aural signal when deviating above or below a
preselected altitude
Overspeed Warning
• The purpose of the overspeed warning system is to alert
the flight crew if the airspeed exceeds the VMO/MMO
limits.
• This is shown on the airspeed indicator by means of a
barber’s pole on the PFD or EADI of an EFIS display.
• The system obtains its input from the air data computers
(ADCs) via the flight warning system (FWS).
• It can be tested on the ground before flight by pressing a
test switch which would then sound the siren or horn.
• Whenever an overspeed situation occurs in an aircraft with
electronic instrumentation the system:
• sounds the siren or horn
• illuminates the red master WARNING lights
• displays the message OVERSPEED on the EICAS upper
display in red
• The warning continues while the overspeed situation exists
and cannot be cancelled by depressing the red master
WARNING light switch.
• Most aircrafts have an airspeed and a mach limit to protect
the airframe. The mach airspeed warning system gives
• Visual Warning—Barber Bole
• Warning Tone- Clacker Sound
• For example in B737NG the airplane maximum operating
limit speed (VMO) is 340 kts when the airplane is at or
below an altitude of 25,968 ft.
• Above this altitude, the airplane is limited by mach number.
The maximum operating mach (MMO) is 0.82.
• This signal causes the clacker sound to come on.26
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Stall Warning System (SWS)
• Natural Stall Warning (buffet) usually occurs at a
speed prior to stall.
• In some configuration the margin between stall and
natural warning is less than desired.
• Therefore, an artificial stall warning device is used
to provide the required warning.
• The purpose of the stall warning system is to warn the
pilot of an impending stall.
• It does so when the aircraft approaches the stalling
angle of attack for the current speed and configuration
of the aircraft.
• In larger types of aircraft, stall warning and prevention
systems are designed to perform a more active function,
such as ‘stick-shaker’ or ‘stick-pusher’ type.
Stall Warning
• The regulatory margin between the stall and the stall
warning is 5 knots or 5% of the CAS whichever is the
greater.
• The warning provided can be in the form of tactile, aural
or visual, or a combination of these signals.
• Most aircraft have warning provided by stick-shakers
which vibrate the control column.
• The stall warning must continue until the angle of attack
is reduced to approximately that at which the stall warning
is initiated.
Stall Protection
• A stall protection system may be fitted to large commercial
aircraft, to prevent them from entering the stall.
• In fly-by-wire systems, the Flight Computer will not allow the
aircraft to approach the stall (FEP).
• In other aircraft an output from the AFCS advances the throttles
to full power if there is a deceleration to below 1.2VS.
• On aircraft which have a T-tail, a stick-pusher may be fitted, to
push the control column forward in the event that the aircraft
slows to 2 kt above the stall speed.
• This will prevent the aircraft entering a deep stall, from which
there is little or no chance of recovery.
Input/output
• The stall warning module processes the signals
from the various inputs to produce appropriate stall
warning output signals.
• The system has the following inputs:
• angle of attack
• flap and slat positions
• landing gear weight-on-wheel position
• airspeed
• The angle of attack sensors are usually located on either
side of the front fuselage, or on the leading edge of a
wing for small aircrafts.
• During take-off when the nose wheel lifts off, micro-
switches operate to make the stall warning system
active.
• Since the pitch attitude of the aircraft is changed by the
extension of flaps or slats the angle of attack signal has
to be modified when these are extended.
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• The output signals from the system can be applied
to:
• a stick-shaker motor
• an angle of attack indicator aural warning
• synthetic voice warning
• red master WARNING light
Angle of Attack Sensing
• Stalled condition occurs at a particular angle
(referred to as the stalling angle) rather than a
particular speed.
• The value of the stalling angle relates to the wing
design:
• Typically it is between 12° and 18° for straight wings
but may be as high as 30° or 40° for swept or delta
wings.
Configuration Warning
• Some aircraft incorporate configuration warning
systems for take-off and landing.
• Landing configuration would give an audible
warning if certain throttles are retarded without the
landing gear locked down.
• There may also be warnings for flaps. (not required
on aircraft fitted with GPWS).
• The Take-off Configuration Warning (TOCW), as the
name suggests, lets the pilot know, by means of an
audible warning, that the aircraft is not in the correct
configuration for take-off.
• TOCW would sound if throttles are advanced with:
• Remotely operated flight control
• Flaps not in take-off position
locks not disengaged
• Slats not in take-off position • External doors/hatches not
• Stabilizer trim outside take-off range locked closed
• Spoilers/speedbrakes deployed • Parking brake applied
THE RADIO ALTIMETER
• The radio altimeter system provides
altitude information from 0 up to 2, 500
ft, and is primarily used for approach,
landing and take-off phases of flight.
• It operates in c-band with center
frequency of 4300 ± 50 MHz
• System components
- Receiver/Transmitter
- Antennas (transmit & receive )
- Indicator
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• The Radio Altimeter is a device capable of measuring the
height of an aircraft above ground with a high degree of
accuracy.
• It is used with overall accuracy of ± 3% of indicated
height or ± 1ft whichever is the greater.
• It supplies the automatic flight system with data to affect
automatic landings when used in association with the ILS.
• It furnishes height information and rate of change of
height to the Ground Proximity Warning System (GPWS).
• The instrument uses a Frequency Modulated Continuous Wave
(FMCW) transmission in an elliptical pattern vertically below the
aircraft.
• The radio altimeter determines the time taken for a radio wave to
travel from the aircraft to the ground directly beneath the aircraft
and back again.
• During this time the transmitted frequency changes (sweeps) at a
known rate from its start level to +50 MHz and back again to
complete a “cycle” known as “modulation cycle/frequency sweep” .
• The time necessary for the round trip of the signal determines the
aircraft height as its absolute altitude.
• The complete “modulation cycle/frequency sweep”
is illustrated in Figure below.
Range and Accuracy
• The total sweep of the carrier frequency is
automatically varied ±50 MHz 300 times a second.
• The conical / elliptical beam generated is wide
enough to always allow some portion of the beam to
travel vertically even with pitch angles of ±30° and
roll angles of ±60°.
• The radio altimeter is required to indicate zero height
AGL as the main wheels touch down on the runway.
• Radiated power generated is of the order of one watt.
Aircraft Installation Delay (AID)
• Since same product is used in aircrafts of different sizes and
weights, the aircraft installation delay (AID) is adjusted to
compensate for residual height and cable length, and its Flare-
angle.
• The height difference between the antennas on the fuselage
and the wheels on the main landing gear, on touchdown, is
known as the Residual Height.
• For larger aircraft this distance is 100 ft, and in the smaller jet
as little as 6 ft.
• In addition, compensation for cable length between the
• It should be noted that when on the ground, the radio altimeter
may show a small negative altitude.
• The effect is particularly noticeable with large aircraft such as the
B747 (which actually indicates -8 ft) at the point of touchdown.
• The radio altimeter system has two receiver/transmitters
(located in E/E compartment) with corresponding antenna
(located at front-bottom of fuselage).

• The number one system

altitude shows on the captain
display, and the number two
system shows on the first
officer display.
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• RA data are sent data to these components
• - Ground proximity warning computer (GPWC)
- Traffic alert and collision avoidance system (TCAS) computer
- Flight data acquisition unit (FDAU)
- Weather radar (WXR)
- Common display system (CDS) display electronic
units (DEU)
• The receiver/transmitters get discrete inputs from the
proximity switch electronics unit (PSEU) used to count
flight legs for fault storage.
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RA indications
 Not valid or NCD EFIS control panel data causes the letters
RADIO and the radio minimums value to go out of view.
 RA NCD causes the RA display and rising runway symbol go
out of view.
 The NCD occurs when the return RA signals are too weak, or
the radio altitude is more than 2500 feet.
• Each of these do a reset of the radio minimums alert:
 You push the radio minimums reset (RST) switch on the EFIS
control panel
 Airplane does a climb to 75 feet above the radio minimums
value
 Radio minimums alert does a reset at touchdown.
• Reset causes the radio minimums value to go back to
green, and the radio altitude to go back to white.
GROUND PROXIMITY WARNING
SYSTEM(GPWS)
• The GPWS alerts the flight crew of an unsafe condition when
the airplane is near the terrain.
• GPWS enhances flight safety and can prevent those accidents
which could result from crew errors or distraction, malfunction
or misinterpretation of navigational equipment, or
inappropriate ATC instructions.
• It also supplies a warning for wind shear conditions.

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CFIT
• GPWS is designed to prevent accidents caused by
CFIT (Controlled Flight Into Terrain):
• “A CFIT accident occurs when an airworthy aircraft, under the
control of a licensed pilot, is flown into terrain (water or
obstacle) with inadequate awareness on the part of the pilot of an
impending disaster.”
• The system operates between 50’ and 2450’ actual height above the
surface and automatically selects the correct mode of operation.

ALERT: A caution generated by the

GPWS equipment.
WARNING: A command generated by the
GPWS equipment.
• The immediate response to a warning
must be to level the wings and to initiate
a maximum gradient climb.
Baro and Radio Altitudes
• GPWS uses both radio and barometric altitude in its
modes as needed.
• Barometric altitude is a distance above a pre-
determined datum, usually sea level.
• Radio altitude is the altitude above the terrain
directly beneath the aircraft.
GPWS Modes
• These are the GPWS modes:
• Mode 1 – Excessive Descent rates
• Mode 2 - Excessive terrain closure rate
• Mode 3 - Altitude loss during climb out (During takeoff or
go around)
• Mode 4 – Unsafe terrain clearance
• Mode 5 - Deviation below glideslope
• Mode 6 – Bank angle and Altitude Advisories
• Mode 7 - Warning for windshear conditions 60
MODE 1 - Excessive Barometric Descent Rate
• Mode 1 provides alerts for excessive descent rates
with respect to altitude above ground level.
• Mode 1 has two boundaries and is independent of
aircraft configuration.
• an aural alert of “SINK RATE” repeated each 1.5 seconds.
• The repeated warning of “WHOOP, WHOOP PULL UP”
• VISUAL - PULL UP
• Mode 1 is based on the rate of change of barometric
altitude.
MODE 2 - Excessive Terrain Closure Rate
• Mode 2 provides alerts for rapidly rising terrain with
respect to the aircraft.
• ‘Terrain closure rate’ in this case is a rate of change
of radio altitude.
• It has two modes related to flaps configuration: 2A
and 2B
• Mode 2A provides alerts for excessive terrain closure
rate during climbout, cruise, and initial approach
(with flaps are not in Landing Configuration).
• Mode 2B provides alerts for excessive terrain closure
rate when the flaps are in the landing configuration.
Mode 2B has a single envelope.
• Mode 2A monitors aircraft configuration with two
boundaries.
• an aural alert of “TERRAIN, TERRAIN”
• a repeated aural warning “WHOOP, WHOOP PULL UP”.
• As Mach number increases from 0.35 to 0.45 with gear up,
the highest radio altitude of alert is increased to 2450 feet.
• This higher portion of the envelope is inhibited with the
flap override switch in the GEAR/FLAP OVRD position.
Mode 2A Alert Envelopes
Inhibition
• The three capped INHIBIT switches allow flight crew to manually
inhibit GPWS alerts. All three switches are capped to the NORM
position.
• The FLAP INHIBIT switch simulates a flaps landing position in
the GPWC, inhibiting the Mode 4B TOO LOW FLAPS alert.
• The GEAR INHIBIT switch simulates the landing gear in the
extended position, inhibiting the Mode 4A TOO LOW GEAR alert.
• The TERR INHIBIT switch inhibits the look ahead CAUTION
TERRAIN, CAUTION TERRAIN and TERRAIN, TERRAIN,
PULL UP alerts. It also inhibits the Terrain Display.
• The SYS TEST switch initiates a self-test of the system.
• Pushing the SYS TEST switch quickly gives a short confidence test,
and pushing for 5 seconds gives a full vocabulary test.
• Several indications on the flight deck cycle on and off as the test
completes:
• Below glideslope switches
• GPWS INOP light
• PULL UP alert on the PFD and HGS
• WINDSHEAR alert on the PFD and HGS
• WINDSHEAR annunciation on ND
• TERR FAIL annunciation on the ND
• TERR TEST annunciation on the ND
•
ACAS/TCAS

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ACAS/TCAS
• ACAS/TCAS is a system designed to identify and reduce the
risk of mid-air collisions between aircraft.
• It increases safety to keep commercial aircraft clear of conflict,
independent of Air Traffic Control (ATC).
• The ACAS/TCAS equipment, important element in larger
aircraft, is now common in general aviation aircraft.
• An aircraft must carry a transponder and have the facility to
interrogate other aircraft transponders.

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• Traffic Alert and Collision Avoidance systems (TCAS) are
transponder based air-to-air traffic monitoring and
alerting systems.
• An aircraft must carry a transponder and have the facility to
interrogate other aircraft transponders.
• Presently there are four systems in use, I, II, III and IV, each
with increasing levels of protection.

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• TCAS continuously interrogates operating transponders in
other aircraft to predict their positions and flight paths.
• It then provides traffic displays and advisories to the flight
crew.
• The transponder automatically transmits a coded signal when
interrogated by ATC ground radar or TCAS

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• There are two classes of TCAS used widely.
• TCAS I
• TCAS II

TCAS I
• TCAS I is designed primarily for general aviation and small
regional airliners.
• It provides a traffic display and traffic advisories only.
• TCAS I is mandated on aircraft with 10 to 30 seats (less than
5700 kg MTOM).
• TCAS I simply warns the crew of other traffic in the vicinity of
their aircraft.
• It will detect and display range and approximate relative
bearing.
• It encourages flight crew to look for the conflicting traffic by
generating visual and aural warnings - TRAFFIC
ADVISORIES (TAs): “Traffic, Traffic”.
• It does not give any resolution advisory information, i.e. a
course of action to follow.
TCAS II :
• The FAA mandates TCAS II on aircraft with more than 30
seats, or weighing more than 15,000kg
• It provides the information of TCAS I, but also analyzes
the projected flight path of approaching aircraft.
• If a collision or near miss is imminent, the TCAS II computer
issues a Resolution Advisory (RA).
• Thus, RAs offer manoeuvring advice in the vertical plane to
resolve conflict.
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Working Principle
• TCAS II operates on the SSR principle using the normal SSR
frequencies of 1030 MHz /1090 MHz, but in an air to air role.
• The transponder of an aircraft with TCAS is able to interrogate
the transponders of other aircraft nearby using SSR technology (Mode C
and Mode S) with a 1030 MHz signal.
• Interrogated aircraft transponders reply with an encoded 1090 MHz
signal that allows the TCAS computer to display the position and
altitude of each aircraft.

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TCAS II 3-D picture
• TCAS system creates
two protective three
dimensional bubbles
around the TCAS
equipped aircraft
Aircraft Equipment
• There are three main types of transponders in operation in
civil aviation: Mode A, Mode C and Mode S.
• The advisory capability of TCAS is dependent on the
transponder mode of the conflicting aircraft.
• If switched to OFF or to STANDBY, or is unserviceable, that
traffic will be invisible to TCAS.
• When Mode A transponders are interrogated by ATC ground
radar or TCAS, they transmit a four digit squawk code.
• They transmit no height information; and therefore two-
dimensional only. They can only give TAs.
• Mode C transponders also transmit a four digit squawk code
when interrogated, but also include altitude information.
• This altitude information is available both to ATC and to TCAS in
other aircraft.
• The TCAS equipment uses the broadcasted height information to
generate three-dimensional display, giving both TAs and RAs.
• Mode S adds improved accuracy, improved interrogation
capabilities and most significantly: communication datalink.
• This discrete datalink is used by TCAS II to coordinate RAs
between two aircraft.
• If both aircrafts have Mode S transponders, the system will
co-ordinate the RAs to provide mutual vertical avoidance
instructions.
Operation
• The range of an intruder is determined
by measuring the time lapse between
transmission of an interrogation, and
receiving the response.
• Normal detection range is
approximately 30 NM.
• The bearing of an intruder is
determined by a directional antenna
(of the TCAS antenna).
• Because of the wavelengths involved and the necessarily
small size of the antennas, bearing resolution is the least
accurate parameter.
• Therefore, TCAS II never offers collision avoidance
commands in the horizontal plane; only in the form of climb
or descend.
• The relative height of an intruder is found by comparing its
Mode “C” height with the TCAS equipped aircraft’s height.
System Interconnections
• The heart of the system is the TCAS receiver-transmitter-
computer unit controlled by a combined ATC/SSR/TCAS
control panel.
• The TCAS displays the red and green sectors on the vertical
speed tape of the Primary Flight Display (PFD).
• The symbols may be displayed on an electronic VSI, or the
Electronic Horizontal Situation Indicator (EHSI/ND).
• A synthetic voice issues TCAS commands.
• The TCAS upper and lower antennas are directional while
the Mode “S” antennas are omni- directional.
• The system will also take aircraft
configuration/performance into consideration when
deciding an avoiding action.
• When the aircraft has gear and/or flap deployed its climb
performance will be poor so TCAS will avoid giving climbing
demands for an RA.
• At high altituds (from ADC), it will not give a climbing RA if
the aircraft is close to its performance ceiling.
• A further feed from the IRS gives inertial vertical acceleration.
• There are four main classes
of symbol that TCAS will
generate on the
Navigation :
• Open white diamond
• Filled white diamond
• Filled amber circle
• Solid red square
Proximate Traffic/Other Traffic
• Proximate Traffic: appears as a solid cyan diamond and
represents transponder equipped aircraft within 6 NM and
within +/- 1200 feet relative height.
• TCAS displays it to improve crew situational awareness.
• Other Traffic: appears as open cyan diamonds which
represent transponder equipped aircraft within range of the
display and within +/- 2700 feet relative height (+8700/-
2700 in the climb, +2700/-8700 in the descent.
• Again it is displayed to improve situational awareness.
Closest Point of Approach (CPA)
• The TCAS can monitor and display up to 30 aircraft simultaneously,
and can produce RA against 3 of them.
• The CPA is the point at which the separation between the two
aircraft will reach a minimum value.
• TCAS calculates the time to reach the Closest Point of Approach by
dividing the distance by the closure rate. This is effectively a
distance/speed/time calculation.
• Traffic Advisories and Resolution Advisories are issued based on
this time.
Traffic Advisories (TAs) Resolution Advisories (RAs)
• TA and RA are generated based on the target aircraft’s Closest
Point of Approach (CPA):
• Traffic Advisories (TAs): is a caution area, between 45 and
35 seconds from the collision area (CPA), appear as solid
amber circles, with synthetic voice “Traffic, Traffic”.
• Resolution Advisories (RAs): is a warning area between 35
and 15 seconds from CPA; appears as solid red rectangles with
synthetic voice warnings. It is a serious collision threat.
Resolution Advisories
• N.B: It is not the job of the ACAS system to maintain standard Air
Traffic separation minima.
• If RAs are responded, the intended vertical separation varies from
300 to 600 ft depending on the Sensitivity Level (SL), which
decreases with altitude.
• The autopilot must be disconnected prior to responding to the RA.
• Resolution Advisories come in two forms:
• Preventative Advisories: no collision risk exists unless a change of
level is initiated by either aircraft.
• Corrective Advisories: a collision risk exists and a manoeuvre is
necessary to avert it.
• TCAS RA Shows vertical path guidance on the Captain’s and F/O PFD

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There are three aural Preventative Advisories:
• “Monitor Vertical Speed”
• The pilot should avoid the pitch areas highlighted.
• E.g. if targets are approaching from both above and below, and
vertical speed must be monitored closely to maintain separation
• “Maintain Vertical Speed, Maintain”
• the pilot maintain the indicated rate, not trying to chase the
exact vertical speed that was currently used
• “Maintain Vertical Speed, Crossing Maintain”
• the same, but informing that both aircraft will pass through same
flight level while the RA is followed.
Example Scenario for “Monitor Vertical Speed”
Example Scenario for “Maintain Vertical Speed, Maintain”
The rest RA Aurals are Corrective Advisories.
• “Climb, Climb”/“Descend, Descend”
• It requires a response within 5 seconds, and G-forces of plus/minus
0.25G.
• The autopilot must be disconnected for this type of RA.
• “Climb, Climb Now”/ “Descend, Descend Now”
• TCAS reverses its initial Resolution Advisory command.
• The aircraft must be pitched without delay to the new revised attitude.
• The reversal should be made within 2.5 seconds with additional load
factor at plus/minus 0.35G
• “Increase Climb”/“Increase Descent”
• Increase needed as per the Guidance command
Example Scenario for “Climb, Climb”
Example Scenario for “Descend, Descend”
Example Scenario for “Climb, Climb Now”
• After a Resolution
Advisory traffic conflict
has ended, and traffic
separation is increasing
again, a “Clear of
Conflict” aural message
will sound, and all
corresponding
indications will
disappear.
Example Scenario for “Clear of Conflict”
Data Tag
• If the intruding aircraft is transmitting mode C, the
traffic symbols will also have an associated altitude
TAG showing relative altitude in hundreds of feet.
• To indicate whether an intruder is climbing, flying
level or descending:
• A + sign indicates the intruder is above, - sign below.
• A trend arrow ↑or ↓ appears alongside the symbol when
the intruder’s vertical rate is 500 feet per minute or
greater.
• No altitude number or trend arrow will appear beside
an intruder that is non-altitude reporting.
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Off-scale and No-bearing data
• When an intruder in caution or warning areas is outside the
selected display range, one-half of the appropriate symbol will
appear at the appropriate bearing at the edge of the display area.
(an off-scale indication)
• The symbol will appear when scale is corrected.
• If the bearing of traffic cannot be determined, it cannot be
displayed as a traffic symbol on the ND.
• If that traffic qualifies for a TA or RA, a No-Bearing Message
will appear. This provides range, relative altitude and a vertical
motion arrow.
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Action to Be Taken on Receiving TAs and RAs
Action on Receiving a TA:
• Flight crews should make a visual search of TA-
informed part of the sky.
• They should also prepare to respond to an RA if the
situation worsens.
• If the potential threat cannot be seen, flight crews
should seek advice from ATC.
• Do not manoeuvre on the basis of a TA alone.
 Action on Receiving an RA:
• Pilots should initiate the required manoeuvre immediately,
adjusting flight path, aircraft power and trim accordingly.
• Crew members not involved in executing this manoeuvre
should confirm that the sky ahead is clear of other aircraft
and continue the visual search for the established threat.
• They should inform ATC as soon as possible of any
deviation from an ATC clearance.
 Disregarding RAs
• Manoeuvres should never be made in a direction
opposite to that given in an RA; For this reason:
• RAs may be disregarded only when pilots visually
identify and decide no deviation from the current flight
path is needed.
• If pilots receive simultaneously a contradicting
instruction to manoeuvre from ATC and an RA,, the
advice given by TCAS should be followed.
• The TCAS also has feeds from the radio altimeter to
modify the RAs received when in close proximity to the
ground.
• There are the following TCAS inhibitions:
• no increase rate of descent commands below 1450 ft AGL.
• no descent RAs are given below 1000 ft AGL,
• No RA below 500 ft AGL, and
• no instructions given at all when the aircraft is below 400 ft
AGL,
Synthetic Voice Prioritization
• Synthetic warning voice is prioritized as follows:
• Stall Identification/Stall Prevention. (Stick-shake/Stick-
push). The synthetic voice is inhibited during stick
shake/stick push operation.
• Windshear. The detection of performance decreasing
windshear takes first priority with the synthetic voice,
inhibiting both GPWS and TCAS warnings.
• Ground Proximity Warning System (GPWS). Detection of
approach to terrain takes priority over TCAS announcements.
Function Switch
1. Standby - warm-up power is applied to the system, but it is not operational.
2. On - the transponder only is operational (your aircraft will be visible to ACAS
equipped aircraft).
3. TA - the transponder and TCAS are now operational but only Traffic Advisories
are generated. “TA ONLY” will be indicated on the TCAS display. TA would
only be selected in accordance with specific procedures. For example, after an
engine failure, when the aircraft performance is reduced or if parallel runway ops
are in force.
4. RA/TA - the transponder and TCAS are operational and both Resolution
Advisories and Traffic Advisories are generated.
5. TEST - pressing the centre TEST button on the function switch initiates a full
Built-in Test Equipment (BITE) of the system. After completion of a successful
test the synthetic voice will respond with “TCAS SYSTEM TEST OK”. If the
system test is unsuccessful the voice response is “TCAS SYSTEM TEST FAIL”.
• Depending on airline SOP, the TA ONLY mode may
sometimes be selected following an engine shutdown.
• TCAS does not take into account aircraft performance
capability when issuing Resolution Advisories.
• Aircraft with an engine out will have inadequate climb
performance to fully comply with climb Resolution
Advisories.
• Selecting TA ONLY avoids the issuance of RAs that the
aircraft would be unable to comply with
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THANK YOU!!!
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