Another interesting fault in TCAS is TCAS to mode A/C as shown in various documents known as the P4 problem, a study was done www.airsport-corp.com/dot_faa_ct-97_7.pdf
This is largely a non advertised issue with the current system but hundreds of incidents worldwide a reported on this. Whilst not strictly the TCAS we know off ( air to air reporting and collision avoidance using Mode S ) it is still part of the TCAS system, i.e its ability to receive mode A/C equipped aircraft. The P4 problem usually affects older transponders who's timing which was largely based on capacitors and ditch digger circuits would "age" causing the units to not reply, or some recent avionics had a software problem which we will not go into. So what does this mean, well potentially a guy in a 172 doing the right thing, set to 1200 on his transponder under cloud is totally unaware that his old 70's transponder may be "invisible" to other TCAS equipped commuters, this could be at Bundaberg with him outgoing and a DASH 8 on top descending inbound, because until to get to about 5,000 ft ATC will not SEE the 172 on radar they are un able to alert the descending Dash 8 - we now rely on radio and visual and the big sky. O.K, back to work Nigel RF Developments Pty Ltd "A Queensland Company devoted to Research and Development in aviation electronics" Email [EMAIL PROTECTED] Web www.rf-developments.com Ph: (61) 7 54635670 Fax: (61) 7 54635695 **************DISCLAIMER************ The information contained in the above e-mail message or messages (which includes any attachments) is confidential and may be legally privileged. It is intended only for the use of the person or entity to which it is addressed. If you are not the addressee any form of disclosure, copying, modification, distribution or any action taken or omitted in reliance on the information is unauthorised. If you received this communication in error, please notify the sender immediately and delete it from your computer system network. -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Mike Borgelt Sent: Thursday, 1 February 2007 5:54 PM To: Discussion of issues relating to Soaring in Australia. Subject: Re: [Aus-soaring] .Flarm antenna At 05:22 PM 1/02/2007, you wrote: >Mike Wrote: >Well don't keep us all in suspense. What was it? > > >Which ever glider is not booked at the club (since they are all Flarm equiped) > >Chad Nowak The serious situation, not the glider. How did it occur and and what led up to it? Mike Borgelt Instruments - manufacturers of quality soaring instruments phone Int'l + 61 746 355784 fax Int'l + 61 746 358796 cellphone Int'l + 61 428 355784 Int'l + 61 429 355784 email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] website: www.borgeltinstruments.com _______________________________________________ Aus-soaring mailing list [email protected] To check or change subscription details, visit: http://lists.internode.on.net/mailman/listinfo/aus-soaring _______________________________________________ Aus-soaring mailing list [email protected] To check or change subscription details, visit: http://lists.internode.on.net/mailman/listinfo/aus-soaring
