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TCAS II / ACAS II
Nader Vedadian[1]
IranAir

n.vedadian@iranair.com

ABSTRACT
TCAS II has been designed in order to prevent critical near misses. This article concerns on the following:
1. TCAS II description
2. ACAS II description
3. TCAS II reliability (error analysis)
4. Intruder tracking & operating modes
5. Features & limitations
6. Interrogations (Mode-S, all call)
7. CPA
8. Traffic & resolution advisories (corrective, preventive)
9. Cockpit displays.
10. Relevant figures
11. Some very useful scenarios and relevant discussion for each scenario

Background
After many years of extensive analysis, development and flight evaluation by the Federal Aviation Administration(FAA) and
the aviation industry, a solution was available to the problem of reducing the risk of midair collisions between the aircraft.
The solution was known as the Traffic Alert & Collision Avoidance System (TCAS).
TCAS is a family of airborne devices that functions independently of the ground-based Air Traffic Control(ATC) system,
and provides collision avoidance protection for a broad spectrum of A/C types.
TCAS I provides proximity warning only(the traffic around), to assist the pilot in the visual acquisition of intruder
aircraft. It was intended for use by smaller commuter aircraft.
TCAS II provides traffic advisories and also resolution advisories(recommended escape maneuvers) in vertical direction
to avoid conflicting traffic.
The TCAS concept makes use of the radar beacon Transponders carried by aircraft for ground ATC purposes.
The levels of protection provided by TCAS depends on the type of transponder of the intruder.

Definition
TCAS II has been designed to prevent mid-air collision. In better phrase, TCAS II has been designed to prevent critical near
misses.
Critical near misses is defined less than 0.122 nm in lateral and 300 ft in vertical.

Reliability
TCAS II successfully resolve potential critical near misses situations so as to achieve a specified reduction in the overall rate
of critical near misses compared with critical near misses prior to TCAS II installation.
The rate of critical near misses induced by TCAS II should be at least a factor of 50 lower than the rate of critical near
misses without TCAS II.

Regulation
According to regulations established by International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), TCAS II was annunciated
mandatory for flying over Europe from January 2000, and ACAS II (Airborne Collision Avoidance System) was mandatory
over all countries from January 2003, for the A/C with 30 seats and more.

Target surveillance
The requirement of the predefined traffic densities to provide direction finding capability to support the traffic display, to
operate completely independently of the ground ATC system, and to operate without interference to ATC system, place
significant demands of the surveillance portion of the collision avoidance system TCAS II.

[1] Superintendent Avionics Engineering

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TCAS II interrogates the intruder A/C (like ground ATC) and provides resolution advisories to achieve safe separation.
Therefore, TCAS II detects the A/C equipped with ATC Transponders only.
TCAS II monitors the trajectories of the intruders for the purpose of determining if any of them constitute a potential
collision hazard.
TCAS II issues the appropriate vertical resolution advisory. In fact, TCAS II recommends the best maneuver to achieve
safe separation.

Figure 1. TCAS dialogue

TCAS II interrogates the intruders once per second and from the replies received, the system analyzes the intruding
aircraft's three parameters range, bearing and altitude (these three parameters can determine a specific point in space in polar
form) and also calculates the closure rate and projected flight path of the intruder. TCAS II predict the track of the intruder
(in 3dimension) and compare with its own track. If necessitated, TCAS II issues the resolution advisory to resolve the
upcoming conflict.
The interrogations are Mode-C only all call, all call, and Mode-S uplink formats. The first interrogation is normally all
call. TCAS III has not been designed and introduced yet. TCAS III will issue vertical and also horizontal maneuvers.

Figure 2. levels of protection

Safe separation
TCAS II calculates the closest point of approach (CPA) at which the intruder will be closest to own A/C, and check that if the
intruder and own A/C are in safe separation in CPA.
Tau is the time required to go to CPA and is equal to distance to go divided by the closure rate. Tau area is a specific
protective area around the own A/C, in which an intruder is threat intruder.
TCAS Computer continuously computes the time to CPA and uses this value as a criterion for issuing traffic and
resolution advisories.

Intruders
Other traffic: the intruders with range more than 6nm or relative altitude more than 1200 ft. The intruder is displayed as open
cyan diamond.
Proximity traffic: the intruders with range less than 6nm and relative altitude less than 1200 ft. The intruder is displayed
as filled cyan diamond.
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The above intruders other & proximity traffic are called non-threat intruders. Pilot has not to do any action.
Traffic: if the time to probable collision of the A/C is 25/45 second ( Tau is 25/45), the intruder is defined as traffic
intruder. The intruder is displayed as a filled yellow circle.
Resolution: if the time to probable collision of the A/C is 15/35 second, the intruder is defined as resolution intruder. The
intruder is displayed as a filled red square.
The time to CPA (Tau) depends on the altitude of own aircraft. The higher the own altitude, the larger the Tau area, and
the greater the sensitivity level.
If the altitude of the intruder is not available, TCAS II will not issue any resolution advisory.If the bearing of the intruder
is not available, type, altitude and range of the intruder will be engraved on the display. If there is no closure rate, no advisory
will be issued. If the intruder is outside the display range (off scale intruder), a partial symbol is shown at the periphery of the
display at the proper bearing.

Figure 3. protection area

The relative altitude of the intruder is engraved, and the arrow shows that intruder's vertical speed is more than 500
ft/min.

Figure 4. RA/TA VSI

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Traffic advisory
TCAS II issues traffic advisory when Tau is less than 25/45 second. A solid yellow circle is displayed on the monitor in the
relevant position. The aural advisory Traffic, Traffic is annunciated.

Resolution advisories
TCAS II issues the appropriate resolution advisory when the time to collision is less than 15/35 second.
TCAS Computer recommends the best vertical maneuver to achieve safe separation:
The appropriate aural advisory is heard from the speaker.
A solid red square is displayed at the relevant position on the monitor.
The green arc and red arc is displayed on the vertical speed scale to show the pilot the vertical speed that the A/C must
Descend or climb.
The crew must fly with the vertical speed shown by the green arc. The red arc is the forbidden vertical speed while the
green arc is fly to vertical speed.
Upon TCAS II has issued the resolution advisory, the pilot has to disengage autopilot immediately as the escape
maneuver has to be flown manually.
TCAS II issues resolution advisories in three types:

Preventive resolution advisories

TCAS II issues the proper preventive resolution advisory, if the status of own A/C must be maintained:
Adjust vertical speed, adjust
Maintain vertical speed, maintain

Corrective resolution advisories

In Corrective resolution advisories TCAS II issues the best vertical maneuver to achieve safe separation. Obviously, the
advisories recommend the A/C to climb or descend with a certain vertical speed.

The example of advisories

Climb, climb
Descend, descend
Climb, crossing climb, climb, crossing climb
Descend, crossing descend, descend, crossing descend

Modified corrective resolution advisories

After issuance of a corrective resolution advisory, ACAS II may issue a modified corrective resolution advisory when
necessitates that is the intruder status track or closure rate has been changed.
Modified corrective resolution advisory command the A/C to increase the vertical speed already advised or to reverse the
previous advisory.
Increase climb, increase climb
Increase descend, increase descend
Climb, climb now
Descend, descend now

After achieving safe separation

The audio synthesized voice clear of conflict is issued by TCAS II. TCAS II commands to fly with no vertical speed. Upon
passing the intruder, TCAS II advise the pilot to back to the pre-traffic altitude.
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Figure 5. TCAS II encounter

Operating modes
TA Only: TCAS II only issues Traffic advisory and doesnt issue Resolution advisory.
RA/TA: TCAS II issues Traffic advisory and also Resolution advisory.

TCAS II displays
The intruders detected by TCAS II may be displayed on:
I. RA/TA VSI
II. TA indicator
III. EFIS DU
TCAS Co mputer provide the relevant information of the intruders to the display in arinc 429 format.

TCAS Antenna & control panel

TCAS Antenna consists of four elements. Each of them receives Intruders reply. From the phase difference of the four
received signals, the bearing of the intruder is determined.
ATC/TCAS Control Panel controls operation of TCAS II and associated ATC Mode-S Transponder. Operating mode,
range selection, active Transponder, identity code, are selected by control panel.

Figure 7. ATC/TCAS Control Panel

DMOD
When the closure rate is so slow and the physical separation is just a fraction of a mile, may be the airplanes dont enter the
Tau area. In such a critical scenario, the calculated closure rate is no longer useful. This problem has been eliminated by a
designed distance modification. Both Tau and DMOD vary with altitude.
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Figure 8. Threshold levels

Figure 9. Tau & DMOD

TCAS II interfacing
TCAS II consists of the following:
TCAS Computer
ATC Mode-S Transponder & ATC Antenna
ATC/TCAS Control Panel
TCAS display
TCAS Antenna
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Also, TCAS Computer is interfaced to:

Landing gear
EGPWS
Flaps
Radio Altimeter
FDAU/DFDR
Flight Warning

ACAS II
TCAS II with software change 7.0 which is the latest software for TCAS, is defined as Airborne Collision Avoidance System
ACAS II.
The software has been issued by FAA TCAS Program Office. Change 7.0 is the key element for RVSM & CNS/ATM.
Also, same software has been used for any TCAS II change 7.0equipment worldwide.
As mentioned above, ACAS II is compatible to RVSM airspaces where the separation of the airplanes is reduced to
1000ft, instead of 2000ft.
TCAS II issues traffic advisory when the separation of the airplanes is about 1000ft. The threshold level has been reduced
in change 7.0, which causes reducing the number of Unnecessary traffic & resolution advisories.
An improvement in bearing accuracy was desirable to ease problems in calculating the appropriate avoidance maneuver
in head-on conflict situations. Change 7.0 met this concern.
Change 7.0 improves TCAS coordination and also multi-aircraft avoidance management. Change 7.0 improves the
reversal resolution advisories too.

TCAS II Coordination
When the intruder is equipped with TCAS Computer, the systems are coordinated to prevent the same vertical maneuver
commanded by TCAS Computers.
TCAS coordination is possible up to 3 A/C. Obviously, the vertical commands issued by each TCAS Computer causes
the A/C to resolve the conflict.

TCAS II inhibition
TCAS II goes to standby mode or TA ONLY mode when each of the systems mentioned below warns:
EGPWS (GPWS)
Wind shear
Stall warning

ACAS II limitations
Due to proper operation of ACAS II, there is some limitations defined for the system. For example:
ACAS II operates in TA Only mode, below 1100 ft AGL. ACAS II will not issue the climb advisory more than 1500
ft/min, if the A/C flies on the ceiling level (the maximum altitude considered for the A/C).
Below 1000 ft AGL in descend and below 1200 ft AGL in climb, ACAS II doesnt issue descend advisory. Below 500 ft
AGL, traffic aural advisory is inhibited.
Increase descend advisory is inhibited below 1450 ft AGL. Increase climb is inhibited in takeoff and approach, if the flap
extended more than or equal to 10 degree.
When landing gear is extended, bearing detection of lower intruders is inhibited. Self Test of ACAS II may be inhibited
in air.

Priority
Upon TCAS II issues the resolution advisory, the pilot has to disengage autopilot immediately as the escape maneuver has to
be flown manually.
Flight director commands as well as ATC advisories have to be ignored. The vertical maneuver of a resolution advisory
has always the highest priority.

TCAS II scenarios
Some scenarios have been mentioned and analyzed in the presentation of the article.

TCAS II & W/S technique

To prevent overlapping of the replies when the intruders are equipped with Mode-C Transponders, TCAS II uses a technique
called whisper-shout.
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Figure 10. Synchronous garble area

The whisper-shout technique solve the garbling problem, when the intruders are equipped with ATC Mode-C
Transponders.
This technique takes advantages of differences between the receiver sensitivities. To control multi path replies
overlapping, TCAS II uses a technique called dynamic MTL.

Figure 11. Dynamic thresholding of ATCRBS replies

References
[1] IATA document
[2] Avionics magazine
[3] FAA documents