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​Mid-air Collision is an aviation accident category defined as a collision between aircraft in flight. This accident category is rare but when it occurs, it is catastrophic.

IATA's role, together with other industry stakeholders, is to raise awareness on the importance of compliance with a Traffic Alert and Collision Avoidance System (TCAS) and immediate and correct flight crew response. To reduce risks, IATA and Eurocontrol jointly developed in January 2022 the third edition of the Performance Assessment of Pilot Compliance to Traffic Alert and Collision Avoidance System (TCAS) advisories using Flight Data Monitoring (FDM) (pdf). In 2025 IATA will include the recommended "TCAS-RA Method B" SPIs in its FDX dashboard, so that participant airlines can take advantage of this data to improve their training programs and improve pilot responces to TCAS events. 

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Traffic Alert and Collision Avoidance System (TCAS) - a priority for aviation

 

IATA believes that operators should adopt TCAS RA Method B in the Flight Data Monitoring (FDM) programs and use their FDM to monitor pilot responses to TCAS RA to ensure that they are carried out correctly and in a timely manner, addressing any identified shortcomings through training and awareness campaigns.

Method B Improvement:

 

  • Remove Time Delay Error in Radar Return Data (IATA/Eurocontrol)
  • Include Assessment of Response Time
  • Consistent
  • Repeatable
  • Accurate

Assess pilot compliance criteria as per IATA/Eurocontrol the third edition of the Performance Assessment of Pilot Compliance to Traffic Alert and Collision Avoidance System (TCAS) advisories using Flight Data Monitoring (FDM) (pdf):

Method A:

Examines the vetrical rates of aircraft after the RA and compares these agaisnt the thresholds which are published in the IATA/EUROCONTROL guidance material strictly.

Method B:

Applies less stringent compliance criteria in case the pilot needs to significantly change vertical rate to comply with RA. In effect gives credit to a pilot having to significantly change vertical rate even if the final required veritcal rate has not yet been met. 

 An additional classification, 'weak response', is added to RAs during which the pilot has made an      adjustment in vertical speed in the requird direction, but insufficient in vertical speed or acceleration to fulfill the RA vertical speed.