The carriage of traffic collision avoidance system (TCAS)
equipment is not mandatory in Australian aircraft. However, many
Australian and foreign registered aircraft operating in Australian
controlled airspace are equipped with TCAS because of their
compliance with a US requirement when operating in American
airspace.
A total of 157 TCAS-related air safety occurrences were reported
in Australian airspace during 1993 and 1994. The circumstances of
these events, and the views of the pilots and air traffic
controllers involved in the occurrences, were examined in
detail.
Early versions of TCAS produced nuisance or unnecessary
warnings, but later software has almost eliminated these problems.
TCAS has had a positive safety benefit in Australia and is
considered to be a valuable additional safety net in the Air
Traffic Services system.
In June 1995, following a serious breakdown of separation
between two passenger jets, BAS1 made a wide-ranging recommendation
to the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), calling for the frtment of
airborne collision avoidance systems to all aircraft engaged in
regular public transport (RPT) operations. In November 1996, the
Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) released a legislative
instrument proposal dealing with the introduction of TCAS equipment
to certain commercial transport aeroplanes.