TCAS on LSA

[HZ-SAL]

Good day fellow pilots,

I fly in a small uncontrolled airport (OETH) 15nm north of OERK/KIA (an international airport in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia). My aircraft is a Tecnam Sierra equipped with aera 795. I need some advice on what is the most suitable and workable TCAS system to install. When flying VFR in the vicinity of the airport we turn off our transponder in order not to disturb the ATC at the big airport.

Any help will be really appreciated.

Faisal.

[CharlieTango]

I think we found, here in the US, we had to settle for PCAS, TCAS was too expensive.

We are in the process of switching to ADSB, it is mandated.

[CTLSi]

......

[HZ-SAL]

I think we found we had to settle for PCAS, TCAS was too expensive.

We are in the process of switching to ADSB, it is mandated.

Please excuse my ignorance, but what is the difference between PCAS and TCAS?

Faisal.

[CharlieTango]

Won't be cheap:

http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/a ... igtt31.php

Mode S transponder allows for receiving TIS traffic, it is not TCAS

[HZ-SAL]

Good day fellow pilots,

I fly in a small uncontrolled airport (OETH) 15nm north of OERK/KIA (an international airport in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia). My aircraft is a Tecnam Sierra equipped with aera 795. I need some advice on what is the most suitable and workable TCAS system to install. When flying VFR in the vicinity of the airport we turn off our transponder in order not to disturb the ATC at the big airport.

Any help will be really appreciated.

Faisal.

Won't be cheap:

http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/a ... igtt31.php

I already have a Mode C transponder.

Faisal.

[CharlieTango]

Please excuse my ignorance, but what is the difference between PCAS and TCAS?

Faisal.

TCAS actively polls transponders in aircraft with line of sight. PCAS is passive and relies on things like TCAS in airliners to poll nearby aircraft then the PCAS can see it when it replies.

http://www.amazon.com/Zaon-PCAS-Portabl ... B003LYLO0M This is a poplular PCAS but I'm not sure Zaon is still in buisness.

Example of TCAS http://www.rockwellcollins.com/sitecore ... ystem.aspx

[FastEddieB]

Good day fellow pilots,

...When flying VFR in the vicinity of the airport we turn off our transponder in order not to disturb the ATC at the big airport.

Good day! Or whatever time of day it is over there!

Turning off the transponder just seems odd to me in that case. A large part of my flying was done in close proximity to Miami, and now Atlanta. It would never occur to me to turn off the transponder, since I think that my location and altitude would be far more meaningful to ATC than having to guess about a primary target. In addition, my target would also show up on various traffic systems which would be blind to a primary target.

And for Class B, its not even an option within a 30 mile veil.

Maybe things are different there. Have you ever queried ATC about what they would prefer?

[HZ-SAL]

Please excuse my ignorance, but what is the difference between PCAS and TCAS?

Faisal.

TCAS actively polls transponders in aircraft with line of sight. PCAS is passive and relies on things like TCAS in airliners to poll nearby aircraft then the PCAS can see it when it replies.

http://www.amazon.com/Zaon-PCAS-Portabl ... B003LYLO0M This is a poplular PCAS but I'm not sure Zaon is still in buisness.

Example of TCAS http://www.rockwellcollins.com/sitecore ... ystem.aspx

Thank you.
What do you think of the Garmin GDL 39? How can know that it will work where I fly?

[HZ-SAL]

Good day fellow pilots,

...When flying VFR in the vicinity of the airport we turn off our transponder in order not to disturb the ATC at the big airport.

Good day! Or whatever time of day it is over there!

Turning off the transponder just seems odd to me in that case. A large part of my flying was done in close proximity to Miami, and now Atlanta. It would never occur to me to turn off the transponder, since I think that my location and altitude would be far more meaningful to ATC than having to guess about a primary target. In addition, my target would also show up on various traffic systems which would be blind to a primary target.

And for Class B, its not even an option within a 30 mile veil.

Maybe things are different there. Have you ever queried ATC about what they would prefer?

ATC have assigned a 5 nm radius and 1000 AGL for us, and asked not to bother them unless a flightplan has been filed in case of cross country.

[CharlieTango]

Thank you.
What do you think of the Garmin GDL 39? How can know that it will work where I fly?

I think you can see ADSB coverage on this page https://flightaware.com/adsb/

ADSB in/out probably makes more sense than TCAS and it comes with free weather.

The GDL 39 looks like a partial / portable solution. Can you find someone locally that has ADSB to show you?

I think the GDL 84 is a more complete solution. https://buy.garmin.com/en-US/US/in-the- ... 11180.html

[CTLSi]

......

[HZ-SAL]

Thank you.
What do you think of the Garmin GDL 39? How can know that it will work where I fly?

I think you can see ADSB coverage on this page https://flightaware.com/adsb/

ADSB in/out probably makes more sense than TCAS and it comes with free weather.

The GDL 39 looks like a partial / portable solution. Can you find someone locally that has ADSB to show you?

I think the GDL 84 is a more complete solution. https://buy.garmin.com/en-US/US/in-the- ... 11180.html

Thank for the clarification. Flightaware shows that there is ADSB coverage where I fly, but prove is in trying!

[Vance Breese]

Good day fellow pilots,

I fly in a small uncontrolled airport (OETH) 15nm north of OERK/KIA (an international airport in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia). My aircraft is a Tecnam Sierra equipped with aera 795. I need some advice on what is the most suitable and workable TCAS system to install. When flying VFR in the vicinity of the airport we turn off our transponder in order not to disturb the ATC at the big airport.

Any help will be really appreciated.

Faisal.

Hello Faisal,
The way I interpret the FARs (the rules we fly under in the USA) is if I have a transponder it must be on and working and it must have been tested and certified in the last 24 months.
It appears unlikely to me that a tower would feel bothered by a transponder being on mode C.
It allows them to know not just where you are but at what altitude assuming they have some sort of radar. I feel this is very helpful to them when managing traffic.
Perhaps they are just saying don’t call on the tower frequency unless you will penetrate their airspace or have a flight plan?
It is my impression that most traffic avoidance systems won’t work without the other aircraft having a working transponder on. This gives me additional motivation to have my transponder on so that others may see me.