TCAS
Transportation & Travel abbreviation · Aviation
| Stands for | Traffic alert and collision avoidance system |
|---|---|
| Categories | Transportation & Travel |
TCAS stands for Traffic alert and collision avoidance system, an aviation abbreviation.
Onboard system that interrogates other aircraft's transponders, displays nearby traffic and, if a collision threat develops, issues spoken commands such as "Climb, climb" or "Descend, descend." TCAS II is required on US airliners with more than 30 passenger seats.
Example: The TCAS called "climb, climb now" and the first officer pulled up as a business jet passed below.
Usage notes
Pronounced "TEE-kas"; ICAO's generic name is ACAS (airborne collision avoidance system). The 2002 Überlingen midair collision over Germany, in which one crew followed a controller's instruction instead of the TCAS advisory, cemented the rule that TCAS resolution advisories take precedence over conflicting ATC instructions. TCAS cannot see aircraft without working transponders.
Related abbreviations
More aviation abbreviations
- STD – Scheduled time of departure
- STOL – Short takeoff and landing
- SVFR – Special visual flight rules
- TA – Traffic advisory
- TAF – Terminal Aerodrome Forecast
- TAS – True airspeed
- TFR – Temporary flight restriction
- TRACON – Terminal radar approach control
- TSA PreCheck – Transportation Security Administration PreCheck
- UAS – Unmanned aircraft system
- UAV – Unmanned aerial vehicle
- ULCC – Ultra-low-cost carrier