Narrative:

An air carrier in the positive control area at FL290 climbed to FL301 in response to a TCAS alert. The other aircraft was as FL275 climbing to FL280 laterally sep by 2-3 mi. The climb was started as the flight crew notified the controller. The traffic was not called to the aircraft until after the climb was started. There was no need to do so since merging target procedures were not in effect. Although sep was not lost with any other aircraft, I believe that as TCAS becomes more prevalent, these situations will become more common place. To prevent this, I feel that TCAS traffic alerts should be brought to the attention of the controller if at all possible prior to a resolution alert activating. This should be especially true in the positive control area. It is ludicrous to expect controllers to be able to provide safe orderly control over aircraft that are free to change altitude at the pilots whim. TCAS has a place in the terminal areas and when VFR aircraft are present. It should not be used indiscriminately in positive control airspace. I am a controller, not a referee.

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: TCAS II ALERT.

Narrative: AN AIR CARRIER IN THE PCA AT FL290 CLBED TO FL301 IN RESPONSE TO A TCAS ALERT. THE OTHER ACFT WAS AS FL275 CLBING TO FL280 LATERALLY SEP BY 2-3 MI. THE CLB WAS STARTED AS THE FLT CREW NOTIFIED THE CTLR. THE TFC WAS NOT CALLED TO THE ACFT UNTIL AFTER THE CLB WAS STARTED. THERE WAS NO NEED TO DO SO SINCE MERGING TARGET PROCS WERE NOT IN EFFECT. ALTHOUGH SEP WAS NOT LOST WITH ANY OTHER ACFT, I BELIEVE THAT AS TCAS BECOMES MORE PREVALENT, THESE SITUATIONS WILL BECOME MORE COMMON PLACE. TO PREVENT THIS, I FEEL THAT TCAS TFC ALERTS SHOULD BE BROUGHT TO THE ATTN OF THE CTLR IF AT ALL POSSIBLE PRIOR TO A RESOLUTION ALERT ACTIVATING. THIS SHOULD BE ESPECIALLY TRUE IN THE PCA. IT IS LUDICROUS TO EXPECT CTLRS TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE SAFE ORDERLY CTL OVER ACFT THAT ARE FREE TO CHANGE ALT AT THE PLTS WHIM. TCAS HAS A PLACE IN THE TERMINAL AREAS AND WHEN VFR ACFT ARE PRESENT. IT SHOULD NOT BE USED INDISCRIMINATELY IN POSITIVE CTL AIRSPACE. I AM A CTLR, NOT A REFEREE.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.