Reporter complains about TCAS ii noise level and its use in terminal areas.

Attributes
ACN	172674
Time
Date	199103
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : orl airport : mco
State Reference	FL
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3500 msl bound upper : 3500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : mco
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : atp pilot : flight engineer pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 15000 flight time type : 2500
ASRS Report	172674
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

TCAS ii RA while on mco 17 localizer, descending out of 3500' on G/south. The conflicting aircraft was on approach to orl, both aircraft where they belonged and approach control advised other aircraft had us in sight. The visibility guidance of the TCAS ii was easily followed, but the megadecibel audio instructions are no more than confusing, obnoxious noise. It would be more efficient to transmit that information to our autoflt system than our ears. TCAS ii in present form is not a tool when within an airport area, but a dangerous distraction. Until it is fine tuned to be more user friendly, the FAA should not mandate its use on takeoff and approach.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: REPORTER COMPLAINS ABOUT TCAS II NOISE LEVEL AND ITS USE IN TERMINAL AREAS.

Narrative: TCAS II RA WHILE ON MCO 17 LOC, DSNDING OUT OF 3500' ON G/S. THE CONFLICTING ACFT WAS ON APCH TO ORL, BOTH ACFT WHERE THEY BELONGED AND APCH CTL ADVISED OTHER ACFT HAD US IN SIGHT. THE VIS GUIDANCE OF THE TCAS II WAS EASILY FOLLOWED, BUT THE MEGADECIBEL AUDIO INSTRUCTIONS ARE NO MORE THAN CONFUSING, OBNOXIOUS NOISE. IT WOULD BE MORE EFFICIENT TO XMIT THAT INFO TO OUR AUTOFLT SYS THAN OUR EARS. TCAS II IN PRESENT FORM IS NOT A TOOL WHEN WITHIN AN ARPT AREA, BUT A DANGEROUS DISTR. UNTIL IT IS FINE TUNED TO BE MORE USER FRIENDLY, THE FAA SHOULD NOT MANDATE ITS USE ON TKOF AND APCH.

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.