Narrative:

We were assigned 7000 ft to transit dulles control area en route to dca. Nearly overhead dulles (aml VOR). We received a TCAS RA to 'climb, climb now' and my vsi indicated a climb of 1500 FPM. I looked for the traffic and saw nothing due to haze and a broken cloud layer beneath at about 6000. We broadcast our climb in response to the TCAS RA and 'clear of conflict' was announced with a total altitude gain of 350 ft. The controller sounded amazed and upset at our deviation and said he would report it. He gave us a number to call on landing. My captain called and talked to the supervisor who said nothing would be filed. I don't really believe it! It still seems ATC controllers are not familiar with the TCAS system and of our requirement to follow an RA if we cannot see the intruder. I feel the controllers, particularly in a TRSA or arsa, routinely vector arrs/departures within the TCAS RA sensitivity envelope. We as air crew have no choice but to follow an RA we can't visually acquire. My feeling is that controllers resent this new equipment as usurping their traffic control prerogative somewhat. I hope I'm wrong but their tones of voice and 'I have to report this' always sound so threatening. It's time we sat down together and discussed TCAS impact on the system.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: APPROX OVER IAD ARPT, FLC OF MDT HAD TCASII RA, CLBED 350 FT TO CLR THE RA. RPTED ALT DEV TO CTLR WHO EXPRESSED AMAZEMENT THAT FLC WOULD ALT DEVIATE.

Narrative: WE WERE ASSIGNED 7000 FT TO TRANSIT DULLES CTL AREA ENRTE TO DCA. NEARLY OVERHEAD DULLES (AML VOR). WE RECEIVED A TCAS RA TO 'CLB, CLB NOW' AND MY VSI INDICATED A CLB OF 1500 FPM. I LOOKED FOR THE TFC AND SAW NOTHING DUE TO HAZE AND A BROKEN CLOUD LAYER BENEATH AT ABOUT 6000. WE BROADCAST OUR CLB IN RESPONSE TO THE TCAS RA AND 'CLR OF CONFLICT' WAS ANNOUNCED WITH A TOTAL ALT GAIN OF 350 FT. THE CTLR SOUNDED AMAZED AND UPSET AT OUR DEV AND SAID HE WOULD RPT IT. HE GAVE US A NUMBER TO CALL ON LNDG. MY CAPT CALLED AND TALKED TO THE SUPVR WHO SAID NOTHING WOULD BE FILED. I DON'T REALLY BELIEVE IT! IT STILL SEEMS ATC CTLRS ARE NOT FAMILIAR WITH THE TCAS SYS AND OF OUR REQUIREMENT TO FOLLOW AN RA IF WE CANNOT SEE THE INTRUDER. I FEEL THE CTLRS, PARTICULARLY IN A TRSA OR ARSA, ROUTINELY VECTOR ARRS/DEPS WITHIN THE TCAS RA SENSITIVITY ENVELOPE. WE AS AIR CREW HAVE NO CHOICE BUT TO FOLLOW AN RA WE CAN'T VISUALLY ACQUIRE. MY FEELING IS THAT CTLRS RESENT THIS NEW EQUIP AS USURPING THEIR TFC CTL PREROGATIVE SOMEWHAT. I HOPE I'M WRONG BUT THEIR TONES OF VOICE AND 'I HAVE TO RPT THIS' ALWAYS SOUND SO THREATENING. IT'S TIME WE SAT DOWN TOGETHER AND DISCUSSED TCAS IMPACT ON THE SYS.

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.