Narrative:

During a period of moderate traffic, while training was taking place, air carrier X was being vectored for the visual approach runway 32 to follow an mlt. The developmental issued the mlt traffic to air carrier X. The pilot replied, 'I've got him on TCASII.' up to this point the developmental and I were unaware that air carrier X was TCASII equipped. No notation on the flight plan/strip or by the pilot. The last thing needed to be talked about on a busy control frequency is the equipment in the airplane. Just prior to the last event, an atx was issued traffic 1000 ft above him. His reply was also, 'I've got him on TCASII.' however, we were aware of this aircraft equipment. Stress levels increase every time an aircraft advises of some type of TCASII event, either because of an RA or traffic observed on TCASII. Some question asked in a busy controller's mind: is that an RA? Is the aircraft going to climb into another aircraft? Is the aircraft going to climb into another controller's airspace? Does the crew have the traffic in sight? Etc. Standard phraseology must be developed and used! 'Negative contact' is the only way to inform a controller that traffic is not in sight. Not phrases like, 'looking,' 'no joy,' or 'I've got him on TCASII.' imagine the problems if the TCASII of the last transmission is clipped or blocked. In addition, companies and pilots have to ensure the proper equipment prefixes and suffixes are filed. The company only has 1 TCASII equipped aircraft in its fleet. Therefore, the proper prefix is never filed. Pilots are lacking in their responsibility by not informing the controller of a change in equipment.

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR X EQUIP PREFIX ON ACFT NOT FILED. ACFT TCASII EQUIPPED.

Narrative: DURING A PERIOD OF MODERATE TFC, WHILE TRAINING WAS TAKING PLACE, ACR X WAS BEING VECTORED FOR THE VISUAL APCH RWY 32 TO FOLLOW AN MLT. THE DEVELOPMENTAL ISSUED THE MLT TFC TO ACR X. THE PLT REPLIED, 'I'VE GOT HIM ON TCASII.' UP TO THIS POINT THE DEVELOPMENTAL AND I WERE UNAWARE THAT ACR X WAS TCASII EQUIPPED. NO NOTATION ON THE FLT PLAN/STRIP OR BY THE PLT. THE LAST THING NEEDED TO BE TALKED ABOUT ON A BUSY CTL FREQ IS THE EQUIP IN THE AIRPLANE. JUST PRIOR TO THE LAST EVENT, AN ATX WAS ISSUED TFC 1000 FT ABOVE HIM. HIS REPLY WAS ALSO, 'I'VE GOT HIM ON TCASII.' HOWEVER, WE WERE AWARE OF THIS ACFT EQUIP. STRESS LEVELS INCREASE EVERY TIME AN ACFT ADVISES OF SOME TYPE OF TCASII EVENT, EITHER BECAUSE OF AN RA OR TFC OBSERVED ON TCASII. SOME QUESTION ASKED IN A BUSY CTLR'S MIND: IS THAT AN RA? IS THE ACFT GOING TO CLB INTO ANOTHER ACFT? IS THE ACFT GOING TO CLB INTO ANOTHER CTLR'S AIRSPACE? DOES THE CREW HAVE THE TFC IN SIGHT? ETC. STANDARD PHRASEOLOGY MUST BE DEVELOPED AND USED! 'NEGATIVE CONTACT' IS THE ONLY WAY TO INFORM A CTLR THAT TFC IS NOT IN SIGHT. NOT PHRASES LIKE, 'LOOKING,' 'NO JOY,' OR 'I'VE GOT HIM ON TCASII.' IMAGINE THE PROBS IF THE TCASII OF THE LAST XMISSION IS CLIPPED OR BLOCKED. IN ADDITION, COMPANIES AND PLTS HAVE TO ENSURE THE PROPER EQUIP PREFIXES AND SUFFIXES ARE FILED. THE COMPANY ONLY HAS 1 TCASII EQUIPPED ACFT IN ITS FLEET. THEREFORE, THE PROPER PREFIX IS NEVER FILED. PLTS ARE LACKING IN THEIR RESPONSIBILITY BY NOT INFORMING THE CTLR OF A CHANGE IN EQUIP.

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.