Narrative:

Approaching bairn intersection on the goofy 4 arrival to mco, we were at 11000 ft and just dialed up orlando approach when a target on our TCASII appeared at our 12 O'clock position, close in front of us and 400 ft above us. At the same time we reduced the range of our TCASII to get a better reference, approach control advised us of the traffic and the 2 targets would merge. Our TCASII alerted us of the traffic and to 'monitor vertical speed.' I turned the aircraft left and we advised approach. The traffic passed closely to our right. The visibility at mco was 10 mi, but in-flight at 11000 ft with a low sun it was 3-5 mi. TCASII gave us invaluable information that approach did not (or could not) give us as to the exact location of this traffic. It allowed us to alter course early and prevent what might have been a midair in the event of mode-south or altimeter error. Our airline is primarily a cargo airline where TCASII is not required. If we had not been flying a passenger converted aircraft (with passenger) this day, this event could have been even more critical resulting in a possible midair collision. When is the FAA going to mandate 'one level of safety?' cargo planes need TCASII too!

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OF A B727 TOOK EVASIVE ACTION IN RESPONSE TO A TCASII RA BY TURNING TO REDUCE THE POTENTIAL CONFLICT BTWN A BEECH BARON BE55 400 FT ABOVE AND TO THE R. ATC ISSUED A TA.

Narrative: APCHING BAIRN INTXN ON THE GOOFY 4 ARR TO MCO, WE WERE AT 11000 FT AND JUST DIALED UP ORLANDO APCH WHEN A TARGET ON OUR TCASII APPEARED AT OUR 12 O'CLOCK POS, CLOSE IN FRONT OF US AND 400 FT ABOVE US. AT THE SAME TIME WE REDUCED THE RANGE OF OUR TCASII TO GET A BETTER REF, APCH CTL ADVISED US OF THE TFC AND THE 2 TARGETS WOULD MERGE. OUR TCASII ALERTED US OF THE TFC AND TO 'MONITOR VERT SPD.' I TURNED THE ACFT L AND WE ADVISED APCH. THE TFC PASSED CLOSELY TO OUR R. THE VISIBILITY AT MCO WAS 10 MI, BUT INFLT AT 11000 FT WITH A LOW SUN IT WAS 3-5 MI. TCASII GAVE US INVALUABLE INFO THAT APCH DID NOT (OR COULD NOT) GIVE US AS TO THE EXACT LOCATION OF THIS TFC. IT ALLOWED US TO ALTER COURSE EARLY AND PREVENT WHAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN A MIDAIR IN THE EVENT OF MODE-S OR ALTIMETER ERROR. OUR AIRLINE IS PRIMARILY A CARGO AIRLINE WHERE TCASII IS NOT REQUIRED. IF WE HAD NOT BEEN FLYING A PAX CONVERTED ACFT (WITH PAX) THIS DAY, THIS EVENT COULD HAVE BEEN EVEN MORE CRITICAL RESULTING IN A POSSIBLE MIDAIR COLLISION. WHEN IS THE FAA GOING TO MANDATE 'ONE LEVEL OF SAFETY?' CARGO PLANES NEED TCASII TOO!

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.