Narrative:

While flying a trip from mia-ttpp-sbkp, after making my position report at stm, FL290, I requested climb clearance to FL330 from belem control on HF. Belem control cleared us to climb to FL330 'report reaching.' out of FL320 we observed an air carrier Y DC10 cruising opposite direction at what I believe was FL310. We were making our required IATA position report on VHF 126.95 and monitoring VHF 130.55 and VHF 121.5, but we only heard one other aircraft making reports (not air carrier Y) on another airway. There wasn't a conflict but there could have been if we were climbing a little slower or started any later. We were flying a B747 freighter that had been converted from passenger confign that had a TCASII installed at one time. I think it's criminal that the FAA allows companies to remove a safety system like the TCASII from aircraft just because they don't carry passenger (6 crew members on ours). South america is dangerous enough and while flying around with ATC, high terrain, language barriers, increasing traffic volume, and the lack of enthusiasm in which many pilots regard the mandatory IATA position reports, it's only going to cost somebody dearly in the future. I firmly believe TCASII should be required hardware on all aircraft flying jet rtes.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B747F FLC WAS CLBING THROUGH FL320 AND CAME WITHIN 1000 FT VERT AND 6000 FT HORIZ NEAR STM, FO.

Narrative: WHILE FLYING A TRIP FROM MIA-TTPP-SBKP, AFTER MAKING MY POS RPT AT STM, FL290, I REQUESTED CLB CLRNC TO FL330 FROM BELEM CTL ON HF. BELEM CTL CLRED US TO CLB TO FL330 'RPT REACHING.' OUT OF FL320 WE OBSERVED AN ACR Y DC10 CRUISING OPPOSITE DIRECTION AT WHAT I BELIEVE WAS FL310. WE WERE MAKING OUR REQUIRED IATA POS RPT ON VHF 126.95 AND MONITORING VHF 130.55 AND VHF 121.5, BUT WE ONLY HEARD ONE OTHER ACFT MAKING RPTS (NOT ACR Y) ON ANOTHER AIRWAY. THERE WASN'T A CONFLICT BUT THERE COULD HAVE BEEN IF WE WERE CLBING A LITTLE SLOWER OR STARTED ANY LATER. WE WERE FLYING A B747 FREIGHTER THAT HAD BEEN CONVERTED FROM PAX CONFIGN THAT HAD A TCASII INSTALLED AT ONE TIME. I THINK IT'S CRIMINAL THAT THE FAA ALLOWS COMPANIES TO REMOVE A SAFETY SYS LIKE THE TCASII FROM ACFT JUST BECAUSE THEY DON'T CARRY PAX (6 CREW MEMBERS ON OURS). SOUTH AMERICA IS DANGEROUS ENOUGH AND WHILE FLYING AROUND WITH ATC, HIGH TERRAIN, LANGUAGE BARRIERS, INCREASING TFC VOLUME, AND THE LACK OF ENTHUSIASM IN WHICH MANY PLTS REGARD THE MANDATORY IATA POS RPTS, IT'S ONLY GOING TO COST SOMEBODY DEARLY IN THE FUTURE. I FIRMLY BELIEVE TCASII SHOULD BE REQUIRED HARDWARE ON ALL ACFT FLYING JET RTES.

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.