Narrative:

We encountered an RA in the sfb/orlando area. During our descent into the sfb/orlando area, and while established on the bitho 7 arrival just prior to reaching jesup intersection (about 10 mi northeast of sfb airport), we received a clearance from orl approach control to turn to a heading of 270 degrees and to descend from 5000 ft to 3000 ft. While turning to the assigned heading and descending to 3000 ft, we had an RA to 'climb, climb now.' I proceeded as instructed by the RA and climbed until cleared of traffic conflict. Once we reported the RA to approach control, they acknowledged the presence of traffic in our vicinity with no mode C capability. Vigilant attention on the part of the approach controller could have easily resolved this situation. We were not advised of any traffic in our vicinity and it is impossible to keep visual separation from airplanes when you can't see them. Supplemental information from acn 489970: we were given a descent from 5000 ft to 3000 ft by orl approach. As soon as we pushed the nose over, we had immediate RA. We climbed to approximately 5200 ft where RA ceased. We informed approach and resumed descent. Approach replied that the only traffic they saw on scope was non mode C that then began transmitting mode C at 1800 ft. A telephone report was made to orl approach.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A TCASII RA WAS FLOWN NEAR ORLANDO WHEN APCH CTL CONTENDED THAT THERE WAS NO MODE C TFC IN THE AREA.

Narrative: WE ENCOUNTERED AN RA IN THE SFB/ORLANDO AREA. DURING OUR DSCNT INTO THE SFB/ORLANDO AREA, AND WHILE ESTABLISHED ON THE BITHO 7 ARR JUST PRIOR TO REACHING JESUP INTXN (ABOUT 10 MI NE OF SFB ARPT), WE RECEIVED A CLRNC FROM ORL APCH CTL TO TURN TO A HDG OF 270 DEGS AND TO DSND FROM 5000 FT TO 3000 FT. WHILE TURNING TO THE ASSIGNED HDG AND DSNDING TO 3000 FT, WE HAD AN RA TO 'CLB, CLB NOW.' I PROCEEDED AS INSTRUCTED BY THE RA AND CLBED UNTIL CLRED OF TFC CONFLICT. ONCE WE RPTED THE RA TO APCH CTL, THEY ACKNOWLEDGED THE PRESENCE OF TFC IN OUR VICINITY WITH NO MODE C CAPABILITY. VIGILANT ATTN ON THE PART OF THE APCH CTLR COULD HAVE EASILY RESOLVED THIS SIT. WE WERE NOT ADVISED OF ANY TFC IN OUR VICINITY AND IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO KEEP VISUAL SEPARATION FROM AIRPLANES WHEN YOU CAN'T SEE THEM. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 489970: WE WERE GIVEN A DSCNT FROM 5000 FT TO 3000 FT BY ORL APCH. AS SOON AS WE PUSHED THE NOSE OVER, WE HAD IMMEDIATE RA. WE CLBED TO APPROX 5200 FT WHERE RA CEASED. WE INFORMED APCH AND RESUMED DSCNT. APCH REPLIED THAT THE ONLY TFC THEY SAW ON SCOPE WAS NON MODE C THAT THEN BEGAN XMITTING MODE C AT 1800 FT. A TELEPHONE RPT WAS MADE TO ORL 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.