Narrative:

We were cleared the localizer DME C at ege to maintain 14000 ft until rivvr (approaching from the east). WX clear, good visibility. Just prior to rivvr told radar service cancelled, contact ege tower, a B757 departed runway 7 VFR. At rivvr turned on approach toward vaile and started descent to 11800 ft. As I led the descending turn onto the runway 25 localizer we got a TA that quickly turned to an RA. Followed TCASII directions, climbed, and RA resolved. As I leveled out, the B757 was off to the left (1? NM), south of localizer course, and below us (1000 ft?) going in the opposite direction. Was able to continue approach with minor s-turns to a landing at ege. ZDV was conducting 'timed' approachs into ege. We never acquired the other B757. (Purpose of timed approachs was to prevent conflicts?) we were told of opposite direction departure but did not receive defined position in relation to us or the airport (other than on takeoff) in order to help us acquire the traffic. Contributing factor was we were switching to tower and attempting contact at about same time the B757 was switching to center. Talked with tower after gate arrival. They said the B757 was cleared on runway 7 due to his weight, and he requested a VFR departure because IFR delays could be extensive. Tower cleared him VFR to depart northeast, and I believe they thought he would turn northerly and be out of the ILS approach course. I pointed out to the tower that 070 degrees or runway heading could be interpreted as northeast. Suggested a given track would be safer when departing against the landing flow. Our procedures call for a fix and altitude when departing VFR. Observations: 1) 'timed' approachs were not coordinated very well in this instance. 2) I question the advisability of VFR departures opposite to the landing flow. 3) thank god for TCASII. 4) day VFR has many traps that we don't necessarily face in the IFR environment. 5) even if you're not 'VFR' traffic watch is especially paramount in a mixed environment. 6) ege needs radar. 7) there are a lack of good maneuvering options when you are in the valley approaching or departing ege. Supplemental information from acn 610523: I noticed traffic on the TCASII (red) below us. We were descending fairly rapidly in order to arrive at vaile at the published altitude. The TCASII showed the traffic 900 ft below us. We instantly began our climb (from about 12000 ft) and notified tower.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B757 FLT CREW RECEIVE A TCASII RA WHILE CONDUCTING AN APCH INTO EGE.

Narrative: WE WERE CLRED THE LOC DME C AT EGE TO MAINTAIN 14000 FT UNTIL RIVVR (APCHING FROM THE E). WX CLR, GOOD VISIBILITY. JUST PRIOR TO RIVVR TOLD RADAR SVC CANCELLED, CONTACT EGE TWR, A B757 DEPARTED RWY 7 VFR. AT RIVVR TURNED ON APCH TOWARD VAILE AND STARTED DSCNT TO 11800 FT. AS I LED THE DSNDING TURN ONTO THE RWY 25 LOC WE GOT A TA THAT QUICKLY TURNED TO AN RA. FOLLOWED TCASII DIRECTIONS, CLBED, AND RA RESOLVED. AS I LEVELED OUT, THE B757 WAS OFF TO THE L (1? NM), S OF LOC COURSE, AND BELOW US (1000 FT?) GOING IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION. WAS ABLE TO CONTINUE APCH WITH MINOR S-TURNS TO A LNDG AT EGE. ZDV WAS CONDUCTING 'TIMED' APCHS INTO EGE. WE NEVER ACQUIRED THE OTHER B757. (PURPOSE OF TIMED APCHS WAS TO PREVENT CONFLICTS?) WE WERE TOLD OF OPPOSITE DIRECTION DEP BUT DID NOT RECEIVE DEFINED POS IN RELATION TO US OR THE ARPT (OTHER THAN ON TKOF) IN ORDER TO HELP US ACQUIRE THE TFC. CONTRIBUTING FACTOR WAS WE WERE SWITCHING TO TWR AND ATTEMPTING CONTACT AT ABOUT SAME TIME THE B757 WAS SWITCHING TO CTR. TALKED WITH TWR AFTER GATE ARR. THEY SAID THE B757 WAS CLRED ON RWY 7 DUE TO HIS WT, AND HE REQUESTED A VFR DEP BECAUSE IFR DELAYS COULD BE EXTENSIVE. TWR CLRED HIM VFR TO DEPART NE, AND I BELIEVE THEY THOUGHT HE WOULD TURN NORTHERLY AND BE OUT OF THE ILS APCH COURSE. I POINTED OUT TO THE TWR THAT 070 DEGS OR RWY HDG COULD BE INTERPED AS NE. SUGGESTED A GIVEN TRACK WOULD BE SAFER WHEN DEPARTING AGAINST THE LNDG FLOW. OUR PROCS CALL FOR A FIX AND ALT WHEN DEPARTING VFR. OBSERVATIONS: 1) 'TIMED' APCHS WERE NOT COORDINATED VERY WELL IN THIS INSTANCE. 2) I QUESTION THE ADVISABILITY OF VFR DEPS OPPOSITE TO THE LNDG FLOW. 3) THANK GOD FOR TCASII. 4) DAY VFR HAS MANY TRAPS THAT WE DON'T NECESSARILY FACE IN THE IFR ENVIRONMENT. 5) EVEN IF YOU'RE NOT 'VFR' TFC WATCH IS ESPECIALLY PARAMOUNT IN A MIXED ENVIRONMENT. 6) EGE NEEDS RADAR. 7) THERE ARE A LACK OF GOOD MANEUVERING OPTIONS WHEN YOU ARE IN THE VALLEY APCHING OR DEPARTING EGE. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 610523: I NOTICED TFC ON THE TCASII (RED) BELOW US. WE WERE DSNDING FAIRLY RAPIDLY IN ORDER TO ARRIVE AT VAILE AT THE PUBLISHED ALT. THE TCASII SHOWED THE TFC 900 FT BELOW US. WE INSTANTLY BEGAN OUR CLB (FROM ABOUT 12000 FT) AND NOTIFIED TWR.

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.