On Jun 3, 2:41 pm, Andrew Sarangan wrote:
I have never flown with a TCAS, but I would think that relative
altitude and range should be enough help you see and avoid. But I do
have a question about these units. Do they work when there is no radar
facility nearby, or you are below the radar altitude?

The unit is passive, so relies on the other aircraft's transponder to
be replying to an interrogation. In Colorado, fairly low over the
mountains, one will be below radar coverage, so a VFR airplane with
transponder will not be interrogated, snd so will not be seen by the
MRX.

I have a few flights now with one of these and find that it does what
it's supposed to do. And that is give me a "heads up" when there is a
transponder nearby. At a glider contest, it will be constantly
reporting the towplanes as they drop off gliders nearby. Near a busy
GA airport, it will likely be the same. It will identify and tell you
about each new target within a few miles, so will reinforce your scan.

It's not a panacea, but just another tool to help me avoid getting run
down by a transponder equipped aircraft that may be flying "heads
down".

-Tom