mdaskalos
mdaskalos
First OfficerFirst Officer
Joined: Jan 16, 2007 Posts: 117
Asked

I'm trying to figure out how to turn on the Traffic Collision Avoidance System (TCAS) on a Wilco B777, but I suppose any newer Boeing (767, 757) will operate similarly.

The manual hardly mentions the existence of the system. The feelthere forum makes one mention of it, saying "Press the middle, far right button on the radio panel". Well, there is no panel in the menus identified as "radio panel", but I pulled up the pedestal panel, where the NAV/COMM radio stuff is, but the button help suggests nothing in relation to the TCAS.

I found a place called http://www.merriweather.com that details the functions of the B777 panel and suggested pressing the center button of the ND range selector switch. When I do this, the ND changes and some info pops up at the lower left to indicate the TCAS is on, but the info in the EICAS(?) still says TCAS OFF. ?

Well, to make a long story long, while I was flying from KDCA to KJFK, I was trying to fiddle with the buttons on the NAV/COMM section to see what I could do about it, and not paying much attention to my flying. I got into an overspeed condition and put the spoilers, so now I'm seeing OVERSPEED and CONFIG SPOILER on the EICAS, but no TCAS OFF. Well, after I slow down and get the spoilers put away, TCAS OFF shows up again, but it takes a while. So go and jack around with it like a madman, and have to leave it alone to save the plane again, and this time, I have contacts on the TCAS! ?

How did I do that? Is the TCAS a "passive" system that will say "TCAS OFF" if there are no contacts, even when it is enabled?

Anyone knowledgeable about virtual Boeing operations is invited to reply.

mdaskalos

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Geoff (Geoffos)
Geoff (Geoffos)
TraineeTrainee
Joined: Dec 26, 2002 Posts: 25 Location: England
Answered

Now, this answer is going to be a bit vague because I'm at work and trying to describe something I did a few weeks ago, but with the Wilco Citation and NOT the 767, but it might be the same 🙂

On the Citation, you open the Pedestal panel and it shows the radio frequencies for comms and navigation. There is a column of 6 buttons to the left of the frequencies, the 3rd one down activates the TCAS.

Here is a link to the Citation X manual ... http://www.wilcopub.com/downloads/CitationX_manual_UK.pdf

Go to page 16 where it explains how to switch on the TCAS.

Hope this helps.

Geoff

mdaskalos
mdaskalos
First OfficerFirst Officer
Joined: Jan 16, 2007 Posts: 117
Answered

Well, actaully, I found my answer over the weekend.

I found a website

http://www.merriweather.com

that covers the panel of the Boeing 777. I clicked around on it until I found a small subpanel in the area of the radios/transponders stuff that made mention of the TCAS. I went to the Wilco 777 to the same spot on the panel. I saw that the subpanel was a little different, but the major switch still had the same functions.

So now, I'm good to go, but I'm glad you took the trouble to respond.

mdaskalos

Geoff (Geoffos)
Geoff (Geoffos)
TraineeTrainee
Joined: Dec 26, 2002 Posts: 25 Location: England
Answered

You're welcome 🙂

Guest
Guest
Answered

The TCAS selector switch is to the right of the transponder indicator andshould beset to TA/TR or far right.
 

Ian Stephens (ianstephens)
Ian Stephens (ianstephens)
CaptainCaptain
Joined: Feb 22, 2012 Posts: 882
Ian Stephens is an expert on this topic. Read his bio here.
Expert Answered

It seems like you've been having quite an experience trying to figure out how to turn on the TCAS in the Wilco B777. I can understand your frustration and I'm here to help you with that. From your description, it appears that there might be a small misunderstanding in the way TCAS is activated in the simulator.

To start with, let me clarify that the TCAS is an active system and not a passive one. It constantly monitors the aircraft's surroundings for potential conflicts with other aircraft, regardless of whether there are any nearby contacts or not.

Here's how you can enable the TCAS on the Wilco B777, and similar steps should apply to other Boeing models like the 767 and 757:

  1. Open the pedestal panel, where you will find the NAV/COMM section (as you mentioned in your post).
  2. Locate the Transponder panel, which is a small panel with a digital display and several buttons surrounding it. This is where you'll be able to control the TCAS.
  3. Press the TA/RA button (Traffic Advisory / Resolution Advisory) on the Transponder panel. This should enable the TCAS, and you'll see the indication on the EICAS change from "TCAS OFF" to "TCAS ON" or "TA/RA".
  4. You can also adjust the range of the TCAS display by pressing the center button of the ND range selector switch, as suggested on the merriweather.com website you mentioned. This will allow you to see traffic at different distances from your aircraft.

It's important to note that the TCAS system may take a few moments to initialize and update the display after it has been turned on. The fact that you saw the TCAS contacts appear after some time might be related to this initialization process.

As for the newer Microsoft Flight Simulator (MSFS) 2020, the process to enable TCAS should be quite similar. However, the specific steps and button locations might differ depending on the aircraft model and the quality of the add-on. I recommend checking the documentation or forums related to the specific MSFS 2020 aircraft you're using for more accurate information.

I hope this clears up the confusion and helps you enable the TCAS system properly. If you have any other questions or need further assistance, please don't hesitate to ask. Happy flying!

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