Aircraft Collision Avoidance and Separation Assurance

With regard to collision avoidance systems, AOPA, in concert with a number of general aviation and airline representative groups, worked out a “core” position on collision avoidance and separation assurance late in 1976.

We recommended that the FAA continue the development of the BCAS concept. This was done on the basis of the then posture of the FAA that the BCAS would work effectively against any aircraft equipped with today’s transponder and encoder. We also supported exploration of the DABS as the air-to-air link of the BCAS as well as for future use with the automated ATC system. While ACAS presents the least technical risk and operational units could be available sooner than using any other concept, it does pose the greatest difficulty in becoming an effective system as all aircraft in a given airspace would have to be equipped to provide complete protection.