It's Plane Better

Over 6,000 TCAS 2000 computer units have been delivered to almost 200 operators worldwide since the product's debut in 1997. The TCAS 2000 is offered by most OEMs, including Airbus, Boeing, Bombardier, Cessna, Dassault, Embraer, Gulfstream, Raytheon, Antonov, Ilyushin, and Tupolev. Airline industry leaders such as American Eagle, British Airways, Federal Express, KLM, Northwest Airlines, Qantas, SAS, Saudia, SWISS Airlines, UPS, U.S. Navy, and U.S. Air Force have selected TCAS 2000 as their surveillance system of choice.

The TCAS 2000 system provides pilots with the highest bearing determination accuracy (2∞ rms vs. 9∞ TSO specification) and extended range surveillance (up to 80 nm active, 100+ nm passive) available today. Enhanced ATCRBS Range, Altitude and Bearing Tracker algorithms developed by ACSS provide greater than 99% track probabilities, while reducing false tracks to less than 0.5% (60% better than allowed by the FAA Advisory Circular No. 20-131A).

ACSS has over 20 years of TCAS system development xperience, tracing its lineage to the original Sperry Dalmo Victor TCAS II development effort. The TCAS 2000 system meets or exceeds the latest requirements of RTCA DO-185A (Change 7 to Minimum Operating Performance Standards for TCAS equipment) and ARINC 735A (ACAS II ARINC Standard), and is fully compliant with the ICAO SARPS (Standards and Recommended Practices) and associated ACAS II mandate.

Only ACSS offers customers the industry's best TCAS antenna technology. Amplitude monopulse sensing offers significant user benefits, such as insensitivity to cable length disparity of up to 7 feet and tolerance to off-frequency replies. The ACSS amplitude monopulse system provides instantaneous 360-degree signal reception with no scanning thus allowing for rapid intruder acquisition and maximum warning time.

The TCAS 2000 delivers significantly improved reliability (as compared to the 1st generation TCAS II systems) and provides substantial operating cost savings through its reduced weight and power dissipation. Other features - such as internal data recorder with external PC-based data analysis tool and the ability to perform on-board software upgrades - give operators an even greater degree of cost and operations control.

The TCAS 2000 has undergone full Highly Accelerated Life Testing (HALT) during its development, and each production unit is subjected to Highly Accelerated Stress Screening (HASS) before shipment. The TCAS 2000 fully meets DO-160C environmental qualifications that allow for installation outside the aircraft pressure vessel.

The TCAS 2000 system is designed for future functionality requirements, such as Change 8, Airborne Separation Assurance System (ASAS) and ADS-B hybrid surveillance (ADS-B extended squitter receive capability is already functional). The TCAS 2000 computer is easily upgradeable to T≤CASô by adding the innovative Thales Avionics Ground Collision Avoidance Module TAWS system to the TCAS 2000 LRU.