Air carrier X using TCASII TA for visual separation during visual approach operation.

Attributes
ACN	202301
Time
Date	199202
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : bdl
State Reference	CT
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3500 msl bound upper : 3500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : bdl tower : pit
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Light Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : visual
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
ASRS Report	202301
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

I was training a developmental on arrival control. We had an atx X for sequence to visual approach runway 15. The developmental pointed out aircraft Y and the pilot responded 'is he following someone out there at 800 ft.' the developmental was going to clear him for the visual approach when I stopped him and asked the pilot if he had aircraft Y in sight. He said not visually but had him on TCASII. This seems to be happening more and more as the atx crews get TCASII in their airplanes. It appears they are using TCASII instead of looking out the window. As an air traffic controller I cannot have pilot's using TCASII for visual separation to maintain spacing as on 1 occurrence a crew offered to do. There is no TCASII separation! Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter stated it is the atx/commuter flight crew's that report having aircraft in sight on TCASII. Reporter stated several other controllers have said they have the same problem with commuters. Reporter thinks with TCASII being new to atx/commuters the flight crew's believe they will get the clearance for a visual approach sooner if they report the aircraft in sight by TCASII and not visually sighting the traffic they are following.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR X USING TCASII TA FOR VISUAL SEPARATION DURING VISUAL APCH OP.

Narrative: I WAS TRAINING A DEVELOPMENTAL ON ARR CTL. WE HAD AN ATX X FOR SEQUENCE TO VISUAL APCH RWY 15. THE DEVELOPMENTAL POINTED OUT ACFT Y AND THE PLT RESPONDED 'IS HE FOLLOWING SOMEONE OUT THERE AT 800 FT.' THE DEVELOPMENTAL WAS GOING TO CLR HIM FOR THE VISUAL APCH WHEN I STOPPED HIM AND ASKED THE PLT IF HE HAD ACFT Y IN SIGHT. HE SAID NOT VISUALLY BUT HAD HIM ON TCASII. THIS SEEMS TO BE HAPPENING MORE AND MORE AS THE ATX CREWS GET TCASII IN THEIR AIRPLANES. IT APPEARS THEY ARE USING TCASII INSTEAD OF LOOKING OUT THE WINDOW. AS AN AIR TFC CTLR I CANNOT HAVE PLT'S USING TCASII FOR VISUAL SEPARATION TO MAINTAIN SPACING AS ON 1 OCCURRENCE A CREW OFFERED TO DO. THERE IS NO TCASII SEPARATION! CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR STATED IT IS THE ATX/COMMUTER FLC'S THAT RPT HAVING ACFT IN SIGHT ON TCASII. RPTR STATED SEVERAL OTHER CTLRS HAVE SAID THEY HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM WITH COMMUTERS. RPTR THINKS WITH TCASII BEING NEW TO ATX/COMMUTERS THE FLC'S BELIEVE THEY WILL GET THE CLRNC FOR A VISUAL APCH SOONER IF THEY RPT THE ACFT IN SIGHT BY TCASII AND NOT VISUALLY SIGHTING THE TFC THEY ARE FOLLOWING.

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.