Narrative:

We were being vectored from the northwest for the ILS runway 08 approach at bur. Heading 210 degrees, level 6000 ft MSL airspeed 210 KTS. WX conditions were VMC in daylight, clear skies above overcast below. Tops of the overcast were probably 3000-4000 ft MSL. Approach called out VFR traffic at our 10 O'clock 4 to 5 mi at 5500 ft MSL. We reported 'negative contact.' TCASII announced 'traffic.' the TCASII indicated a traffic symbol in the general area approach had indicated the VFR traffic they were working. Approach began to say the traffic had a visual on us and had further instructions, but the TCASII commanded 'monitor vertical speed.' with climb resolutions (green vertical band on ivsi). The TCASII equipment in our aircraft is so loud that it is difficult to hear or communication with the other pilot let alone clearly hear radio communication. I made a broadcast 'in the blind' that we were climbing to avoid a TCASII conflict. The climb was slight, from 6000 ft MSL to 6300 ft MSL to clear the conflict. We immediately returned to 6000 ft MSL after TCASII announced 'clear of conflict.' approach then gave us a left turn to the southeast for a localizer intercept and cleared us for the approach. After clearing the runway, tower gave us a phone number for bur approach. I called and the supervisor said he had played the tapes. He said they didn't like what they saw and almost had to resequence us for the approach. They had wanted us to descend but we couldn't hear them for the loud TCASII audio. I told him that we are required to follow TCASII commands unless they are unsafe. He said that when operating into ont or bur we should turn off our TCASII equipment like 'other airlines do.' he asked me to get the word out to our pilots about this as there is just 'too much VFR traffic.' my suggestions, consider the following: 1) decrease TCASII audio so communication remain clear. 2) give PIC leeway to separate his aircraft from traffic pointed out on TCASII if he has traffic clearly in sight without first climbing or descending at rates called for by TCASII logic (or better yet improved logic). 3) don't try to fix system by turning off TCASII equipment. It is most needed in busy terminal areas but seems to present too much information when in or near airport traffic areas.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OF MLG ARRIVING BUR HAS TCASII RA WHILE BEING VECTORED FOR APCH. RA WAS FOR VFR TFC CALLED OUT BY APCH CTL BUT NOT YET SIGHTED. POSTFLT REVIEW WITH ATC HAD SUPVR SUGGESTING THAT RPTR TURN TCASII OFF IN THE BUR AREA 'LIKE OTHER COMPANIES DO.'

Narrative: WE WERE BEING VECTORED FROM THE NW FOR THE ILS RWY 08 APCH AT BUR. HDG 210 DEGS, LEVEL 6000 FT MSL AIRSPD 210 KTS. WX CONDITIONS WERE VMC IN DAYLIGHT, CLR SKIES ABOVE OVCST BELOW. TOPS OF THE OVCST WERE PROBABLY 3000-4000 FT MSL. APCH CALLED OUT VFR TFC AT OUR 10 O'CLOCK 4 TO 5 MI AT 5500 FT MSL. WE RPTED 'NEGATIVE CONTACT.' TCASII ANNOUNCED 'TFC.' THE TCASII INDICATED A TFC SYMBOL IN THE GENERAL AREA APCH HAD INDICATED THE VFR TFC THEY WERE WORKING. APCH BEGAN TO SAY THE TFC HAD A VISUAL ON US AND HAD FURTHER INSTRUCTIONS, BUT THE TCASII COMMANDED 'MONITOR VERT SPD.' WITH CLB RESOLUTIONS (GREEN VERT BAND ON IVSI). THE TCASII EQUIP IN OUR ACFT IS SO LOUD THAT IT IS DIFFICULT TO HEAR OR COM WITH THE OTHER PLT LET ALONE CLRLY HEAR RADIO COM. I MADE A BROADCAST 'IN THE BLIND' THAT WE WERE CLBING TO AVOID A TCASII CONFLICT. THE CLB WAS SLIGHT, FROM 6000 FT MSL TO 6300 FT MSL TO CLR THE CONFLICT. WE IMMEDIATELY RETURNED TO 6000 FT MSL AFTER TCASII ANNOUNCED 'CLR OF CONFLICT.' APCH THEN GAVE US A L TURN TO THE SE FOR A LOC INTERCEPT AND CLRED US FOR THE APCH. AFTER CLRING THE RWY, TWR GAVE US A PHONE NUMBER FOR BUR APCH. I CALLED AND THE SUPVR SAID HE HAD PLAYED THE TAPES. HE SAID THEY DIDN'T LIKE WHAT THEY SAW AND ALMOST HAD TO RESEQUENCE US FOR THE APCH. THEY HAD WANTED US TO DSND BUT WE COULDN'T HEAR THEM FOR THE LOUD TCASII AUDIO. I TOLD HIM THAT WE ARE REQUIRED TO FOLLOW TCASII COMMANDS UNLESS THEY ARE UNSAFE. HE SAID THAT WHEN OPERATING INTO ONT OR BUR WE SHOULD TURN OFF OUR TCASII EQUIP LIKE 'OTHER AIRLINES DO.' HE ASKED ME TO GET THE WORD OUT TO OUR PLTS ABOUT THIS AS THERE IS JUST 'TOO MUCH VFR TFC.' MY SUGGESTIONS, CONSIDER THE FOLLOWING: 1) DECREASE TCASII AUDIO SO COM REMAIN CLR. 2) GIVE PIC LEEWAY TO SEPARATE HIS ACFT FROM TFC POINTED OUT ON TCASII IF HE HAS TFC CLRLY IN SIGHT WITHOUT FIRST CLBING OR DSNDING AT RATES CALLED FOR BY TCASII LOGIC (OR BETTER YET IMPROVED LOGIC). 3) DON'T TRY TO FIX SYS BY TURNING OFF TCASII EQUIP. IT IS MOST NEEDED IN BUSY TERMINAL AREAS BUT SEEMS TO PRESENT TOO MUCH INFO WHEN IN OR NEAR ARPT TFC AREAS.

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.