Narrative:

While VMC and level at 10;000 ft on the MIP3 arrival to lga; ATC gave us a traffic avoidance vector. Within seconds we got a TA followed by a 'climb' RA. I immediately added power; disconnected the autopilot and aggressively started an immediate climb. We leveled off at approximately 11;500 ft when instructed by the TCAS. My first officer got a visual on the uncontrolled general aviation aircraft that apparently had climbed through a solid status layer that was approximately at 9500 ft. The aircraft came at us from below at 2 to 3 O'clock and was climbing into us. During an initial assessment after the event my first officer stated that they probably would have hit us. All passengers were seated (with the seat belt sign on); but our flight attendants were still on their feet and preparing for landing. They were startled; but not injured. As a safety consideration: even though the primary flight display (pdf) was set at maximum intensity the red vertical speed display on the primary flight display was almost totally invisible with standard (non-polarized) sun glasses with bright sunlight conditions outside. An urban legend is that our airbus displays have their maximum light intensity displays de-rated to extend their life span. If this is true; this should be rectified.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A320 Captain experiences a TCAS RA on the MIP3 arrival at 10000 feet just south of SBJ. Evasive action is taken; climbing to 11500 feet to avoid an uncontrolled aircraft climbing through the stratus layer. Reporter also laments the poor visibility of the vertical speed bar in bright sunlight with sun glasses on.

Narrative: While VMC and level at 10;000 FT on the MIP3 Arrival to LGA; ATC gave us a traffic avoidance vector. Within seconds we got a TA followed by a 'climb' RA. I immediately added power; disconnected the autopilot and aggressively started an immediate climb. We leveled off at approximately 11;500 FT when instructed by the TCAS. My First Officer got a visual on the uncontrolled General Aviation aircraft that apparently had climbed through a solid status layer that was approximately at 9500 FT. The aircraft came at us from below at 2 to 3 O'clock and was climbing into us. During an initial assessment after the event my First Officer stated that they probably would have hit us. All passengers were seated (with the seat belt sign on); but our flight attendants were still on their feet and preparing for landing. They were startled; but not injured. As a safety consideration: even though the Primary Flight Display (PDF) was set at maximum intensity the red vertical speed display on the Primary Flight Display was almost totally invisible with standard (non-polarized) sun glasses with bright sunlight conditions outside. An urban legend is that our Airbus displays have their maximum light intensity displays de-rated to extend their life span. If this is true; this should be rectified.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of April 2012 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.