L 3 Communications Avionics Systems TRC497 Operators Guide

$12.00 U.S.

Pilot’s Guide

for the

Traffic Advisory System

Model SKY497

EYES THAT NEVER BLINK

Early Traffic Advisory Systems

™

In the early days of flight, when air traffic was light and slower moving, pilots were
equipped with all they needed for effective collision avoidance–a sharp pair of eyes to scan
the horizon.

Even today, visual contact is still the surest means of identifying intruder aircraft. But with
more traffic in closer proximity and at higher speeds, today’s pilots need all the help they
can get.

For large commercial airliners, this need led to the development of

TCAS II

(Traffic Alert
and Collision Avoidance System II); but that technology has proved to be too expensive
and complex for most regional airlines, business, and general aviation aircraft.

SKYWATCH

BFGoodrich Avionics Systems, Inc. recognized the need for a viable alternative to

and developed their
business and general aviation aircraft. That’s why

SKY497

The

SKY497

making it practical for small aircraft. In addition, the
comes with the
if you already own a

™

TCAS I

; but even

Traffic Advisory System.

provides most of the capabilities of

STORMSCOPE

WX-1000

®

model

WX-1000

display (part number 78-8060-5900-8). The

TCAS I

has proved to be too expensive for small

BFG

developed the

TCAS I

, but at a significantly lower cost

SKY497

SKYWATCH

can share the display that

so there’s no need to buy another display

SKY497

TCAS II

™

model

can also
display its traffic information on a growing number of multifunction displays from
companies such as Avidyne, Eventide, and Garmin. You can even display
traffic information on a compatible weather radar indicator via the
Computer, model

Proven Experience

RGC250

.

SKYWATCH

BFG

Radar Graphics

BFGoodrich Avionics Systems, Inc. has been involved in the development of collision
warning programs since the early 1980’s. In 1985,
enhanced collision warning system for the U.S. Navy which awarded

BFG

began development of an

BFG

a contract for

systems to be installed in T-34C training aircraft.

Based largely on the success of the Navy project,
specifications for
contract represented another first for

to be

TSO’d

I

TCAS I

under an

ARINC

contract with the

BFG’s TCAS I

, first to receive a full, unrestricted

BFG

was selected to validate the

FAA

. The completion of this

unit, the

STC

TCAS791

; it was the first

, first to fly, and first to be delivered.

TCAS

The BFGoodrich tradition of aerospace innovation dates back to the earliest days of
powered flight when

BFG

supplied tires for the Glenn Curtiss pusher. Since then,

BFG

has
developed a wide range of aerospace products and services including flight instrumen­tation and avionics.

A SKY497 Pilot’s Guide

$12.00 U.S.

Pilot’s Guide

for the

Traffic Advisory System

Model SKY497

Methods and apparatus disclosed and described herein have been developed solely on company funds of
BFGoodrich Avionics Systems, Inc. No government or other contractual support or relationship whatsoever has
existed which in any way affects or mitigates proprietary rights of BFGoodrich Avionics Systems, Inc. in these
developments. Methods and apparatus disclosed herein may be subject to U.S. Patents existing or applied for.
BFGoodrich Avionics Systems, Inc. reserves the right to add, improve, modify, or withdraw functions, design
modifications, or products at any time without notice.

© Copyright 1997, 2000

BFGoodrich Avionics Systems, Inc.

SKYWATCH

™

,

EYES THAT NEVER BLINK

™

, and

STORMSCOPE

®

are trademarks of

BFGoodrich Avionics Systems, Inc.

Designed and manufactured in the United States of America by

Safety Summary

These warnings and cautions appear later in this guide and are repeated here for emphasis:

(page 2-4)

To avoid power surges that could damage the
optional

WX-1000

, start your engines before turning on the

(page 2-8)

SKY497

and the

SKY497

.

If the

SKY497

is in

SKYWATCH

matically switch into
storms or

WATCH

STORMSCOPE

/

STORMSCOPE

thunderstorms or

The

SKY497

relies on information obtained from transponders in

nearby aircraft. The

STORMSCOPE

STORMSCOPE

SKY497

are not equipped with an operating

The

SKY497

does not track intruder aircraft approaching at a

mode, the display will not auto-

mode to display thunder-

errors: You must use the remote

SKY-

mode switch to periodically check for

errors.

(page 2-8)

does not detect or track aircraft which

ATCRBS

transponder.

(page 2-8)

closure rate greater than 900 knots.

(page 2-8)

Some traffic within the chosen display range may not be displayed
due to traffic prioritizing or antenna shielding.

(page 2-8)

Optimum

SKY497

performance is realized when intruder aircraft
are reporting their altitude (via a mode C or other altitude
reporting transponder).

(page 2-9)

Do not attempt evasive maneuvers based solely on traffic informa­tion shown on the

SKY497

display. Information on the display is
provided to the flight crew as an aid in visually acquiring traffic; it
is not a replacement for

ii SKY497 Pilot’s Guide

ATC

and See & Avoid techniques.

Table of Contents

Page

List of Illustrations............................................................................iv

List of Tables....................................................................................iv

Chapter 1 System Description.........................................................1-1

General Description.............................................................................................1-1

Transmitter Receiver Computer (TRC)..................................................................1-1

Directional Antenna.............................................................................................1-1

Display.................................................................................................................1-2

Interaction of Major Components.........................................................................1-2

Functional Description.........................................................................................1-4

Features...............................................................................................................1-4

Chapter 2 Operating Instructions....................................................2-1

Controls & Indicators..........................................................................................2-1

Turn On the SKY497...........................................................................................2-4

Run the Operator-Initiated Self Test......................................................................2-4

Switch Between Standby and Normal Operating Mode..........................................2-6

Change the Display Range....................................................................................2-6

Change the Altitude Display Mode.......................................................................2-7

Switch Between SKYWATCH™ and STORMSCOPE® Modes (Optional)............2-8

Observe the Display..............................................................................................2-8

Respond to Traffic Advisories...............................................................................2-9

Turn Off the SKY497 and the Optional WX-1000................................................2-9

Failure Response...................................................................................................2-9

Operate the Optional WX-1000 When the SKY497 is Removed.........................2-10

Operate the SKY497 When the Optional WX-1000 is Removed.........................2-10

Chapter 3 Principles of Operation....................................................3-1

Introduction........................................................................................................3-1

Sensitivity Levels..................................................................................................3-1

Sensitivity Level A............................................................................................3-2

Sensitivity Level B.............................................................................................3-2

Audio Inhibit, SKY497.........................................................................................3-2

Audio Inhibit, GPWS...........................................................................................3-4

TA Symbol Duration............................................................................................3-4

Ground Target Filtering........................................................................................3-4

Chapter 4 Display Interpretation.....................................................4-1

Introduction........................................................................................................4-1

Chapter 5 Specifications.................................................................5-1

Chapter 6 Warranty Information.....................................................6-1

Introduction........................................................................................................6-1

Warranty Statement..............................................................................................6-1

Related Policies and Procedures.............................................................................6-2

SKY497 Pilot’s Guide iii

List of Illustrations

Figure Title Page

1-1 SKY497 Major Components.....................................................................1-1

1-2 Display with Typical SKYWATCH Screen.................................................1-2

1-3 Display with Typical STORMSCOPE Screen (Optional).............................1-2

1-4 SKY497 Simplified Functional Diagram....................................................1-3

1-5 Altitude Display Modes and Traffic Zones..................................................1-5

2-1 SKY497 Controls and Indicators...............................................................2-1

2-2 BFGoodrich Screen...................................................................................2-5

2-3 SKY497 Standby Screen............................................................................2-5

2-4 In-Flight Traffic Screen..............................................................................2-5

2-5 SKY497 Failed Screen...............................................................................2-5

2-6 Operator-Initiated Test Screen...................................................................2-5

2-7 Traffic Screen Set on 6 nmi Range.............................................................2-6

2-8 Traffic Screen Set on 2 nmi Range.............................................................2-6

2-9 Altitude Display Modes.............................................................................2-7

3-1 TA Zones If Your Aircraft Has a Radio Altimeter........................................3-3

3-2 TA Zones If Your Aircraft Has No Radio Altimeter, But Does Have

Retractable Landing Gear..........................................................................3-3

3-3 TA Zones If Your Aircraft Has Fixed Landing Gear and No Radio Altimeter3-4

4-1 Traffic Advisory and Other Traffic.............................................................4-1

4-2 Out-of-Range Traffic Advisory....................................................................4-1

4-3 Non-Altitude-Reporting Traffic..................................................................4-2

4-4 SKY497 Standby Screen............................................................................4-2

4-5 SKY497 Failed Screen...............................................................................4-2

List of Tables

Table Title Page

2-1 SKY497 Controls and Indicators...............................................................2-1

3-1 Ten Situations in Which a Traffic Advisory Will Occur..............................3-1

5-1 Transmitter Receiver Computer (TRC497) Specifications...........................5-1

5-2 WX-1000/SKY497 Display Specifications.................................................5-2

5-3 NY164 Directional Antenna Specifications................................................5-2

iv SKY497 Pilot’s Guide

SKY497

System Description

Chapter 1

System Description

General Description

The

SKYWATCH

Traffic Advisory System (

™

model

SKY497

from BFGoodrich Avionics Systems, Inc. is an airborne

TAS

). It monitors the airspace around your aircraft and advises the
flight crew where to look for transponder-equipped aircraft that may pose a collision threat.
The

SKY497

is intended for use by corporate and general aviation aircraft. Figure 1-1 shows

the major components of the

The

SKY497

displays traffic information on a

SKY497

.

BFG WX-1000/SKY497

display and generates

aural announcements on the cockpit audio system. The display can be dedicated to the

SKY497

or shared with a

using a remote

SKYWATCH/STORMSCOPE

STORMSCOPE

Traffic information on the

CRT

®

Weather Mapping System (model

WX-1000

)

mode switch.

display consists of green symbols and text. The traffic

information generally includes the relative range, bearing, and altitude of intruder aircraft.

TRCDisplay

Figure 1-1. SKY497 Major Components

Transmitter Receiver Computer (TRC)

The

TRC

is the primary unit of the

SKY497

. It contains the circuitry necessary to convert

Directional Antenna

inputs from the directional antenna and from other aircraft systems into an on-screen
representation of intruding aircraft, and if necessary, aural traffic advisories. The
track up to 30 intruder aircraft simultaneously, but to reduce clutter, the
displays the eight most threatening intruders being tracked. The
Test Equipment (

Directional Antenna

BITE

) which detects faults and verifies proper operation.

TRC

also contains Built-In

TRC

SKY497

can

only

The directional antenna transmits omnidirectional mode C interrogations and receives
directional replies from other transponder-equipped aircraft in the vicinity.

Pilot’s Guide 1-1

SKY497 Pilot’s Guide

System Description

SKY497

Display

The display is a self-contained,
Cathode Ray Tube (

CRT

3-ATI

-sized unit with a high resolution, green monochrome

) display. The bezel contains four momentary contact push-button
switches and an on/off/brightness knob. The display provides control and display
functions for the

SKY497

and for a

WX-1000 STORMSCOPE

(if installed).

The display does not display traffic and storm information simultaneously. The position of
a remote
plays traffic or storm information; however, if you’re in

SKY497

temporarily switch to

SKYWATCH

SKYWATCH/STORMSCOPE

mode switch determines whether the display dis-

STORMSCOPE

mode and the

detects traffic that may pose an immediate threat to your aircraft, the display will

SKYWATCH

screen. Figure 1-3 shows the display with a typical

mode. Figure 1-2 shows the display with a typical

STORMSCOPE

screen.

BRT

+05

-13

+01

+10

NRM

+25

nm

6

Figure 1-2.Display with Typical

Screen

OFF

SKYWATCH

MENU

Figure 1-3.Display with Typical STORMSCOPE

Screen (Optional)

300$

25

CLEAR

Interaction of Major Components

Figure 1-4 shows how the major components of the

SKY497

connect to each other and to

other aircraft systems.

Notes on Figure 1-4:

1.The optional radio altitude input affects the

SKY497

audio inhibit
feature, the ground target filtering feature, and the sensitivity levels
feature. (See chapter 3 for details.)

2.A flight data computer or other Arinc 429 output device may replace
individual analog sensors for supplying barometric altitude & heading.

3.The

SKY497

will work without a heading input, but it will experience

degraded performance during high-rate-of-turn maneuvers.

4.The

SKY497

may be installed on aircraft with fixed landing gear. The
optional landing gear position input affects the sensitivity levels feature.
(See chapter 3 for details.)

100nm

120$

OFF

BRT

1-2 Pilot’s Guide

SKY497

System Description

Intruder Aircraft

Aircraft

Audio

System

Diagnostic
Equipment

(Optional)

Data
Recorder
(Optional)

Third-Party

MFD or BFG

RGC250/

Radar

Indicator

(Optional)

7

SKY497

Display

Transponder

Transponder

Aural TA's

Diagnostic Commands

and Status (RS-232)

Flight Data (RS-422)

SKYWATCH

Display

ARINC429

SKYWATCH

Control

Display Power

SKYWATCH

STORMSCOPE

STORMSCOPE

Display

SKYWATCH

Control

or

8

8

or

6

6

Replies

Replies

Transponder
Interrogations

Transponder
Interrogations

TRC

Directional
Antenna

Arinc 429
Radio Altitude

Barometric Altitude

2,3

Heading

TX/RX Inhibit

Landing Gear Position

Audio Inhibit

Weight On Wheels

14 or 28 V dc

SKYWATCH/
STORMSCOPE

Mode Selection

Display Power/
TRC On/Off Control

STORMSCOPE

STORMSCOPE

TRC On/Off Control
When WX-1000 is
Powered Down or
Removed

On/Off Control

1

5

Display

Control

2

4

Arinc 429 Radio

Altimeter or Flight

Data Computer

(Optional)

Encoding Altimeter

Aircraft Compass

System

Aircraft

Suppression Bus

Landing Gear

Switch (Optional)

GPWS (Optional)

Squat Switch

(Optional)

Aircraft Power

SKYWATCH/
STORMSCOPE

Mode Switch

WX-1000

STORMSCOPE

Processor

WX-1000
On/Off Control

WX-1000

Maintenance

Switch

Option

STORMSCOPE

Figure 1-4. SKY497 Simplified Functional Diagram

5. This audio inhibit input is only required if you have a Ground
Proximity Warning System installed.

6. The position of the
mines whether the display displays

SKYWATCH/STORMSCOPE

SKYWATCH

mode switch deter-

or

STORMSCOPE

information. The switch also determines whether the buttons on the
display control the

7. The optional
addition to the standard

8. The flight data
are not required for normal

Pilot’s Guide 1-3

MFD

or

SKYWATCH

RGC250

or

/radar indicator can be in place of, or in

WX-1000/SKY497

RS-422

output and the diagnostic

SKY497

STORMSCOPE

display.

operation.

system.

RS-232

input/output

System Description

Functional Description

The

SKY497

is an active system that operates as an aircraft-to-aircraft interrogation device.

The

SKY497

interrogates transponders in the surrounding airspace similar to the way that

ground-based radar interrogates aircraft transponders. When the

SKY497

SKY497

receives replies
to its interrogations, it computes the responding aircraft’s range, bearing, relative altitude,
and closure rate. The

SKY497

then plots the traffic location and predicts collision threats.

Figure 1-5 shows the

SKY497

altitude display modes (look up, look down, and normal).
The figure also shows the traffic zones around your aircraft and the traffic symbols that
appear on the display when intruding aircraft enter one of those zones.

A solid circle is the visual part of the Traffic Advisory (TA) that the

SKY497

generates when
it predicts that an intruder aircraft may pose a collision threat. The aural part of the TA,
“traffic, traffic,” is annunciated over a cockpit speaker or headset. An open diamond
represents traffic that does not pose an immediate collision threat.

The

SKY497

uses either sensitivity level A (

when to display a TA. In general,

SLB

SLA

) or sensitivity level B (

SLB

) to determine

is used during the in-flight phase and

SLA

is used
during takeoff and landing. Sensitivity levels and other factors affecting the display of traffic
symbols are discussed in detail in chapter 3. Look up, look down, and normal altitude
display modes are described in chapter 2.

Features

• Tracks up to 30 intruder aircraft (displays the 8 most threatening)

• Tracks intruder aircraft approaching at closure rates up to 900 knots

• Fraction of the cost of a

TCAS I

or

II

• Does not require a mode S transponder

• Two horizontal display ranges (6 nmi and 2 nmi)

• Three altitude display modes: normal (±2,700 ft), look up (–2,700 ft to +9,000 ft), and
look down (–9,000 ft to +2,700 ft)

• Generates visual and aural advisories of aircraft that may pose a collision threat

• Automatic and pilot-initiated self test functions

• High-resolution, green monochrome,

CRT

display

• Can transmit interrogations from the ground as well as from the air

• Can share a display with the

• Can display its traffic information on a compatible weather radar indicator (via a

) or on a third-party multifunction display in addition to, or in place of the

RGC250
BFG

display.

• Automatically switches back to the

STORMSCOPE WX-1000

SKYWATCH

screen from the

BFG

STORMSCOPE

screen when a TA is issued

• Uses only one antenna

• Display fits in a standard

3-ATI

cutout in the cockpit panel

1-4 Pilot’s Guide

SKY497

System Description

Look Up (ABV)

Normal (NRM)

Look Down (BLW)

6 nmi

6 nmi

0.55 nmi

0.2 nmi

S

e

n

s

i

t

i

A

l

e

v

e

v

L

ity

*

*

*

+9000 ft

Intruder Aircraft

+2700 ft

+800 ft

+600 ft

0 ft

–600 ft

–800 ft

–2700 ft

Not To Scale

–9000 ft

*15 seconds for non-altitude reporting intruder aircraft
**20 seconds for non-altitude reporting intruder aircraft
Refer to chapter 3 for details. CPA means Closest Point of Approach.

Figure 1-5. Altitude Display Modes and Traffic Zones

Pilot’s Guide 1-5