Ever wanted to have an extra pair of eyes when flying?

Someone who alerts you to conflicting traffic even when an overtaking aircraft is outside your normal line of vision?

You need a TCAS system for that, just like the airlines have.

Or, if you budget doesn’t stretch past the 300 dollar mark you can opt for the very capable TS Micro from SureCheck.

I can remember one eventful incident when my tiny Cherokee was overtaken by an enormous B-52.  I was flying just outside a naval air station in Southern California when coming from underneath a thunderous shadow appeared in front of me.  The crew of the eight-engined bomber probably never even saw me as they climbed out after take off.

That heart-stopping moment made me realize that I need to have eyes in the back of my head when flying in busy airspace. Or a traffic alerter like the Micro.

Technology has come so far in the 30 years since this event that now you can buy that extra security for just a few hundred dollars. 

Coming from the firm that brought us the TrafficScope and VR collision avoidance systems, SureCheck has packaged all their technology into the tiniest package that you can place on top of your dashboard.

So how good does it work?

The TS Micro™, as we mentioned, is the latest model in the famed line of TrafficScope® collision avoidance avionics. The Micro is an all-digital system, the size of a packet of smokes, which monitors traffic threats with a 10-segment range display. The colour-segmented LEDs indicate any transponder-equipped aircraft up to five miles. The green lights mean that traffic is around but not a factor, the yellow LEDs indicate you’d better have your head up, looking for traffic and when the red indicators come on you should start swiveling your neck as well.

The traffic detection is failsafe, meaning it will detect every transponder equipped aircraft.  The software eliminates all traffic flying above flight level 200 as this is deemed to be not a factor for general aviation aircraft.  It also happens to be the upper certified level for our pressurised Centurion so I'm okay with that.

Which aircraft are detected?  Picture yourself in a 360° sphere with your aircraft in the middle.  All the aircraft in that bubble should be detected if they have their transponders on.  The Micro will pick up on all the aircraft in the 3-5 mile detection window but it will only display the closest threat.

This may also mean that aircraft on the ground can be picked up on the traffic alerter when for instance you are overflying an airfield if there are any aircraft that have their transponders activated.

The first time I switched on the Micro unit I was sitting at my desk and heard a plane come over.

No signal was picked up which goes to show that not every aircraft has a transponder or has it switched on. In our country, Australia, we have just implemented a new airspace model, based on the US system.  We do not have the extensive radar coverage that the US has.  Therefore, it is much more important that we take the initiative to "see and avoid".  We cannot rely on ATC to give us traffic information.  The Micro is ideal and very cost-effective as a safety mechanism to alert us to traffic normally not easily seen.  But, it is clear that more aircraft need to be equipped with transponders and have them switched on.

By no means should one just rely on the Micro to spot other aircraft.

I mostly fly in a relatively quiet part of the country and when the Micro finally does indicate something I almost rejoice and say: “Ah, traffic!” and intensify my scan, knowing someone else is around.

Now it is clear that the Micro is a budget system and simple (not simplistic though!), but an indication that there is traffic is not the same as knowing where to look.  The range is given but not the direction or altitude difference.  Their more expensive TrafficScope systems like the VRX, will also tell the altitude.  Generally, you can suss out whether or not traffic is going to be a factor by how rapidly the LEDs progress to the right (the red light district always indicates potential danger...)

Powering the TS Micro are a couple of NiMH batteries, AA size.

These are the best for ensuring that its staying power is longer than your bladder endurance…about 4 hours.

Whipping in a fresh set of AA’s is quickly done too as the system comes with a second set and a 15 minute charger.

This means that when you have a refuel and “de-fuel” along the way, you can quickly recharge your batteries as well.

The RayOVac charger has a handy plug that swivels out of the way when not in use.

It’s a different story when you don’t live in the good ol’ US of A and require a different plug. Usually, an adaptor works fine in these cases.

However, when I checked the back of the charger it said: “INPUT 110V”.

We here in Australia keep our electrons happy when we feed them with 220-240V.

When I noticed that this charger was made in China I figured: “Would they go through the trouble of making two separate charging circuits? It’s probably just the sticker indicating which part of the world should be using it…”

So I took a punt and tested it for compatibility.

It seemed to work OK except the inbuilt fan made quite a racket and I was wondering whether I should have bought a conversion kit. 15 minutes later the noise stopped and the batteries were recharged. It does seem though that the voltage difference impacts the endurance of the batteries as I couldn’t get the promised 4+ hours out of them.

When I tried it with a locally sourced charger the results were conform the expected staying power.

A new model, the TS 200 has just been announced which can be powered by the ship’s 12V-28V system. That’s great if you fly a lot and want it permanently mounted.

And you can still get the charger as an option.

Truly the best of both worlds.

In our P210, a pressurised Cessna Centurion, this 28V outlet is already spoken for so I find the battery version a bit handier. Certainly when you fly different aircraft or when you want to show fellow pilots how it works in the hangar it’s great to have a battery powered unit.

As I write the TS Micro is sitting on top of my computer, blinking away as aircraft fly overhead. Yes, I still notice that some either don’t have a transponder or haven’t switched it on…

When you first switch on the Micro the unit goes through a self test and checks the battery level.

It also indicates briefly the software version and then starts the traffic scan.

It makes sense for the Micro to be placed in your line of sight right on top of the dashboard and away from the compass and any vertical support.

One suggestion I made to the company already was to make the top surface of the unit less reflective.

The white surface reflects too much in the windscreen.

The gold antenna connector looks flash but here too reflection is an issue.

I had to resort to covering up the shiny bits.

To prevent the unit slip-sliding away on a curved dashboard top it might be better to have it equipped with some rubber feet.

For a semi-permanent installation there are some Velcro dots supplied.

If you're flying a rental aircraft the old bubblegum standby might also work...

These improvements will be “reflected” in the new unit, coming out shortly and shows the responsiveness of a company like SureCheck.

You can't argue with the improved safety levels.  When you fly in busy airspace you may be surprised to find how much traffic there actually is.  This may also be a bit frustrating as you try to spot each and every one of those aircraft.  In real life, aircraft are hard to spot as it is…

I have no hesitation in recommending this product for every pilot whether or not you own an aircraft.  In fact, particularly when you are a renter, the Micro is for you.  If you have the moolah and if you are an aircraft owner, you might go for a system like the VRX which tells you more precisely where to look.  I hope to be able to do an in-depth review of the VRX before too long.