The Nation - News from Nov. 4, 1987

The House passed legislation requiring the nation’s airline fleet to be equipped by the early 1990s with instruments that warn pilots of impending mid-air collisions. The bill, passed by a 405-4 vote, would give the Federal Aviation Administration 18 months to complete development of the so-called TCAS-II, the version of the traffic alert and collision avoidance system that is designed for airliners. The equipment would have to be carried on board all airliners with more than 30 seats within 30 months of its certification. If a collision appears imminent, the device sounds an alarm about 30 seconds before the anticipated crash and suggests a climb or descent that could prevent the accident.