What does a Traffic Advisory (TA) indicate?

A Traffic Advisory (TA) serves as an important alert within air traffic management, specifically indicating the presence of nearby aircraft that may pose a risk of collision. The correct answer highlights that a TA provides information about the range, bearing, and relative altitude of intruder aircraft. This information is critical for pilots and aircrew members, as it allows them to assess their spatial orientation in relation to other aircraft in the vicinity.

Understanding the range gives insight into how far away the other aircraft is, while the bearing provides the direction to the intruder in relation to your current heading. The relative altitude is important for understanding vertical separation or potential conflicts, especially in busy airspace. This comprehensive situational awareness enables aircrew to take appropriate actions to maintain safety and proper separation from other aircraft.

In contrast to other options, altitude changes relate more directly to the vertical position or flight level but do not encompass the whole situational depiction of nearby aircraft. Vertical maneuvers needed could imply specific actions in response to threats but do not represent the advisory itself. Current speed and direction are also separate parameters that do not provide the essential information about other aircraft. Thus, the correct understanding of a TA encompasses multiple dimensions of awareness critical for safe flight operations.