A B727 CREW; ON DEP CLB FROM MSP; RESPONDED TO A TCASII 'REDUCE VERT SPD' COMMAND.

Narrative

I WAS THE FO AND PF ON OUR DEP FROM MSP AND WE WERE ON RADAR VECTORS FOR THE DEP FROM THE AREA AND CLBING TO OUR ASSIGNED ALT OF 7000 FT. THE ATC VECTORS WE THEN RECEIVED TURNED US DIRECTLY INTO THE SUN. SINCE IT WAS WINTER; THE SUN WAS QUITE LOW IN THE SKY; DESPITE THE FACT THAT IT WAS ONLY XA20 IN THE AFTERNOON. WITH THE SUN; I WAS COMPLETELY UNABLE TO SEE THE FLT INSTS. I REACHED DOWN WITH MY L HAND TO WHERE THE SUN SHADES ARE STORED AND I WAS TRYING TO PLACE ONE ON THE RAIL IN FRONT OF MY FRONT WINDSCREEN. THIS IS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO ACCOMPLISH SINGLE HANDED DUE TO THE HARD RUBBER CLIPS THAT CLAMP TO A METAL BAR THAT RUNS ALONG THE TOP OF THE WINDSCREEN. WHILE I WAS TRYING TO DO THIS; I WAS FLYING WITH MY R HAND. THE PWR AT THIS TIME WAS SET TO THE NORMAL CLB PWR SETTING; WHICH PROVIDED A RATE OF CLB OF ABOUT 2500 FPM. NOW I USUALLY REDUCE PWR AT ABOUT 1000 FT TO GO TO REDUCE THE CLB RATE TO BELOW 1000 FPM. SINCE I WAS FUMBLING WITH MY L HAND WITH THE SUNSCREEN; I DIDN'T HAVE A HAND LEFT TO REDUCE PWR. AT ABOUT 6400 FT; THE TCASII RESPONDED WITH A 'REDUCE VERT SPD' DUE TO OUR RATE OF CLB AND THE ARR TFC ABOVE US AT 8000 FT. I DROPPED THE SUNSCREEN INTO MY LAP; REDUCED PWR AND LEVELED AT OUR ASSIGNED ALT OF 7000 FT AND WOUND UP USING MY HAND TO BLOCK THE SUN. THERE WERE A NUMBER OF THINGS I COULD HAVE DONE DIFFERENTLY. I COULD HAVE REDUCED PWR TO CLB MORE SLOWLY WHILE I POSITIONED THE SCREEN; OR I COULD HAVE CALLED TO THE SECOND OFFICER TO REDUCE THE PWR FOR ME (OR THE CAPT). WHILE THERE WAS NO CLRNC DEV INVOLVED IN THIS; THIS EVENT IS A POTENT REMINDER TO FLY THE ACFT FIRST. I NOW CARRY SUNSCREENS THAT STICK TO THE WINDOW DIRECTLY WITH VERY LITTLE EFFORT INVOLVED; AND I POS IT SO I CAN GRAB IT IN A HURRY IF I NEED TO; AND ONLY ONE HAND IS REQUIRED. I ALSO DON'T HESITATE TO TURN THE ACFT OVER TO THE CAPT OR TURN ON THE AUTOPLT (ALTHOUGH IN THIS CASE; THE AUTOPLT IS ALMOST AS MUCH WORK BECAUSE OF A LACK OF AN ALT PRESET/CAPTURE FUNCTION) IF THE SIT REQUIRES IT.