Narrative:

During approach to runway 24 at isp; I asked the approach controller; 'do you have a sequence for us?' just for our planning of the approach. He said; 'I always have a sequence; descend and maintain two thousand.' we continued and as we were about to make our base turn; we received a TCAS RA; 'climb! Climb!' we both pulled back and climbed to avoid the helicopter only 200 ft from us. I immediately advised the controller that we were climbing to avoid the threat and his exact words were; 'I don't care what you do! The traffic is no factor and you're cleared for the visual to runway 24.' I replied that we were required to respond to all TCAS RA's and we were doing so 'by the book.' this controller not only wasn't interested in our action to avoid the other aircraft but also said the aircraft 'was no factor.' I did not call the facility or speak with anyone at the approach control facility. We did what was necessary to avoid a possible collision with another aircraft but the controller was completely apathetic to any of our attempts to stay safe.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737-700 FLT CREW TAKES EXCEPTION TO THE ATTITUDE OF ISP APCH CTLR WHO VECTORED THEM INTO A TCAS RA CONFLICT WITH A HELI AND VOICED A TOTAL LACK OF CONCERN ABOUT DOING SO.

Narrative: DURING APCH TO RWY 24 AT ISP; I ASKED THE APCH CTLR; 'DO YOU HAVE A SEQUENCE FOR US?' JUST FOR OUR PLANNING OF THE APCH. HE SAID; 'I ALWAYS HAVE A SEQUENCE; DSND AND MAINTAIN TWO THOUSAND.' WE CONTINUED AND AS WE WERE ABOUT TO MAKE OUR BASE TURN; WE RECEIVED A TCAS RA; 'CLB! CLB!' WE BOTH PULLED BACK AND CLBED TO AVOID THE HELI ONLY 200 FT FROM US. I IMMEDIATELY ADVISED THE CTLR THAT WE WERE CLBING TO AVOID THE THREAT AND HIS EXACT WORDS WERE; 'I DON'T CARE WHAT YOU DO! THE TFC IS NO FACTOR AND YOU'RE CLRED FOR THE VISUAL TO RWY 24.' I REPLIED THAT WE WERE REQUIRED TO RESPOND TO ALL TCAS RA'S AND WE WERE DOING SO 'BY THE BOOK.' THIS CTLR NOT ONLY WASN'T INTERESTED IN OUR ACTION TO AVOID THE OTHER ACFT BUT ALSO SAID THE ACFT 'WAS NO FACTOR.' I DID NOT CALL THE FACILITY OR SPEAK WITH ANYONE AT THE APCH CTL FACILITY. WE DID WHAT WAS NECESSARY TO AVOID A POSSIBLE COLLISION WITH ANOTHER ACFT BUT THE CTLR WAS COMPLETELY APATHETIC TO ANY OF OUR ATTEMPTS TO STAY SAFE.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 2009 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.