An A320 flight crew responded to an RA on approach to 19R at las. The first officer reported he was ...

Attributes
ACN	810682
Time
Date	200811
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : las.airport
State Reference	NV
Altitude	msl single value : 2300
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : las.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	A320
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : visual
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	tower : las.tower
Make Model Name	Helicopter
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 240 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 6150
ASRS Report	810682
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne critical
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment : tcas
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took evasive action
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance Airspace Structure
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Situations
ATC Facility	procedure or policy : las.tower

Narrative:

Due to the runway confign at las; we were given a visual to runway 19R. At somewhere less than 1000 ft (probably closer to 300 ft AGL) we got a TCAS alert of traffic along the 'strip.' tower did not call out the traffic. We first got the TCAS alert with the traffic only 200 ft below us. We got an RA when I saw the TCAS display it as 100 ft below us. We never saw the traffic. We executed an RA climb and performed a go around. When we told tower about it; they seemed to imply no big deal! They said it happens all of the time with helicopter's along the las vegas 'strip.' well; it is a big deal. First; we should have been told of it. Second; this traffic (as TCAS displayed it) was closer than any traffic I've ever seen laterally or vertically. We were practically on top of it yet we never saw it. Runway 19R is too close to the strip for helicopter's to be allowed to fly in the same airspace. The captain was given a phone number to call las tower about it but I did not find out what the conversation was about. Hopefully it isn't about any action towards us. We flew a textbook approach interrupted by a textbook RA and go around for a hazardous traffic situation.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN A320 FLIGHT CREW RESPONDED TO AN RA ON APPROACH TO 19R AT LAS. THE FIRST OFFICER REPORTED HE WAS UNCOMFORTABLE WITH THE LACK OF HELP FROM THE CONTROLLER WHO SEEMED CASUAL ABOUT THE CONFLICT.

Narrative: DUE TO THE RWY CONFIGN AT LAS; WE WERE GIVEN A VISUAL TO RWY 19R. AT SOMEWHERE LESS THAN 1000 FT (PROBABLY CLOSER TO 300 FT AGL) WE GOT A TCAS ALERT OF TFC ALONG THE 'STRIP.' TWR DID NOT CALL OUT THE TFC. WE FIRST GOT THE TCAS ALERT WITH THE TFC ONLY 200 FT BELOW US. WE GOT AN RA WHEN I SAW THE TCAS DISPLAY IT AS 100 FT BELOW US. WE NEVER SAW THE TFC. WE EXECUTED AN RA CLB AND PERFORMED A GAR. WHEN WE TOLD TWR ABOUT IT; THEY SEEMED TO IMPLY NO BIG DEAL! THEY SAID IT HAPPENS ALL OF THE TIME WITH HELI'S ALONG THE LAS VEGAS 'STRIP.' WELL; IT IS A BIG DEAL. FIRST; WE SHOULD HAVE BEEN TOLD OF IT. SECOND; THIS TFC (AS TCAS DISPLAYED IT) WAS CLOSER THAN ANY TFC I'VE EVER SEEN LATERALLY OR VERTICALLY. WE WERE PRACTICALLY ON TOP OF IT YET WE NEVER SAW IT. RWY 19R IS TOO CLOSE TO THE STRIP FOR HELI'S TO BE ALLOWED TO FLY IN THE SAME AIRSPACE. THE CAPT WAS GIVEN A PHONE NUMBER TO CALL LAS TWR ABOUT IT BUT I DID NOT FIND OUT WHAT THE CONVERSATION WAS ABOUT. HOPEFULLY IT ISN'T ABOUT ANY ACTION TOWARDS US. WE FLEW A TEXTBOOK APCH INTERRUPTED BY A TEXTBOOK RA AND GAR FOR A HAZARDOUS TFC SITUATION.

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.

An A320 flight crew responded to an RA on approach to 19R at las. The first officer reported he was uncomfortable with the lack of help from the controller who seemed casual about the conflict.