A B737 first officer described a visual approach to las runway 1R with parallel traffic on 1L. TCAS ...

Attributes
ACN	811676
Time
Date	200811
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : las.airport
State Reference	NV
Altitude	msl single value : 6000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : l30.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	arrival : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 158 flight time type : 4500
ASRS Report	811676
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe other anomaly
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took precautionary avoidance action
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance ATC Human Performance Airport
Primary Problem	Ambiguous

Narrative:

I was the PF; the captain was pilot monitoring. WX was clear and not a factor. We were just given a turn to a right base and cleared for the visual to runway 1R at las vegas. We were descending to 6000 ft MSL; flaps 5 degrees; and slowing to configure and descend a little more aggressively. I planned on squaring the turn to final to assist in the descent. The captain pointed out company traffic on a dogleg to final for runway 1L. He recommended a turn to final to ensure we didn't overshoot. I clicked off the autoplt and rolled into 30 degrees of bank to a dogleg to final. A few seconds after initiating the turn; we received an RA of 'adjust vertical speed.' it commanded a 0-500 vvi climb. I leveled off and the RA cleared. The captain kept the traffic in sight. I could not; due to its position below and to the left of us when on final. I continued to slow and configure while starting a descent again. We received another RA of 'adjust vertical speed;' this time commanding a 0-500 vvi descent. I complied and reduced my descent. This was causing us to get higher on the approach path. We configured to flaps 40 degrees and tried another descent but the RA was still directing a 500 vvi descent maximum -- not steep enough to make the landing. We had approximately a 10-15 degree intercept to the extended centerline to final. We turned to parallel the runway 1R centerline; which resolved the RA; but we were to the right of the runway. I shallowed my intercept to final of about 2 degrees; essentially an angling final; which kept the RA clear; allowed us to descend and have a stabilized final at 1000 ft. Traffic was about 1/4 mi ahead of us and lower. We landed uneventful. The resultant final was similar to an approach to runway 28R/left at sfo. The runway 1L/right separation at las appears similar to that of runway 28L/right at sfo and we should consider using similar traffic procedures. Perhaps going to TA in las; similar to sfo; would avoid these conflicts. Also; ATC could vector or construct a shallow intercept to final procedure; while staggering the traffic arriving to runway 1L/right at las.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B737 FIRST OFFICER DESCRIBED A VISUAL APPROACH TO LAS RUNWAY 1R WITH PARALLEL TRAFFIC ON 1L. TCAS ALERTS PREVENTED HIM FROM FLYING THE DESCENT RATE HE WOULD HAVE LIKED UNTIL HE OFFSET AND FLEW AN ANGLED FINAL.

Narrative: I WAS THE PF; THE CAPT WAS PLT MONITORING. WX WAS CLR AND NOT A FACTOR. WE WERE JUST GIVEN A TURN TO A R BASE AND CLRED FOR THE VISUAL TO RWY 1R AT LAS VEGAS. WE WERE DSNDING TO 6000 FT MSL; FLAPS 5 DEGS; AND SLOWING TO CONFIGURE AND DSND A LITTLE MORE AGGRESSIVELY. I PLANNED ON SQUARING THE TURN TO FINAL TO ASSIST IN THE DSCNT. THE CAPT POINTED OUT COMPANY TFC ON A DOGLEG TO FINAL FOR RWY 1L. HE RECOMMENDED A TURN TO FINAL TO ENSURE WE DIDN'T OVERSHOOT. I CLICKED OFF THE AUTOPLT AND ROLLED INTO 30 DEGS OF BANK TO A DOGLEG TO FINAL. A FEW SECONDS AFTER INITIATING THE TURN; WE RECEIVED AN RA OF 'ADJUST VERT SPD.' IT COMMANDED A 0-500 VVI CLB. I LEVELED OFF AND THE RA CLRED. THE CAPT KEPT THE TFC IN SIGHT. I COULD NOT; DUE TO ITS POSITION BELOW AND TO THE L OF US WHEN ON FINAL. I CONTINUED TO SLOW AND CONFIGURE WHILE STARTING A DSCNT AGAIN. WE RECEIVED ANOTHER RA OF 'ADJUST VERTICAL SPD;' THIS TIME COMMANDING A 0-500 VVI DSCNT. I COMPLIED AND REDUCED MY DSCNT. THIS WAS CAUSING US TO GET HIGHER ON THE APCH PATH. WE CONFIGURED TO FLAPS 40 DEGS AND TRIED ANOTHER DSCNT BUT THE RA WAS STILL DIRECTING A 500 VVI DSCNT MAX -- NOT STEEP ENOUGH TO MAKE THE LNDG. WE HAD APPROX A 10-15 DEG INTERCEPT TO THE EXTENDED CTRLINE TO FINAL. WE TURNED TO PARALLEL THE RWY 1R CTRLINE; WHICH RESOLVED THE RA; BUT WE WERE TO THE R OF THE RWY. I SHALLOWED MY INTERCEPT TO FINAL OF ABOUT 2 DEGS; ESSENTIALLY AN ANGLING FINAL; WHICH KEPT THE RA CLEAR; ALLOWED US TO DSND AND HAVE A STABILIZED FINAL AT 1000 FT. TFC WAS ABOUT 1/4 MI AHEAD OF US AND LOWER. WE LANDED UNEVENTFUL. THE RESULTANT FINAL WAS SIMILAR TO AN APCH TO RWY 28R/L AT SFO. THE RWY 1L/R SEPARATION AT LAS APPEARS SIMILAR TO THAT OF RWY 28L/R AT SFO AND WE SHOULD CONSIDER USING SIMILAR TFC PROCS. PERHAPS GOING TO TA IN LAS; SIMILAR TO SFO; WOULD AVOID THESE CONFLICTS. ALSO; ATC COULD VECTOR OR CONSTRUCT A SHALLOW INTERCEPT TO FINAL PROC; WHILE STAGGERING THE TFC ARRIVING TO RWY 1L/R AT LAS.

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.

A B737 first officer described a visual approach to las runway 1R with parallel traffic on 1L. TCAS alerts prevented him from flying the descent rate he would have liked until he offset and flew an angled final.