An air carrier flight crew received an RA from helicopter traffic on final at DAL. They felt they should have been given an earlier heads-up from ATC.
Synopsis
An air carrier flight crew received an RA from helicopter traffic on final at DAL. They felt they should have been given an earlier heads-up from ATC.
Narrative
Cleared for a visual from downwind off of BOWIE Arrival to 31L. Visibility was outstanding. Turned base and cleared to land on 31L. About 3 miles out intercepting final got a TA on a target that was low between the runways. Helicopter was acquired in sight and started to get monitor vertical speed. I (Pilot Flying) adjusted flight path. Tower advised us of traffic telling us that the helicopter had us in sight and was maintaining visual (first advisory) after traffic had already passed. Helicopter passed below and behind us and I continued landing approach. We received a Climb RA after he was behind us at about 1000 FT AGL. I reacted with a small correction; but was sure threat behind us and landed normally. Both First Officer and I were sure target was behind us and no factor; but realized that FOM demands a go-around in landing configuration. I called the Tower after landing and told them it would have been helpful to get an advisory upon initial contact so we could have been more prepared. TCAS system was the only alert we had as Tower told us of traffic after the traffic had passed.
Second reporter narrative
While established on final; configured and stable I noticed a lone TCAS target that appeared to be on the final for 31R. I thought that seemed strange since I had not heard Tower or Approach talking to any traffic that would be in front of us for the parallel runway; something I try to keep track of. Moments later Tower told us that there was VFR traffic off our right and below; I looked to see a helicopter heading toward downtown about 800 FT below us to our right; coming from the direction of the 31R final. Just as I opened my mic to call traffic in sight; we got a TCAS RA telling us to monitor vertical speed. I finished my call to Tower; telling them that the traffic was a helicopter heading toward downtown and that we were responding to an RA. The Captain adjusted the vertical speed and the RA quit. I told the Captain that I saw the traffic passing behind us and verified that this was the only target on the entire screen. Another look at the traffic revealed that as he was passing he turned toward our tail to go directly behind us. This movement set off another TCAS RA telling us to climb. Again the Captain began to respond to the RA and it quit before he could fully respond. We continued the approach and landed. After arriving at the gate we discussed the event and noted that the FOM directs us to go around if an RA is received in the landing configuration; since there could have been another target that we did not see.
Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.