Medium large transport received a TCASII RA while on final approach.

Attributes
ACN	240477
Time
Date	199304
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ord
State Reference	IL
Altitude	agl bound lower : 600 agl bound upper : 600
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : ord
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Helicopter
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	None
Aircraft 2
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 60 flight time total : 7000 flight time type : 4000
ASRS Report	240477
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

I was flying a VFR helicopter out of the ord TCA on the tafts #1 helicopter route. I was approximately 2 mi east of the field when ord south tower cleared an air carrier medium large transport to land runway 27L and to be advised that a VFR helicopter was low level, north of course, eastbound. At that moment, the air carrier pilot proceeded to tell ord he thought this was unsafe. His main reason was he had a TCASII alert with an RA indication. The tower then said to air carrier 'what would you like to do. I have both of you in sight. It's VFR. Do you want to land or go around.' the air carrier pilot stated he wanted to land and proceeded to do so. I exited the TCA to the east. I believe to improve the handling and understanding between VFR helicopters and IFR airplanes in these major terminals requires that the VFR helicopter route charts be made and added to instrument approach charts. In the case of chicago it should be inserted before the bradford 2 arrival (bdf.BDF2) STAR showing the helicopter rtes into and out of the TCA. Also, a note should be on it stating to TCASII equipped aircraft, 'be aware of low flying helicopters in the TCA in VFR and less than VFR WX.' hopefully, this may help, since the air carrier pilot made no effort to confirm the RA visually.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MLG RECEIVED A TCASII RA WHILE ON FINAL APCH.

Narrative: I WAS FLYING A VFR HELI OUT OF THE ORD TCA ON THE TAFTS #1 HELI RTE. I WAS APPROX 2 MI E OF THE FIELD WHEN ORD S TWR CLRED AN ACR MLG TO LAND RWY 27L AND TO BE ADVISED THAT A VFR HELI WAS LOW LEVEL, N OF COURSE, EBOUND. AT THAT MOMENT, THE ACR PLT PROCEEDED TO TELL ORD HE THOUGHT THIS WAS UNSAFE. HIS MAIN REASON WAS HE HAD A TCASII ALERT WITH AN RA INDICATION. THE TWR THEN SAID TO ACR 'WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO DO. I HAVE BOTH OF YOU IN SIGHT. IT'S VFR. DO YOU WANT TO LAND OR GAR.' THE ACR PLT STATED HE WANTED TO LAND AND PROCEEDED TO DO SO. I EXITED THE TCA TO THE E. I BELIEVE TO IMPROVE THE HANDLING AND UNDERSTANDING BTWN VFR HELIS AND IFR AIRPLANES IN THESE MAJOR TERMINALS REQUIRES THAT THE VFR HELI RTE CHARTS BE MADE AND ADDED TO INST APCH CHARTS. IN THE CASE OF CHICAGO IT SHOULD BE INSERTED BEFORE THE BRADFORD 2 ARR (BDF.BDF2) STAR SHOWING THE HELI RTES INTO AND OUT OF THE TCA. ALSO, A NOTE SHOULD BE ON IT STATING TO TCASII EQUIPPED ACFT, 'BE AWARE OF LOW FLYING HELIS IN THE TCA IN VFR AND LESS THAN VFR WX.' HOPEFULLY, THIS MAY HELP, SINCE THE ACR PLT MADE NO EFFORT TO CONFIRM THE RA VISUALLY.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 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.