Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Communication Breakdown; Workload; Confusion
ATC Issue All Types; Conflict Airborne Conflict; Deviation - Altitude Undershoot; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
Flight Crew Took Evasive Action; Flight Crew Requested ATC Assistance / Clarification
Human Factors; Procedure; Environment - Non Weather Related
We were being vectored onto the 6L localizer. ATC stated that there was traffic at 11:00. I was watching the TCAS and noticed the traffic before we ever made visual contact. The Captain and I were both looking for the traffic. The TCAS went from a non-shaded box; to a shaded box; to a yellow; to a red. I kept asking ATC if the traffic was going to be a factor and the Controller seemed to not really care. I asked again when the 'Traffic; Traffic' alert went off. The Controller stated; 'Yeah; I thought that was going to happen.' I made visual contact with the traffic before the RA sounded. The Captain stopped our descent rate just prior to the RA. The traffic was never; in my opinion; going to hit us due to his direction and our direction of flight. We stopped our descent at 8;000 FT. I clicked the mic and stated that we had just had a TA and RA; again the Controller stated; 'Yeah; again I thought that was going to happen.' I stated; 'Well I wish you would have done something to stop it; again we had a TA and RA.' The Controller again stated; 'Yup I guess it did happen.' At no time did the Controller take control of the situation; try to stop it; or try to correct it. I am worried about his attitude. Again the aircraft; passengers; and crew were never in a position to have a midair; but the RA did sound. The event occurred because the Air Traffic Controller did not due his part to correct the situation and vector us away from known traffic. Take the Controller offline; and find out why he just allowed it to happen; and have no remorse for the situation.
The clearance we received was 'Fly heading 320 descend and maintain 8;000; VFR traffic will be at your 10 o'clock and 5 miles; lower when clear'. We noticed the traffic on the TCAS at 5 miles as we were leveling off at 8;000 but could not attain visual contact. Once we leveled off at our assigned altitude we noticed the traffic was only 300 FT below us. At two miles we received a RA; complied with a vertical climb and notified ATC. ATC's response was 'Yeah; I figured that might happen.'
An air carrier on approach to CLE 6L was issued 8;000 FT traffic then in a descent to 8;000 FT took evasive to the traffic's TCAS RA but given no warning from ATC except after the fact with; 'Yeah; I figured that would happen.'