Jerricho
21st Jul 2003, 18:24
Situation occured yesterday on EGLL Final Director that I'm looking to get a few ideas on.
Medium A/c vectored from Lambourne following Heavy traffic about 9 miles ahead. The Medium was assigned 220kts by the intermediate director and given a closing heading to the ILS (They were into a good headwind of about 45 kts). As the Heavy ahead was about 8 mile final, given 160kts to 4 miles and passed to the Tower. I then instructed the following Medium as he was the only other guy within 30 miles "No further speed", thinking if he wished to slow he could (for that all important CDA). The response was "Can we speed up?".
In this senario, the request of can we speed up left me wondering. Speed up to what? 250kts came to mind, but nearly a mile and a half a minute speed difference in the wind conditions could have been sporting. The jet was still descending, so I guess a good spurt of speed could have been possible, but just what to expect wasn't apparent. An I didn't want him to stuff himself up behind the heavy and be told to reduce for the vortex.
I did respond by telling him "I'd prefer not" and told him he was whatever miles following heavy traffic (crap memory!)
Thoughts?
Medium A/c vectored from Lambourne following Heavy traffic about 9 miles ahead. The Medium was assigned 220kts by the intermediate director and given a closing heading to the ILS (They were into a good headwind of about 45 kts). As the Heavy ahead was about 8 mile final, given 160kts to 4 miles and passed to the Tower. I then instructed the following Medium as he was the only other guy within 30 miles "No further speed", thinking if he wished to slow he could (for that all important CDA). The response was "Can we speed up?".
In this senario, the request of can we speed up left me wondering. Speed up to what? 250kts came to mind, but nearly a mile and a half a minute speed difference in the wind conditions could have been sporting. The jet was still descending, so I guess a good spurt of speed could have been possible, but just what to expect wasn't apparent. An I didn't want him to stuff himself up behind the heavy and be told to reduce for the vortex.
I did respond by telling him "I'd prefer not" and told him he was whatever miles following heavy traffic (crap memory!)
Thoughts?