Originally Posted by
le Pingouin
paris, fix times don't work so well when you've got aircraft coming from different directions converging on a common point a fair way out from the fix - they can end up being in the wrong order due to wind direction. Easier in some ways to peel them off and turn them in when the spacing is right.
So pilots can't be trusted to meet assigned fix times? They know the winds better than ATC. Every piece of vectoring stuffs up the operational and environmental objectives of optimum trajectories. Also if there is convergence on the feeder fix from multiple directions that's an airspace design problem. The STAR should be such that all or absent that most flights are on a common path prior to the feeder fix. The feeder fix should not be confused with a holding fix - they serve different purposes. If you are running (say) a 10NM trail from the feeder fix into the approach area, then the times assigned to each flight should result in fairly accurate spacing, with a little speed control or vectoring to fine tune, particularly if anyone in the air is pushing the envelope time-wise. Any holding or severe vectoring should be over well and truly prior to the feeder fix.