Hi, I was flying into LGWthis morning and given the Otmet 1 G.
Instructed to be FL130 by Teltu. Then got headings....early slowdown to 250 knots.....back on the SID but initial stop altitudes of Fl180 and 150.
The 180 restriction was removed keeping us above profile and 150 removed about six miles before Teltu.
This made it sensibly impossible to meet the 130 restriction at 250 knots.
Does an intermediate step altitude automatically cancel a STAR restriction or is it expected that we slow down below 250 knots at FL180 to kill some energy ....then increase speed dive to FL150 and slow down again to min clean to give us a fighting chance of making FL130?
Thanks in advance.
An ATC clearance cancels a previous clearance. If a FL restriction mentioned in the previous clearance is still needed it MUST be repeated.
The controller should take into account that slowing you down may prevent you from making a subsequent FL restriction as the distance remaining is too short. The fact you were cleared to FL130 level by TELTU and then cleared to FL180 and FL150 either suggests poor planning by the controller or, more likely, there were a lot of Gatwick arrivals. For this reason they could have been going towards WILLO above the FL at which they are normally transferred between ATC sectors.
Please tell the controller if what you were asked to do is not achievable. The vast majority of controllers do realise that pilots are not magicians!