HUDSON-
"While the FMC may gradually reduce the speed in the descent before initial flap selection to flaps 1 and 5 - the aircraft is not in level flight - it is still going down and the flaps are therefore being used as speed brakes - in my view."
I shouldn't think that just because the aircraft is descending with the Flaps out, the Flaps are being used as speedbrakes- as long as you are maintaining the flap maneuvering speed. Even Boeing does NOT have a prblem with this as this is standard procedure say during a "Delayed Flap Approach", where you would be descending with Gear Down Flap15, then extending to landing Flap by 1000 ft agl.
Beagle, Hudson, Spitoon, Ozexpat, reynoldsno1 your replies appreciated.
Actually- the origin of this thread was a General Operating Circular issued by our Flight Operations stating that pilots are intercepting the Glidepath on a continous descent profile, ie., without a level flight segment, and the ATC has objected to this. Hence, they have said that the pilots should be in level flight at the Glideslope intercept altitude, atleast 2.5nm prior to Glidepath capture, and that this was required as per Doc 8168 Vol I/II.
Can ATC object to something that is NOT wrong in the first place- as many have said that the 2.5nm level segment is a DESIGN requirement. I appreciate the ATC could/should do anything that improves flight safety- but waht are they thinking here??????
