Originally Posted by
Uplinker
I think the "established" point has two elements.
One is for ATC sequencing, the other for safe descent:
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From my long passed Approach days , "reporting established" for a Controller main function is that it automatically means the aircraft is on its own navigation .In a radar environment you stop vectoring it to intercept the LOC , and transfer it to TWR ( or keep it in LVP ) Responsibility for terrain is transferred to the pilot.
As to sequencing, In busy airports maybe , but we have better ways to sequence aircraft . As an aside in Bergerac they have 2 or 3 commercials ops per day only ..